Cumberland County Equestrians 4-H took a basket of horse treats that the club made to the Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals Open House on Dec. 9. The kids brought homemade horse cookies and brought a basket of apples and carrots. We toured the barn and were left with wanting to do more.

These animals are absolutely wonderful. They seem to have forgotten the pain of starvation or abuse, and loved all the attention. Look into the eye of a horse and see what forgiveness means. To look into a horse’s eye and see contentment and no fear, Marilyn, and her crew have done a fantastic job.

Now is our turn to do our part. We have come away with a Christmas wish list. With all the needs of the community for many people, these animals are sometimes forgotten. Much to my surprise, the society does not get state funding, as we all believed.

So here is a request from me to you, we asked if we could put a Christmas tree at Blue Seal Feeds in Windham, with tags, so you can go in and make a purchase from the tree and leave it for the humane society on River Road in Windham. There also is going to be a stocking for monetary donations -make checks payable to the Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals, or MSSPA, and put them in the stocking.

They are in need of buckets, wheelbarrows, feed, halters and leads, all kinds of stuff. The big item is a new barn. They have 79 horses at the moment and need our help.

Any business wanting to donate a trailerload of bedding, new barn or fencing should call the society at 892-8007.

Let us show the entire state that we care about our animals, and want change so this suffering of such wonderful animals that founded and shaped our nation will stop, and that they may be protected and cared for when someone else has done them wrong.

Donna Chapman

Leader, Cumberland County Equestrians 4-H

Windham