2010 Buy-a-Bale Campaign Begins
March 2010
Dear Friends of the Society,
Every year the Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals feeds its animals more than 25,000 bales of hay. Depending on weather conditions, the farm yields between 5,000 and 6,000 bales of hay from its own fields during each hay season. Last season the average cost for a bale of hay was $5.00. Right now the Society is providing rehabilitation and care for nearly 90 horses. Each horse eats approximately one bale of hay per day. The numbers are simple and staggering. 90 bales of hay each day times 365 days in the year times $5.00 – when you do the math, it costs more than $150,000 for a year’s worth of hay.
Thank you to so many of you. Your generosity during last season’s Buy-a- Bale campaign was overwhelming. I hope you will help us keep the hayloft - and the horses – full again this year. We have been feeding out hay every day since the farm opened its doors in 1974. Each year abused or neglected horses and other large animals are seized by Maine law enforcement agents and placed at the Society’s farm. The number of equines in our barns is very high - the need for hay is ongoing.
When economic times are hard for people, they are worse for animals. Domestic animals depend entirely on our ability to provide for them. I know many families are struggling to pay their own bills and keep their children fed. The once abused and neglected animals who have been rescued and placed at the Society are our family, and we cannot allow them to experience hunger again. Please help us provide them with the most basic of meals. For less than the cost of a sandwich, chips and a soda, you can feed a horse an entire day’s worth of hay, and feel good about where that money went.
We have set a goal of raising $100,000 by June 30th to buy the hay needed to feed the Society animals until spring 2011. Please help us meet the goal by buying a bale – or more – today. You may donate online at www.msspa.org or send your check to MSSPA at P.O. Box 10, South Windham, Maine 04082-0010. For every $5.00 you send, a horse will eat hay for a day. Buy a bale, buy ten bales – buy as many as you can afford - but please make your donation today to help make hay for the animals of the MSSPA! If you know a friend to animals who could buy a bale, please pass this request along to them?
On behalf of the horses, thank you for your generosity.
Very truly yours,
Marilyn L. Goodreau
President
Funds donated to Buy-a-Bale may be used for general operations should the $100,000 goal be exceeded.