December 15, 2005

Dear ASAP Angels and Friends:

How are you? I am on a "high" right now, having come off a wonderful weekend in Chicago and feeling a sense of accomplishment as newsletters are busily being mailed out. I have put stickers on over a thousand by now, with about 1500 left to go (sigh). With the recent winter weather and school canceled yesterday, I was able to enlist the help of my six year old daughter and 13 year old foster daughter to put labels on several hundred, which helped. This morning, my hubby Craig was off to the post office to deliver the heavy box full of news for the year. At least it isn't too cold, but hear that the sub-zero temps are on their way!

The Aerosmith concert at the United Center was a let-down, to say it quite simply. For the price of each ticket, we thought we would be close enough to touch the band when they came down the cat walk. Problem is, Steve Tyler stayed way up in front or out to the side of the audience almost the entire time. He was dynamic, as always, but I was very disappointed for the bucks I spent. Joe Perry ended up being my hero that night - he came down to the end of the cat walk several times and jumped off stage to perform with his guitar for the audience. It was wonderful! At one point he took off his shirt and laid his guitar down and began beating on the strings with his shirt. A big gal jumped up on the stage when he was doing this and began dancing next to him. Security quickly tossed her down. Joe didn't miss a beat! I left the concert with a very heavy sense of guilt for dragging my husband to yet another Aerosmith concert - and not being very close to the action.

We stayed at the Mariott downtown (another story) and our concierge picked us up under the United Center sign after a very very long wait. There were only four other people waiting near that sign, and they piled in our van as soon as it pulled up. The woman began talking and asked where we were from. I said, "Near La Crosse". They shrieked and said, "We live in La Crescent!". That is right next to La Crosse so I high-fived and then one thing led to another and she said, "I teach in La Crosse".....I asked, "Where?" She said the name of the school and I shrieked again and another high five. We knew all the same teachers and I am a special ed teacher! Funny how we ended up at the same concert from the same place and staying at the same motel. It is truly a small world.

The next day we got up and mosied our way to Hawthorne Race Park. We had been invited to eat dinner there and take in the TB racing on Saturday, but the excitement of the concert and the weather (it was snowing) kept us from going until Sunday. When we arrived on Sunday we were guided into Valet Parking and entered through the Club House. Joe met us there and welcomed us, then invited us for lunch in the Gold Cup Room. We enjoyed a fabulous meal of steak and shrimp (Craig) and meatloaf (me) with the most beautiful food you have ever seen. We took in the races, and it was fun to bet a couple of them. Craig bet a $2 exacta and won $37 - we felt rich! We also felt rich in the company of people who support ASAP and want to endorse our service for the horses even when harness racing is not present at Hawthorne. We left a logo, which they put up on their web site, and we took a dvd with harness and TB racing on it. That dvd has made its way to La Crosse Radio Group and is being incorporated into a 60 second public service announcement which is going to air on HORSETV satellite channel, as well as HRTV in the near future. John Stevenson is donating his time to edit and do the voice-over for the new psa - and we are tickled to have so many people contributing to make this the best psa we have ever had!

Then, yesterday (12/14) Channel 19 news from La Crosse came out to do a story on ASAP, and to tape footage of our wonderful Will, a 12 year old with autism, taking a lesson. They interviewed me, blizzard blowing through my wispy frog-fur hair, outside the indoor arena. I must have looked like a wreck (I refuse to see the segment where I am being interviewed) but the main focus was on the horses that need homes and the wonderful Will! So that will be aired tonight at 6 and 10 pm on the news... and I will order a copy of it. So things are really taking off for us as far as press-releases and some publicity. Thanks to all of you for your help.

We are happy to report that ASAP will be relinquishing Sunset Rondezvous, one of the horses illegally sold by an adoptive family, on December 23. The horse will be delivered to Caledonia, where we will positively identify her and pick her up, God willing. We are very close to locating William Lee, which will make a full recovery of all three horses which were sold. If anyone thinks that ASAP will not pursue horses which are illegally transferred, think again. We are serious when we look for lifetime homes for horses, and will go to the fullest extent of our ability to recover them and hold law-breakers accountable. If I could tell you who the people were who did this horrendous thing and the persons who supported them, you would be shocked. Legal ramifications of me disclosing this publicly stop me from publicizing their names, but I want them to know they did not win. My mother always used to tell me that whatever you do that is clearly wrong in the eyes of your parents or God, it will come back on you. I will leave them, then, in the hands of God.

We want to thank Mark Stuber for coming all the way to trim our horses this past Friday. It was so bitterly cold, but Mark faithfully stayed to trim many ASAP horses despite frozen toes and blowing winds. Mark is a farrier I would recommend to anyone, anytime.

Last Friday we received a disturbing phone call that there were 14 horses close to starvation near Fon du Lac. In addition, there were close to 50 dogs without food - 12 of them were in wire cages without proper shelter. We assisted the caller by phoning sheriff's department and humane society and getting the ball rolling. As of today, December 15, we anticipate that the town board and humane society will move to rescue the dogs and horses. Two dogs were found dead, one in a stall and the other in a side room. They are mainly poodles, Labs, and Shih-tzus. If any of you can help, please please contact me at 608-689-2296. We will need people on stand-by to help remove horses from the premesis. I am not sure if I shared that these horses are all Quarter horses - and many have Impressive bloodlines. At one time they were beautiful - now they are in sorry condition due to lack of food and water. Please please write me at asapinc@mwt.net in case you can help! A decision has to be made quickly by the proper authorities before they can be moved, but we want to be there and be ready when they give us the word.

I also wanted to share that Kate will be moved from the Amish farm this week to the ASAP farm, Lord willing. We have not had the space here at the farm to bring her here, and that has held us up immensely. Please let us know if you can help.

Christmas is coming!!!
Susan