Poplar Spring Volunteer Day & Tour! Sun, Aug. 28th

[Christine Kauffman]

This Sunday we will be joining Compassion for Animals (CfA) for their
volunteer day and guided tour of Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary
(Maryland). Please let me know if you can make it and we'll try to
arrange some carpooling (I'll also let CfA know you're coming)! Hope
to see you there! :)

VOLUNTEER…ENJOY A PICNIC LUNCH…MEET THE ANIMALS…
or all of the above!

Sunday August 28, 2011

Compassion for Animals is organizing a combination "volunteer day" and
guided tour at Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary. Please sign up for
either event or both by RSVPing to in...@compassion4animals.org.

Volunteering starts at 9am, and the tour starts at 1pm; there will be
a lunch break in the middle. The tour can accommodate up to 40 people—
bring your friends! Details below.

We're especially interested in attracting people who have never been
to this wonderful, peaceful place—but anyone can sign up!

Poplar Spring is a 400-acre oasis near Poolesville, Maryland, about 45
minutes from DC. The residents of Poplar Spring are 200 "farm animals"
rescued from abuse, neglect, abandonment, and cruelty. Their stories
are often heartbreaking, but their resilience and recovery—and the
compassion they've received from caring humans—is inspiring.

Come meet the chickens, turkeys, cows, pigs, goats, sheep, rabbits,
and other animals who live freely at Poplar Spring. You may be amazed
at some of their personalities.

VOLUNTEER:

There are lots of chores to be done at the sanctuary, and on the
weekends they're done by volunteers. We'll spread hay, clean barns,
refill water bowls, brush horses, and—yes—shovel poop. It usually
takes about three hours to get all the tasks done.

Volunteers may want to bring an extra pair of shoes and socks, and
maybe an extra shirt, as well as a pair of work or gardening gloves.
You may also want to bring some water, although you can buy bottled
water at the sanctuary.

You'll likely get a chance to rub a pig's belly, hold a chicken, and
pet turkeys, goats, and other animals. Very cool stuff. But please do
so under supervision, as the long-time volunteers and sanctuary
directors will have useful tips and will know which animals like (or
do not like) that sort of interaction. If you'll also be taking the
tour, there will also be opportunities to interact with the animals
then.

Note: We have to limit the number of volunteers for sanctuary chores
to about 10, so it's important that you RSVP.

LUNCH:

People volunteering or taking the tour are invited to bring a vegan
(no animal ingredients) picnic lunch. We'll eat lunch from the time we
finish the morning chores until 1 pm. Compassion for Animals will
bring some vegan food to share, including desserts. There are picnic
tables, as well as wash-up facilities and a place to buy water and
iced tea on the grounds. So here’s the schedule:

SCHEDULE
9 AM-noon — Sanctuary Cleanup
Noon-1 PM — Lunch
1-2 PM — Guided Tour

Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary
15200 Mt. Nebo Rd.
Poolesville, Maryland 20837

When you arrive, open the gate to drive in, then close the gate behind
you. Drive about a mile along the gravel road until you get near the
end and can see some of the buildings on the property. We'll gather
there. You can park your vehicle on the grass by the side of the road.

RSVP: in...@compassion4animals.org

Hope to see you there!