REFERENCES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Accomplishments and Recognition

2000

•  December 24, 2000:  Front page article

    in The Butler Eagle focusing on   

    establishing Bright Futures Farm. 

2001

          •  Second story in The Butler Eagle.  A

              follow up showing our progress during

              our first year.

2002

          •  Aided Equine Advocates, a sister non

              profit, based in New York,  in an under 

              cover investigation conducted by Paul

              VanOsdol of WTAE-TV in Pittsburgh. This

     investigation uncovered the cruel and 

     inhumane environment of a typical

       horse auction where horses were sold

     weekly for slaughter.  The investigation

     was conducted at Sugarcreek Livestock

     Auction in Sugarcreek, OH.

2003

•   I was invited to speak at the Bar

    Association of New York's annual

    symposium on national issues in

    Manhattan.  In 2003 the issue was the

    inhumane treatment of horses in our

    country.  This was one of my proudest

    accomplishments - to be considered an

    expert in my field and speak to the New

    York Bar Association as well as other

    leaders in the various Equine Industries

    in our country.

•  Was invited to participate in  a creative

    workshop in Lexington, Kentucky that

    resulted in the development of the

    Thoroughbred Adoption Network.  Our

    efforts helped establish a national

    database for Thoroughbred ex racehorses

    that are available to adopt.

•   I established a program with the

    Crawford County Adult  and Juvenile

    Probation Departments that allowed

    offenders to work off their community

    service hours at Bright Futures Farm. 

    Some of the juveniles actually came back

    after their time was up to volunteer.  It

    was rewarding to see that we made a  

    small difference for them.

•   I began working with the Brownies and

    Girl Scouts from  Falls Creek, PA. Melissa

    Wray submitted a presentation on horse

    slaughter for which she received her

    Silver Award.

•  Aided Equine Advocates in the rescue of a

    Thoroughbred Stallion, Bloodstock,

    (possibly the last living breeding son of

     the infamous Graustark) headed for

     a slaughter auction in Ohio. 

2004

•   Three of our horses were featured in the

     August issue of Florida Horizons

     magazine. They were all saved from

     slaughter (two from the 2002 WTAE-TV

     investigation, and one we rescued). They

     were competing on the show circuit in

     both New York and Florida and winning

     in almost every show they entered.

•  May, 2004: We were featured in a story

    written for Pittsburgh Magazine about the

    horrors of the slaughter industry and the

    fate that awaited so many unwanted

    horses.

•   I began writing a book about the special

    horses that have crossed my path

    through our organization and the

    heartache that sometimes accompanies

    rescue work.

2005

•   Organized a "Poker Run" (motorcycle

     run) to benefit our organization and The

    Mechling-Sheakley Veteran's Home in

    Cowansville, PA. 

•  We were included in an article in The

    Cleveland Scene titled Eating Mr. Ed,

    again bringing to light the horrors of the

    slaughter industry.

•  We were a three page feature story inThe

    Corry Journal in the fall of 2005 which    

    highlighted our work to help unwanted

    horses.

2006

•  We are in the process of establishing a

    Therapeutic Riding and Driving Program.      The program also include American

    Military Veterans, and disadvantaged

    youth. 

          •  One of our horses, Brenda, has brought

              us National recognition this year

                    through the publication of her story in

              the 2^nd edition of the book, Chicken

              Soup For the Horse Lover’s Soul.  The

              story is titled Class and Courage by New

              Jersey author, Eileen Watkins (Brenda's

              donor).  This is another very proud

      moment for me.  Brenda taught me so

      much about courage and living with a

       disability.

          •  Our organization welcomed Comcast

             Cable to the farm on June 29, 2006. 

             Comcast produced a video of our

             organization for their “Your Town On

             Demand”  segment which airs in Western

             Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia. 

•  Bright Futures Farm was featured in a

    story by Susan Wagner, founder of

    Equine Advocates, Inc. 

    (www.equineadvocates.org) for the

    magazine Saratoga Summer about the

    needless slaughter of America’s horses.

•  October, 2006, Bright Futures Farm

    provides a needed program for equine

    charities across the country through their

    “Handbags for Horses”  fundraising

    campaign.  A portion of the proceeds

    from the sale of Stablebags™ will benefit

    participating charities.

References

Amanda Turner

Marley Veterinary Clinic

11416 Hydetown Road

Titusville, PA  16434

814-827-1778

Charlie Wyant

Equine Dentist

814-275-1195

Amos Lee

Farrier

814-671-9577

Brian Beck

Long Acre Farm

(hay supplier)

814-744-8045

Edward Conley

Retired police officer

Americann Military Veteran

Board Member

814-425-1741