Proctor Area Community Center Outreach, Proctor, MN (10/09/09)

10/9/09 Proctor Area Community Center Outreach in Proctor, MN

For once WE HUMANS, Kathi, Gramma Carole, Betty W., and I were wined and dined instead of Magic. The Seniors had a potluck luncheon and we were invited ahead of time and enticed by the words, “The best cooks in the world are here in Proctor.” Tammie, the director, did not lie. The proof was that some of US went back for seconds and thirds.

Besides eating a great meal, we got to sit with our audience while we ate. We each took a table. We really enjoyed our conversations. Some of the talk was about horses. So many of them had lived on a farm and told us stories of the working horses in their younger lives. This was a pretty lively group way back then. One thing I learned from Raindance horses and confirmed by their stories is that every horse has its quirks. These quirks make for really entertaining stories when you get older. Just think what Gramma Carole and I will remember from our experiences with Raindance horses.

So when the presentation started it seemed like we already had such a personal connection with this group. The questions started with the 3rd slide and never quit. There were so many. They were of such depth and emotional awareness. They had told us they had followed the story of WindChill and how much they cared about what we were doing.

With every slide there were questions. What was a 12 minute presentation, turned into much longer.

Some of the questions were: “Couldn’t that person see that WindChill was rapidly deteriorating? “Who would board horses there anymore? Can she still board horses?” “How can this horse inspire you to do all that you do?” (Gramma Carole and I enthusiastically answered that one.)” Is WindChill’s Law only for Wisconsin? What about Minnesota and the other states?” Kathi just beamed when they asked questions about WindChill’s Law. She was so proud of the hard work done by WindChill’s Family. She mentioned the gathering of information and the research of EVERY STATE that went into it. Again it shows the different dimensions we have in WindChill’s Family and how we all work together to make change happen.

We talked about how the laws consider horses still livestock, not pets. I told the audience that race horses are the only ones that are very highly regulated. Kathi explained further that the reason is they are an economic commodity.

One person made the comment,” It sounds like rescuing a horse may cost a lot.” That led into yes, as we explained about farriers, horse dentists, vet visits, and special feed. (Miste has given Gramma Carole and I first hand experience) and then Tammie, the director, chimed in with “That is why there is a donation jar over there.”

Donations from the heart mean so much. We also had a table set up with Legacy items to sell.

Tammie decided to give a Legacy cup as a door prize. I was thrilled when it went to a person who I had talked to. She had such great stories about 5 of the work horses she was raised with on her dad’s farm. Her stories were so funny. She remembered every name. Colonel was a draft horse that she was not allowed to ride. Of course she had to. He bucked her off several times but soon he let her stay on. He was great for trail riding. Another horse of hers always dumped her in the manure pile every time and then she would get back on him he was go to go trail riding.

One person said she was thrilled when she saw our big posters announcing we were coming. This was her 3rd presentation that she has gone to and she keeps coming back. She can’t get enough of Magic. She was such a good PR person for us.

When I talked about one of our goals: to get horses that are rescued adopted. I used Miste as an example. Gramma Carole helped a lot with that question. They asked how could we give her up after spending so much time with her and her loving us. Gramma Carole and I  told them about the adoption of Patty and Cookie and how Ann and Jody asked us to go along with them to witness the adoption. They gave us such good insight into the process of adoption. We also saw the emotional turmoil they were going through. Again WindChill is showing us the way. We understand that with rescues, adoption is the reward for all our hard work. Miste is healthy and loving now. If she is adopted that makes room for another horse to be rescued and to get the badly needed TLC that we are so good at giving. It helps for Gramma Carole and I to talk about it and to face reality. It is another way we have grown in the past year and half. WindChill leads the way. That is what was so great about this group. They really showed us how much our Family has done in WindChill’s name and truly how special he is and the Legacy his Family is creating.

The question came up about what could they do. Gramma Carole and I told them a year and a half ago, we would not have recognized the signs of an abused or neglected horse. We would have driven by and said “Oh what a cute horse is out in the field. “ Now we know differently and who to call. We told them about what a good teacher Kathi was. How she set the perfect example at another outreach where a neglected horse was being used to give rides to kids. She made the call. She talked to the owner and to the organizers and they still asked us back for another outreach. The depth of her character really came through with her answers to the audiences’ questions

Kathi had to answer so many questions that she asked Betty W. to take Magic around to the 30 people. The Seniors could not get enough of Magic. Betty W. led her around the circle 6x’s. Betty W. was flying high on the ride home. She has really joined our Family and will be taking her first riding less on Tues. with Kathi (She won it at the auction.) WindChill and his Family has touched her heart so deeply too.

One thing that comes out loud and clear, WindChill’s Family really, really, cares and loves what we are doing. We have such energy. When Kathi spoke to answer those deep questions, Gramma Carole and I looked at each other with the this is our teacher and it is such a privilege to learn from her look.

There was a 3 month old baby and of course cute as a button who got to ride Magic. The oohs and awes were out in full force today with that. Magic stood very still for the longest time as many pictures were taken.

The questions kept coming up even through Magic’s time. Some were so deep that I had to ask Kathi several times to answer. We were supposed to be out of there at 1:00. The group was still there at 1:30 listening to Kathi and showed no signs of leaving. Tammie had to call it quits because she had to pick up her daughter.

One very deep question asked was are we angry and how do we deal with the anger of what happened to WindChill? The person who asked this question said she was very angry and asked us about how we cope talking about this. Of course I told her about my anger and how these programs help me deal with it. Gramma Carole piped in too about how working with other horses is good therapy for our anger. The anger does not go away as the flood gates opened and we could not hold back the tears. I especially wonder how Kathi can do this. You could hear the anger in Kathi’s voice when asked the very hard questions about the ranch WindChill was boarded at.

You have to build up defenses so you can talk about WindChill’s life but this group got through all our defenses. We were reminded of how painful it is to really talk about WindChill.

I just can’t tell you how hard Kathi has worked to bring Gramma Carole and I this far. We have such a strong leader in her. Today we got a taste of how much we have learned under her guidance. Kathi made the joke about our love of brushing and how it all started with coming 2x a week to brush Miste to help her develop a winter coat for cold weather survival. Carole and I are so proud of that and how it has lead to our own depth of knowledge and character that we never thought possible.

Again it was one of the best audiences we have had and what an impression the story of WindChill’s life left on them. It was hard because their questions stripped away the walls put up to keep the pain out but somehow this group asked just the right questions, but our answers reflected the joy of what we are doing, how we are honoring WindChill’s short life, and giving his life the dignity and importance and worth to his short life and how we continue on. The words WINDCHILL LEGACY means so much more to me after this outreach.

There were so many thank yous for coming. It was very relaxing to be in a group that has such good hearts, understands the beauty and gentleness of horses, and respects the hard work we are doing for abused and neglected horses.

There were tears during the presentation. Afterwards I asked if the presentation was too sad. They said no. They were just sad that he had lived for such a short time. They said the presentation was positive.

Tammie enjoyed our program so much that she is putting it in the Proctor News and will say in the article that she recommends a visit from the WindChill Legacy to all the nursing homes, senior organizations, and schools in the Proctor area. We also got some grandparents with grandchildren in schools who will be telling teachers about our program.

The spiffy new colorful pens that Kathi ordered were a big hit with this audience. They loved them. A woman told us she chose a red pen because it was WindChill’s favorite color.

In case you hear of a major disruption to the Proctor Homecoming Parade with regards to the break in formation of the Proctor High School Band, AND the Glee Club, AND the Cheerleaders, AND the Drama Club parade line up, it is all true. MAGIC DID IT. It just so happened that the parade started at the Proctor Community Center just as we were leaving. This time it was not little kids racing to pet Magic but big kids in costumes and kids with pom poms, and kids with instruments like tubas, trombones, saxophones, clarinets. Kathi flinched but not Magic.