One Storm Couldn't Stop Second Chances

Hello friends!

Whew…where do I even begin? July has been one of the busiest months we've had in a very long time! My humans have been running from sunrise to sunset, and I don't think they've sat down for more than five minutes all month.

Between individual tours, group visits, caring for all of us animals, and tackling projects around the rescue, it's truly been all hands on deck.

One thing I know for sure is that all of the visitors who came out this month got to see just how much love goes into caring for a rescue. We enjoy showing everyone what we do, introducing them to our residents, and sharing our mission. Thank you to everyone who came to visit us!

Our veterinarian also made another trip out to check on little Ginger. As many of you know, we've been keeping a close eye on her, so more blood work was done to help us continue searching for answers. Please keep Ginger in your thoughts as we work with our veterinary team to make sure she's feeling her best.

We were also lucky enough to have one of the best volunteer groups (Renewal by Andersen) spend the day with us. They tackled some of the big projects we've been trying to get caught up on, and we cannot thank them enough. Volunteers truly make such a difference around here, and we are so grateful for everyone who donates their time to help us care for the animals.

Unfortunately, July is ending much differently than it began.

The month started with the bang of fireworks…and it's ending with the bang of Mother Nature.

Monday's storm swept through the rescue and reminded us just how powerful Mother Nature can be. There were definitely moments when it was hard not to feel discouraged. As a nonprofit, every unexpected repair comes with an unexpected expense, and when volunteers are already hard to come by, it can feel overwhelming.

The storm left us with significant damage, and we were without power for days. We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to the Beecher Fire Department for bringing us water on Thursday while we were without electricity. Your kindness meant so much to us.

But once the initial frustration faded, we reminded ourselves of something important...

Farm work is never finished.

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There will always be another fence to fix, another shelter to repair, another stall to clean, or another animal needing our help. That's simply part of this life, and we wouldn't trade it for anything.

Most importantly, every person and every animal made it through the storm safely. While we did sustain damage, we are incredibly thankful it wasn't worse, and our hearts go out to everyone in our community who suffered even greater losses.

As I write this, our office is still catching up after being without power, so responses to phone calls and emails may be slower than usual. Thank you for your patience and understanding while we work through everything.

One thing we've learned over the years is that we never face these challenges alone. Every time we've needed help, this incredible community has shown up. Whether it's volunteering, making a donation, sharing our posts, or simply cheering us on, you remind us why we keep doing what we do.

The storm may have knocked down fences and damaged buildings, but it didn't take away our determination. Every contribution, no matter the size, helps us repair the damage, keep hay in the barns, provide veterinary care, and continue saying "yes" to animals that have nowhere else to go.

From all of us here at Illinois Horse Rescue of Will County ... THANK YOU.

Together, we'll clean up, rebuild, and keep moving forward ...one hoof, one paw, one feather, and one day at a time.

Until next month, I'll be keeping an eye on the humans to make sure they remember to take a break once in a while...though I don't think they'll listen.

Your faithful reporter,

Samson