CANTER Ohio Needs Help

[Secretariat73]

I hate to have to do this, but we need to spread the word quickly about our financial situation. I sent the following notice out by e-mail recently and I'm posting here to reach as many folks as I can.

We recently received disappointing news when we learned that PetSmart would not be renewing a $10,000 grant we had received in 2006. That was money we had been counting on to pay board and provide care for our horses. This comes at the end of a slow summer for adoptions. Unfortunately, there aren't a lot of folks buying horses right now. So the income we usually generate from adoptions has been limited.

Therefore, we are faced with issuing this special appeal to our friends and supporters to help fill the gap. With 30 horses currently in our program, we have an urgent need for more funding. To date in 2007, we have received the following grants from these industry organizations and charitable foundations:

Blue Horse Charities = $14,250
Thoroughbred Charities of America = $4,000
The Kenneth A. Scott Charitable Trust, a KeyBank trust = $12,500 designated for surgeries (see below)
PetCo = $500

We are tremendously grateful for these funds, but frankly it is not enough. Our operating budget last year was $101,404, and we ended the year with expenses exceeding income by $12,700. As usual, we dipped into our own pockets to help offset some of that deficit and pay as many bills as we could. We cannot continue to do so, which is why we must ask for your help.

Please understand that this situation arises as a result of our success and the need for our services. Every week, rain or shine, our volunteers walk the shedrows of Thistledown and Beulah Park, networking with trainers and owners to identify horses in need. As a result of their efforts, the demand grows, draining our financial resources. Through the end of 2006, 467 horses have gone through our placement/rescue service, and in 2006 alone we took in 135 horses. One recent Saturday, we could have helped five horses at risk at Thistledown, but we simply don't have enough funds on hand to provide proper care for them. When we cannot help due to lack of funds it is heartbreaking to us and frustrating to the owners and trainers trying to do the right thing by retiring these noble athletes.

One of the two horses that we were able to help recently was FAX A FREDDY, a 10-year-old Ohio-bred gelding, winner of $399,583 and Ohio's 3-Year-Old Horse of the Year in 2000. Freddy retired with a lifetime record of 77 starts (14 wins, 17 places, 8 shows). CANTER's Director moved horses in her own barn to help Freddy. In addition, we have retired these veterans: Eye Pea Oh ($294,385), Pal Joey ($447,668), and Cumberland Gap ($324,375).

As you may know, CANTER was founded by Joanne Normile, a member of the racing industry who understood the needs of the owners and trainers and tailored the program to meet their needs. Our goal is to be strategic business partners who provide a very real economic benefit to the industry. This approach has made us a valuable resource on the backside, and we want to continue assisting in every way possible. We know that racing is a business. We buy at-risk horses, provide a FREE venue for trainers to advertise horses for sale to the public (http://www.canterusa.org/ohio), and facilitate the sale of horses. Horses sold through our Trainer Listings typically sell for many times the auction price.

Please remember that CANTER is an ALL-VOLUNTEER organization. We do not pay salaries or rent for office space so 100% of all monies collected go directly to funding our operations. Also, we will take ANY HORSE IN NEED, regardless of the physical condition or circumstances. Our small but dedicated team is doing everything they can to scrape together money to keep us going.

We urgently need your help. We ask you to please help us help the horses and the people who have dedicated their lives to racing by making a TAX-DEDUCTIBLE donation to CANTER Ohio today. You can send your donation to us via Paypal at http://www.canterusa.org/ohio/gifts.htm or by mail to 3967 Karl Road, #228, Columbus, OH 43224.

Here is an update we're going to post on our Web site to keep everyone informed on how we're doing in reaching our goal:

We recently sent out an urgent appeal for funds after losing a $10,000 grant from PetSmart. We estimate that we need a total of $20,000 for board, vet, and farrier care through the end of 2007. We're going to provide regular updates on our progress toward reaching our goal. We'll include income from all sources--donations, adoptions, eBay sales, etc.--since the special appeal of 9/8. We estimate that income from adoptions will total 30% ($6,000) of our goal, so income from other sources will need to total $14,000. [You can see how far the PetSmart grant would have gone to meeting our goal!] Here is the update for the week just ended:

FUNDS NEEDED $20,000.00
FUNDS RAISED $ 2,641.60

If you have any questions or suggestions, please don't hesitate to contact me at [email protected].

Chris Colflesh
Executive Director
CANTER Ohio

[Louise]

We all know about the great good that CANTER does. I'll be sending my donation out tomorrow, after I get paid, for sure. I think that I will also contact PetSmart, and let them know that I am disappointed in their decision.

[vineyridge]

Petsmart has gotten out of the tack business, so I can see why they would want to invest their pet care charity dollars in dogs and cats.

But Dover is certainly expanding at a rapid clip and might be approached for a contribution to take Petsmart's place.

Hell, if CANTER Oh. could get $50 or $100 for every supplement on the market, they'd be well funded. Big D is in Ohio, and they sell to racers and riders.

Do the tracks contribute?

[Evenheaven]

It is unfortunate that the Ohio CANTER has fallen into a similar financial situation as us here at the Northern Illinois CANTER. We have been financially struggling all year. It has been challenging to place horses that have limitations and we have received few donations as well. As a Northern Illinois CANTER board member, I know how difficult it is when the call comes in to take on a horse. N.I. CANTER has been so underfunded for so long that I have been taking horses in on my own and trying to place them myself since our CANTER has no money. I wish people would realize what good these organizations do and help them financially!

[Secretariat73]

Petsmart has gotten out of the tack business, so I can see why they would want to invest their pet care charity dollars in dogs and cats.

But Dover is certainly expanding at a rapid clip and might be approached for a contribution to take Petsmart's place.

Hell, if CANTER Oh. could get $50 or $100 for every supplement on the market, they'd be well funded. Big D is in Ohio, and they sell to racers and riders.

Do the tracks contribute?

The only thing PetSmart said in their letter was they got an unprecedented number of apps from Ohio.

We have contacted Dover and the only thing they've indicated they're willing to do at this time is enroll us in their donation program--i.e., they'll send us returned items that we can either use or sell on eBay. Haven't gotten anything yet. I have a long list of businesses/foundations we've been rejected by.

So far, the tracks do not contribute.

[majxmom]

Secretariat, I've sent you a small donation. I'll try to send you a few more substantial donations through the rest of the year. You folks helped me once when I was desperately in need of a contact in Ohio. You should be proud how well your organization functions. It's so frustrating when you try to tell trainers to contact you rather than sell to a horse dealer, and then you have to turn them down...now that slaughter has been stopped, we need these organizations more than ever to be there to absorb these horses.

[Secretariat73]

Secretariat, I've sent you a small donation. I'll try to send you a few more substantial donations through the rest of the year. You folks helped me once when I was desperately in need of a contact in Ohio. You should be proud how well your organization functions. It's so frustrating when you try to tell trainers to contact you rather than sell to a horse dealer, and then you have to turn them down...now that slaughter has been stopped, we need these organizations more than ever to be there to absorb these horses.

Thanks for your support!

I wanted to let everyone know that one of our volunteers has arranged for us to sell the popular Entertainment Books to benefit CANTER Ohio. For every book sold, CANTER will earn $5-$12 according to the total number sold. It's a great way to save on dining, shopping, travel, and entertainment--AND benefit the horses at the same time.

The Entertainment books make great gifts for friends, family and co-workers, as well as excellent stocking stuffers for the holidays! And they pay for themselves quickly!!

To order you have to go on the CANTER Ohio Web site at http://www.canterusa.org/ohio and click on the link at the top of the page. Entertainment Books are available for most areas of the country. Cost varies from $25-$40 depending on the size of the book. Right now they're having a special: shipping is only $1!

We will be selling the books until December 15th so tell all your friends!