Seasons Greetings!
What a year it has been! We wanted to take another moment to update you on our inaugural project, the new shelter for Romeo (the blind horse) at Rivers Edge Horse Rescue & Sanctuary, in Newton, New Jersey.
In our last update (back in January of this year!), we shared the bad news that, due to the less-than-ideal soil conditions at the farm—along with other circumstances beyond our control—the decision was made to put the project on hold until the spring. As you may recall, much of the building materials had already been delivered onsite and we had lined up a contractor to lay the foundation and build the structure.
After many months of delays due to weather, Covid, supply chain issues, and other unforeseen setbacks, we are very pleased to finally announce that work on the project resumed this summer and into the fall, and that Romeo’s new barn has been completed!
Romeo’s new horse barn, near completion.
If you recall, Romeo can not live freely among the other horses due to his blindness, which would present dangers to his health and well-being. While protecting him from the elements, his existing shelter socially isolated him from the other horses, which presented another problem: loneliness. The solution was to build a structure that would protect him from the weather and allow him to socialize with the other horses on the farm.
That’s where we stepped in! The Rodgers Foundation provided the funding to build a shelter with two entryways, one on either side of the structure. A low wall in the middle of the shelter allows Romeo and the other horses to socialize and make contact with each other but protects Romeo from potential dangers. Wire fencing outside the barn separates the grazing areas between Romeo and the other horses, as well.
Romeo, enjoying his new pad!
Romeo, outside his new horse barn.
Rodgers Foundation CEO Jamie Rodgers (3rd from left) with just a few of the many volunteers who made this project possible.
The horse barn project ended up spanning 18 months with an estimated cost of $50,000, all of which was happily provided by the Rodgers Foundation. While the timeline extended beyond our plans, we could not be more excited about being able to deliver on our first significant cause. Lessons were learned, and we look forward to taking on our next big project. The Rodgers Foundation’s goal is to give back to the community through volunteer service and financial support, and Romeo’s new barn project fell squarely in line with that mission.
Our supporters made this project possible, and we can’t thank you enough. We can’t wait to share our next big endeavor with you in the new year!
Happy Holidays!
Sincerely,
Jamie Rodgers
CEO, The Rodgers Foundation
