home of "Horses Helping..."

2007 Facts & Figures 2006 Facts & Figures “I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the crippled, and I will strengthen the weak…I will watch over. I will feed them in justice.” Ezekiel 34:16 2006 will be remembered as the year of the explosion! This was the year that Refuge Farms literally exploded in to our local communities. And what a wild ride it has been! The network of supporters that we call The Friends of THE FARM continues to expand. It is through their generosity in spirit and support that we continue to offer our missions - the missions of healing to both horses and Human Beings alike. My heart swells with gratitude and humility as I struggle to find the words to adequately express my appreciation for your support. May your gifts be returned to you as blessings! It was a difficult task to hold expenditures in 2006. Especially with fuel costs doubling and the price of hay jumping up by leaps and bounds! But our expenditures increased by only 7% over 2005. And of that fact, I am proud. Never once, however, was the safety of a Human Being or the cares of The Herd sacrificed to minimize expenses. Safety and care are of paramount importance here at Refuge Farms. And during 2006, Refuge Farms participated in or hosted over 21 events! Yes, it was a very busy year! And each event brought new guests, new opportunities, new conversations, and yes, new hugs. The volunteers, or The 'Other' Herd, continued to give their energy and time whenever needed. It must be restated that without those volunteers, Refuge Farms would cease to exist. What gifts each and every one is! The numbers of 2006 follow for you to review. Descriptions of events and expenditures are presented. But more than any of these numbers, know that we continue to grow and move forward based totally on the faith that what we are doing here is good. It is good to care and to heal and to forgive. It is good to rescue a creature - horse of Human - that has been lost. And it is good to bond with another creature and maybe, just maybe, during that bonding, it is good to discover something about yourself. We feel here. We hug and we laugh and we listen and we talk. And yes, there are times when we cry here. All the while we build good, solid, dependable relationships here. We are here because we would be no other place. And I count myself as one of the wealthiest women on this earth simply to be the caretaker. Thank you for a fast and furious year! We will continue to grow knowing that this very growth is upon your prayers and support. Our commitment to our Missions of Healing has not wavered. Our mission statement is still reflected in the eyes of The Herd. Our satisfaction still comes from the giggles as a little hand feels the velvet of a big nose. And we will still freely share the wealth that is to be found in our barns. Come! Join us! It is a wild ride! Here's to the very best to both of us in 2007! Executive Director [Photos by D'Angelo] Refuge Farms Overview 2006 Refuge Farms is an IRS 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation which rests completely on the volunteer efforts and donations of The Friends of The Farm for it's existence.   Refuge Farms Donations 2006 Total Donations - $40,303 Friends of THE FARM Donations - $27,231 Each generous donation allows us to continue our missions and be available for Human healing at all levels. This donation amount reflects the contributions from our ever-expanding Friends of THE FARM community. Thank you to each and every one! We humbly accept and graciously appreciate your remembering us throughout the year. 2006 Events - $13,077 (Total) A full array of events was hosted this past year resulting in more guests here at Refuge Farms with more laughs and more hugs than ever before! Our 2006 events included: ECCHA - Better in Show - -$9 The Eau Claire County Humane Association invites us to participate in their "Better in Show" event every year. And we do. It is a great evening and is also an excellent source for volunteer recruitment! Tack Swap Meet #1 - $134 and Tack Swap Meet #2 - $42 Both meets were sponsored by local riding clubs and Refuge Farms participated by offering not needed horse related items for sale at a reasonable price. Everybody was happy! Spring Breakfast at Applebee's® - $1,199 The highlight of the Spring Season, breakfast with Jeff and his crew at the Menomonie Applebee's® is always a great event with fun for all! Big Jim, April, and sweet Lady-the-Dog accompanied us on this event with all volunteers and even our Ministers and LTD's cart adorned in Easter bonnets! The day was sunny and warm and not only was it tax weekend, but it was also Easter weekend! What a glorious day and a great event! Thank you, Jeff! Kid's Applebee's® - $0 Jeff asked if we would attend Kid's Nite at Applebee's® and of course we did! It's at these events that I'm always puzzled as to who is having more fun - the kids or the volunteers??? 2nd Annual Walk for Refuge - $3,494 The entire purpose of this event is to raise funds for the care of the horse's feet. And this year, the success of this event can best be exemplified by this fact - Bonita had her feet x-rayed on the day after the walk! Upon completion of the walk, everyone was treated to a delicious hot turkey drumstick and a gooey desert! Join us! And Thank You from The Herd! 3rd Annual Antique and Garage Sale - $1,584 This year we had a 'Bargain Barn', a furniture alley, and our usual assortment of antiques and good, clean treasures. Sunday is our Half-Price Day and it's amazing to watch the bags of finds heading out the driveway! Spring Bulb Drive - $5 and Fall Bulb Drive - $0 Given the competition for our time in both the Spring and Fall seasons, Refuge Farms will not continue the Bulb Drives. Certainly not because of the quality of the product - the bulbs from Dutch Gardens™ and vanBourgondien® are huge! It is simply a matter of having time for everything that needs to be done during these busy seasons! 2nd Annual Summer Social - $277 Once again hosted on the hottest, record-setting day of the summer, our homemade pies and bars were a hit! Sitting in the shade of the big trees, eating something cool and sweet, while gazing out at the herd contently grazing away... what more could you ask for? Country Jam - $407 THE FARM joined other non-profits and worked security for the three-day local Country Jam event. Was it a success? Just ask the volunteers who are still wide-eyed over seeing Keith Urban up close! "Saunder's Dixie" Raffle - -$8 Even though Dixie is a wonderfully talented Belgian logging horse, our raffle did not do her justice. The winner of the original artwork by Gayle Adams is thrilled, however, to have Dixie hanging in his den! 5th Annual Open Barn - $205 The premier event of the year, the Open Barn is a family day full of food from Applebee's®, horses to pet, wagon rides in the pastures, and story telling! Vendors "In the Yard" perform face painting, give magnet rubs, and show their original jewelry designs. This year, the day was especially pleasant given that at 11am it was still raining!! Open Barn Auction - $3,138 Jeff Hines of Hines Auctions in Ellsworth, WI, once again donated his skills at auctioneering to help us have a record setting auction! Over sixty (60) baskets of new goods and services were auctioned off to live bidders and through our Internet bidding system from our website. What were in the baskets? Well, there was a day of fly-fishing, a dog bed full of dog supplies and treats, a custom one-of-a-kind ring by Blexrude Designs, and even a Cajun Basket from our Vincent in Louisiana! Halloween at THE FARM - $64 This day is for the kids! We have pumpkins to paint, apples to bob, marshmallows to roast, and of course, a few horses to pet. Everyone is in costume and the pictures tell the story! What a crew and what costumes!! Creative we are! Fall Younker's - $346 Lambing Barb began this program by enrolling Refuge Farms in the Community Coupon Sale sponsored by Younker's and their corporate owners. All proceeds from the sale of the coupon books go to Refuge Farms. We'll continue this event, for sure! Mr. & Mrs. Claus at THE FARM - $583 One of the favorite days of many of us, the real Mr. & Mrs. Claus stop on the their trip down from the North Pole to spend some time here at Refuge Farms. The children (of all ages!) are thrilled to share their lists and get a hug from The Spirit of Christmas himself! And there is hot chocolate and cookies from Exit 45 Kwik-Trip® and maybe, just maybe, a horse or two touch and love a bit! This day starts the Christmas Season off right by allowing us to watch the faces of the children as they select their very own ornament off of the Refuge Farms Christmas Tree. A remarkable day! Winter Breakfast at Applebee's® - $1,229 You know how the song goes... "Rockin' round the Christmas Tree"? Well, we had our own rockin' going on at Applebee's® in December! Big Guy made his public debut and the trailer was a rockin'! Once again, Refuge Farms was back at the Menomonie Applebee's® to host our Winter Breakfast - and all were adorned in Santa hats! It is a time of hugs and Christmas wishes plus a great breakfast served All-U-Can-Eat! Thank you to Applebee's®! New Year's Eve at THE FARM - $45 So quickly the year comes to a close! But not without us sitting by the fire to remember the highlights of 2006 and plan for 2007. And this year, we even had candles on cupcakes and sang Happy Birthday to The Old Man! Hot chocolate rounded out the day as we all watched another year of healing wind down. Happy 2007! Pet Sitting - $327 Throughout the year, Refuge Farms will offer it's skill and reputation of responsibility to those who are traveling and need cares for their pets at home. This year we cared for dogs (Hello, Custer!), cats (Meow, Pasha!), parakeets (love the way they sing!), and even pet rats! Every dollar raised goes to the hay bill for The Herd! Chocolate Bars - $15 At the close of 2006, only 220 chocolate bars remain outstanding. We'll wrap this fundraiser up in 2007 or we'll just have to eat them all! Refuge Farms Expenditures 2006 Total Expenditures - $57,643 Feed - $17,987 In this category are the expenses for hay, feed, and bedding. Our entire herd is fed Safe Choice or Lite by Nutrena® as a supplement to their grassy hay bales. In a typical Wisconsin winter, we will consume 240 round bales with each round bale weighing approximately 1,200 lbs. In a good summer with rain and sunshine, the hay consumption should drop considerably. However the drought of the past few years has caused us to insure round bales are in front of the herd even during the prime summer months Equipment, Building, Grounds - $13,898 The buildings at THE FARM were thoroughly cleaned and maintained this year with major reworks and repairs being postponed until absolutely necessary. The lawn required our attention all summer with services contracted to help us maintain the neat and tidy appearance we require. Our fence is doing well and relocating the West line will be completed in 2007. Creation of Memory Beds is also a Grounds expense. Marketing, Inventory, Postage - $10,765 Our supplies of t-shirts and calendars were paid for in 2006. In the same category, the cost of each mailing is rising as our mailing list becomes larger with each year - but we aren't complaining! Any membership or subscription fees and product development fees are included in this category. Veterinary, Farrier, Medicines - $5,945 Overall, 2006 has been a very healthy year here at Refuge Farms. Our herd has stabilized and their determination to live is evidenced by the low Veterinary bills. Good feed is resulting in healthier feet, as well. Specialized farrier services have been located for Bonita's feet, much to her pleasure! Supplements such as MSM and foal starter were also consumed this year. Legal and Accounting - $4,811 As we insure adherence to state and federal requirements, accountant and legal fees are incurred. Each filing or license has it's own registration or licensing fee. Also included in this category are THE FARM's property and liability insurance premiums as well as property taxes. Event Expenses - $2,931 Any expenses incurred in support of our events, public hours, or volunteer trainings and meetings are assembled in this category. Once again, Refuge Farms watches every dollar and works hard to solicit donations in support of our events and meetings. Office Supplies - $1,306 Expenses for office supplies is trivial largely due to the donations of United Stationers Office Supply Company out of Eagan, MN. Their damaged materials are "recycled" to several non-profit organizations with Refuge Farms lucky enough to be on that list! As a result, our Office Supplies expense is negligible! Our primary Office Supplies expense is telephone and Internet services fees.