The Equine Protection of North America (EPONA), a non-profit rescue and rehabilitation facility for abused and neglected horses, was the recent beneficiary of a generous donation by a young girl, Lydia B. Grulke of Exeter, New Hamp
shire.
Grulke recently held her seventh birthday party, and in lieu of gifts she asked that her birthday attendees bring a donation to be given to EPONA. Grulke raised over $100, as well as supplies, such as applesauce and oil, at her birthday party for the local horse rescue and rehabilitation facility. EPONA is home to 14 horses rescued from slaughter, euthanasia, foreclosure or abuse.
This is not the first time Grulke has thrown such a party. In the past, she had birthday parties to benefit the Cocheco Valley Humane Society, where her two guinea pigs, Neil and Tim, came from. Grulke recently started riding lessons and wanted to have a horse-themed party and raise money for a local horse rescue and rehabilitation facility. The Grulke family was aware of EPONA and decided to donate the money raised from her party to this particular facility.
“I came across the idea of donating to an animal shelter after Lydia’s fourth birthday. She got so many presents that birthday that it was really too much,” Michelle Bunnemeyer, Lydia’s mother, commented. “I have volunteered at shelters in the past and thought that we could be using Lydia’s birthday as a way to teach her about benefiting others. She readily agreed and we’ve been asking for donations to animal shelters in lieu of gifts ever since.”
(EPONA)