Hay bank helps wildfire evacuees

Enter Cowgirl 911 — a Facebook animal evacuation assistance group, which already existed in California and, with the advent of Oregon’s wildfires, was created in just one day to save Oregon livestock. The group’s Facebook page receives hundreds of posts each day from across the state from people either seeking or offering help for displaced animals.

As evacuated horses and other animals began heading for safety in the Columbia Gorge, the issue of having sufficient feed for them came to the forefront. Jana Hughes, owner of a Snowden, Wash., horse boarding facility, who had already taken in evacuated horses, posted the need for hay donations to many Facebook sites as well as Cowgirl 911. Within a few hours, Cowgirl 911 reached out with news of a donation of 8-10 tons of hay from Premier New World Gypsy Cobs — a family-owned business in Salem that raises Gypsy Cob horses.

“When I said we wouldn’t be able to pick up the hay, their exact words were, ‘We’ve got you covered!’ After the stories I’d heard from my evacuees and others, I just cried,” said Hughes. “I’d been talking with Kurt Osborne, and he offered to organize the hay delivery.”

Hood River was chosen as the site for the hay bank, but where could it be stored in case of rain? Osborne (Wind Dance Stable) and photographer friend John Laptad brainstormed. Laptad suggested the fairgrounds, Osborne made the call and, with two thumbs up from Hood River County Fair Manager Clara Rice, the wheels were set in motion and plans quickly began to take shape.

Five folks stepped up and volunteered to bring the hay to Hood River. The Cowgirl 911 volunteer haulers were Zac and Amber Davis from Junction City, Grace Wagner from Eugene, Shianne Davis of Salem, and Michael Aguillera from Pleasant Hill.

“It was a beautiful sight,” said Osborne, “to see these wonderful people pulling two enormous trailer loads of hay into the fairgrounds around 8:30 that night. They’d already put in a days’ work — yet they didn’t hesitate to respond to the call.

“We owe many people a huge round of thanks,” said Osborne. “Fair board member Mark Mears was instrumental in arranging to store the hay in the livestock building, and David Stearns spared all of us many hours of backbreaking labor by using his tractor and grapple to unload the hay and place it inside. Our ground crew of Mark, Ron Harder, Phillip Stearns, Craig Ortega plus evacuee Bob Solomon, whose daughter’s horses were housed at the fairgrounds, kept things moving, guiding David and moving bales as needed. Linda Harder brought cold drinks and snacks; John Laptad and Betty Osborne photographed the event as it unfolded. I hope I haven’t overlooked anyone as so many people deserve our thanks.”

Many families and organizations throughout the Gorge offered shelter for horses, cows, goats — even chickens, as well as for their owners — among them Hood River fairgrounds, Hood River Saddle Club, Jackie Moe, Crystal Beam and Brigette Phelps in Hood River; Hughes in Snowden and Jill Fargher and Alan Loftness in The Dalles. While this list may be incomplete, it demonstrates the generosity of good people reaching out in times of crisis to help others.