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GROUNDED BUT NOT GIVING UP!
Over the past few weeks, we have been following all developments regarding the coronavirus very closely. Last weekend the CDC issued a notice recommending that events of 50 people or more be cancelled or postponed for the next eight weeks. By the next day, the size of the group was reduced to 10. Now, we are all being told to basically stay home.
Information changes rapidly, and all Americans are being seriously impacted by this emerging health and financial crisis.
We strongly believe that it is our responsibility as good citizens to comply in order to protect our wonderful supporters, our staff, our volunteers and the general population. As a result, we have cancelled our live April 11th aviation event at the ranch but are reimagining it as an online event. Because this fundraiser is CRUCIAL to Pegasus' ability to care for the 50+ horses on the ranch, we must continue with our fund raising efforts. WE NEED YOUR HELP TO SUCCEED!
In this spirit, we requested all of our amazing sponsors to fulfill their donation commitments for this event, and we shall continue to seek additional donations from other supporters. Our plan is to move forward with Wings Over Pegasus in a virtual, online fashion. We will still conduct the Southwest Airlines raffle, silent auction and merchandise sales. Our board is meeting on March 21st to formulate our best substitute plan. We typically raise in excess of $60,000 in conjunction with Wings Over Pegasus, and we cannot afford to lose that revenue. So, we are putting on our thinking caps and asking our donors to stick with us!
Please keep abreast of our substitute fundraising efforts by reviewing forthcoming emails and following us on Facebook and Instagram.
We are terribly disappointed with this development, but during these difficult times, we need to take care of each other. We are grateful for your generosity and dedication to our mission. In the end, it will be impossible to know if the medical experts upon which we rely overreacted or did too much, but it would be quite apparent in the future if they under-reacted or did too little.
If you are able, please make your tax deductible donation to our Wings Over Pegasus fund by forwarding a check to The Pegasus Project, PO Box 26, Ben Wheeler, TX 75754. You may also donate through PayPal (mike@mypegasusproject.org) or you can contact Allyson to donate via credit card (903.539.9851) or Venmo (allyson.decanio@yahoo.com). You can also click here to DONATE.
And please make plans to purchase raffle tickets and merchandise and to bid on items through our fantastic silent auction. Details coming soon! The Wings Over Pegasus link on our website will be updated regularly with information! Please bear with us and check back regularly! Stay safe out there.
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~LEXI~
One Resilient Mare
This month, we continue our campaign to promote our companion-only horses. In February we introduced you to Delight. For March we are directing your attention to Lexi, Delight's pasture mate and BFF.
Lexi came to us through a series of miracles. Mitzi Storey, a Texas State Trooper and a resident of Henderson County, Texas, had been assigned border duty and was making frequent trips to the Texas-Mexico border. In October 2014, Mitzi was flagged down by a concerned motorist in Rio Grande City who saw the horse staked in a vacant lot full of weeds and scrub. The horse was emaciated and dehydrated. Mitzi took the poor creature water and began searching for her owner. Local law enforcement was no help, and so Mitzi made it her personal mission to save this horse.
After a few days, Mitzi saw the horse now tied to a broken down trailer and was able to speak with her owners. The horse was the pet of their young daughter, who would brush and stroke her, but by their own admission, they could not properly care for the horse. Over the course of the next 2 months, Mitzi and Clarissa Alaniz (a worker at Tractor Supply in Starr County) took care of the young mare, taking her hay, feed and water. Her physical condition began to improve, and she went from totally emaciated to just plain skinny. Eventually, Mitzi was able to convince the owners to give the horse up.
Not sure of what to do next, Mitzi contacted Henderson County Assistant District Attorney, Nancy Rumar, who put Mitzi in contact with Allyson DeCanio at The Pegasus Project. Pegasus agreed to accept the horse and posted a request for assistance on Facebook. With light at the end of the tunnel, Mitzi named the mare Lexi and the magic started to happen! In less than 24 hours, the amazing Charli Altum of Denton, Texas agreed to bring Lexi north, and the fantastic supporters of Pegasus donated funds for her transport. The 12-hour transport began on December 18th, 2014. Mitzi's cousin Mickie O'Neal (and her good friend Nancy Wiggins) agreed to meet Charli's transport truck in Hillsboro, Texas, along I-35, and bring Lexi on over to the Pegasus ranch. The two ladies arrived at Pegasus with Lexi at 3:30am on December 19th. Lexi was home and safe just in time for the holidays! Sometimes it indeed takes a village. Many thanks to the Pegasus village for coming through for Lexi.
Lexi's recovery was remarkably fast. She ate well and gained weight quickly. Lexi is now 9 years old. We have always had concerns over her left rear foot, which sustained a major trauma in the past. An external deformity is apparent and x-rays confirm that the internal structure of the hoof is seriously compromised. Throughout the years, we have taken every precaution to trim her foot carefully and help it remodel. Lexi is basically sound and can bear weight on that foot currently, and she has remained pasture sound over the past five years at Pegasus.
Only time will tell what the future holds for this sweet mare. Lexi is available for adoption and is ready for her forever home. As stated above, she is suited as a companion-only horse, given her hoof deformity. She has excellent manners, is kind to her pasture mates, and is very easy to care for. She needs someone to love her as their very own. If you are looking for an excellent companion for your horse, Lexi would be perfect! And she would love you even more if you brought Delight along for the ride.
You can view Lexi's Facebook photo album by clicking here: LEXI
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| Lexi's best friend, Delight |
If you are thinking about adopting Lexi and Delight, you can
read all about our adoption process here:
Adoption Process
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A Note from Allyson
The Horses Need You More Than Ever
Wow. Who would have thought we would all find ourselves here? The world is facing struggles that were almost unimaginable months ago. Every person on the planet is facing his/her own challenges associated with the coronavirus crisis. While bracing for the impact these uncertain times cause us personally, Mike and I are laser focused on minimizing the impact on Pegasus.
It is our deepest desire to fully support in all ways our horses and the staff that cares for them. They MUST be our priority. We have a duty to maintain our excellent standards of horse care while formulating ways to cut back wherever feasible. With 54 horses on the ranch, we must maintain and be able to pay a healthy ranch staff to care for them. We have instituted proper guidelines to reduce the risk of infection and spread. We have limited outside access to the ranch to minimize risk of introduction of the coronavirus to our environment. We have suspended intake in order to dedicate all resources to the horses currently in our care. We shall also cut back on any expense we consider to be nonessential during this difficult time.
While we share the uneasiness these uncertain times imposes upon us all, we are pleading with Pegasus supporters to stick with the horses if you possibly can. We ask you to consider your Pegasus donation as ESSENTIAL. Without the continued support of our donors, Pegasus will be unable to care for the horses -- a thought I cannot even process.
If you are a monthly donor,
we ask you to continue with that donation. We raise approximately $50,000
annually through our Pegasus Partner monthly donor program. If you give annually, serve as a sponsor for an event, give for North Texas Giving Day, or donate in any fashion, please continue if you possibly can. If you've never donated, please consider doing so now by clicking here: DONATE
All of us are making personal sacrifices at this time to be able to sustain ourselves and our families. Mike and I have made a list of nonessential items in our monthly budget. This list does not include care of our animals or charities we support. Animals, children and the elderly rely on us more than ever to ensure their safety and well-being, and nonprofit organizations depend upon their donors to see them through the darkest days.
Other than mass gatherings, social events, live fundraisers and open houses, we plan to continue business as usual at Pegasus. We will continue our adoption program with more restrictive guidelines regarding individuals allowed to come to the ranch. If you have any questions or comments or ideas about how you can help the horses at this time, please feel free to contact me. We must all get through this together.
Allyson DeCanio
President, The Pegasus Project
Send inquiries to: allyson@MyPegasusProject.org
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April 11 - Wings Over Pegasus REIMAGINED!!
April 18 - Wellness Clinic at Pegasus Ranch - POSTPONED
September 17 - North Texas Giving Day
October 31 - Ride for a Rescue
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PEGASUS PARTNERS
VIRTUAL HAPPY HOUR TO BE SCHEDULED SOON!
Monthly, fun,
information-packed meetings for
Pegasus supporters at various locations throughout the year. All Pegasus Partners at the $25/month level and higher are Happy Hour members. Membership includes a car decal, a Pegasus hat or t-shirt, a Pegasus logo wine glass and an open invitation
to every meeting!
Discuss the latest Pegasus news and connect with other like-minded horse fans. (Your wine glass is free, but the wine isn't! We know how much you drink!)
Click here to join:
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