Within our community of writers on Discord resides a lady called @Rhondak. She runs an animal sanctuary. What she does, she does for love, not for profit. In fact, quite the reverse.
She receives so little aid from public agencies or her local community that she is currently using the rewards from her posts on Steemit to feed and care for the animals that she has rescued. The recent rise in value of our cryptocurrency was cause for celebration in her little household.
Come Christmas, there were tears when one of the transfers went amiss and she thought some of the animals might go hungry as a result. It wasn’t a large amount of money but it was significant. Every penny counts. Personally, I think Rhonda would have ensured every one of them were fed before she was.
A member of our community stepped up in true Christmas spirit and set things right.
Rhonda is no crazy cat lady. Her sanctuary is a registered charity set on seven acres of land reserved for this purpose. Since 2013, she has rescued around 650 dogs, more than 50 cats, three birds, two goats and a pig called Hamlet.
Over 300 of those dogs were puppies and half the cats were kittens. All of them were spayed or neutered at her expense before they went to their forever homes.
It is hard to imagine any other charity that would be changed so much by 100 Steem. In the depths of winter, money is tight in the sanctuary and this would ease a significant burden. This capital would directly and almost instantaneously affect the lives of many neglected or abandoned animals.
Two of our members, @bex-dk and @tinypaleokitchen, have been known to write pieces for the sole purpose of raising money for the charity. One of those stories, Eve’s tale, can be found right here along with a video exploring her journey as an abandoned puppy: https://steemit.com/fiction/@tinypaleokitchen/the-tale-of-eve-a-rainbow-story
We have a radio show that airs every week. Our members participate while the mods make light of current affairs. There have been occasions when the show has been heckled, while Rhonda is talking, by cockatiels, goats and pigs giving their opinions in the background.
You just can’t make that shit up.
None of them would be making any noises at all without Rhonda. The world would be a poorer and infinitely darker place for these animals if she did not cushion their fall.
Her work is absolutely without recompense in any way other than the joy she receives from saving those unwanted pups. Those kittens, birds and pigs that have no control of their own destiny.
They have no-one else to fight for them, to care, to stand in the way of their destruction.
She is the final recourse for them all.
If that’s not a worthy cause, then I don’t know what is.
Did I mention she is a raccoon whisperer? No? That’s another story. Next time, I’ll introduce you to Glory. Even trash pandas are not immune to kindness :)
On the off chance that you choose this charity, I request that you don't do 50/50. This cause needs it a lot more than I do. Please give it all to @Rhondak.
What John says is very true. And I know for a fact that @rhondak feed the @tarc animals before she feeds herself. One of my donations in the summer meant that she could afford mustard sandwiches to go with her serving of lawn greens instead of spending every penny of her grocery money on dog food.
I've been following the Tazewell Animal Rescue Coalition (@tarc) since before it had a name. I've seen her beg her community for support. Beg them to treat their animals with just a modicum of decency. Beg them to at least obey the mediocre animal welfare laws of the area. But the area is so poverty-stricken that thinking of animals as anything more than disposable is beyond most of them. And those who try to support her often find themselves facing opposition in the community, where the leaders would prefer things stay as they are.
Rhonda takes in abandoned, abused, and neglected animals. She does what she can to get them the necessary vet care and to do whatever training is needed to get them into loving homes. Unfortunately not all can be rehomed responsibly and those have permanent home with her in sanctuary care. Most of the animals she can rehome are transported North--often at her expense--for adoption through rescues and organizations in more affluent areas.
Her greatest dream is to some day be able to fund a low cost spay and neuter program to help put a stop to the tidal wave of unwanted animals. There are no programs of that sort available to her community. She works with a wonderful vet, but the vet has expenses as well.
This is an organization where 50 steem will make a huge difference. This is an organization where every penny or partial penny MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
I remember Eve. Her story is quite the tear-jerker. If not for Rhonda, she'd have died from the cold or the infection.... unless a fox or other predator got to her first. That is the fate of many unwanted animals in that part of Appalachia. Eve is lucky Rhonda came along at the right moment to give her a happy ending.
It's not 50 Steem, Bex. It's 100. Rhonda's project would get it all. I'll edit the post and make that clear.
AWESOME! Then all we can do is cross everything and hope
This is a real charity and I've seen the results. My vote goes here. Thanks John for raising awareness and thanks to Rhonda for everything you do.
Been helping @Rhondak down in the trenches for five years now, adopted two dogs and sponsored several others personally. I'd love to see her get a rescue van someday. And spruce up the area where the dogs live.
Yes ma'am, you certainly have been with us from the beginning. Volunteering at events, co-driving transports all over the East Coast. Couldn't have done it without you.
Now if we could just get ourselves up to Maine, down to FL and then to the West... XD
So. Ummm I am a small supporter of @tarc and @youarehope. @tarc from before it had a steemit account and @youarehope from its inception.
I'm was torn between who should get my vote: so a coin toss decided that it should be @tarc.
I'll make it up to @youarehope in otherways!
TARC needs the boost worse, good call. Save the dawgies!
Oh, SirCork, that is so sweet of you!
@sircork, you are doing such wonderful things with YouAreHope. You have my full support always, as well as that of the Writers' Block.
You know the details, so you know how very much that warms my heart and means a ton to me of you to say. Thank you Rhonda very much! <3
Both are very good causes.
Thank you for your support. You're very right that was a hard choice for me too.
John, you never cease to amaze me. I woke to a notification about this comment and now I am just completely humbled. Thank you.
This! Animals can't speak for themselves. We must support their voice.
I'm currently working for ARC, and the blockchain helps with compensation. So ARC is not only helping the animals, but also helping people, like my son and me. With Steem on its way up, and SBDs strong through the holidays, I was able to provide Christmas for my family. So not only do I see firsthand how much effort rhondak puts into the animals, I also see how community-minded she is, not only for the local area here in Appalachia, but for our Steem community as well.