Jim of Hope
It was Jim who started it all...
Jim was the ambassador of our rescue, and a permanent resident in the Sanctuary. Ande rescued him from a sale in Hutchinson on September 10th, 2005. His previous owners neglected him in every possible way. At 16 hands tall, he was grossly underweight at only 800 pounds. He was around 30 years old, and had only three teeth remaining.
Ande saw hope in Jim, and even though she wasn't sure if he would survive—she had to give him that chance—and refused to let him be trampled to death on his way to slaughter – for that surely would have been his fate.
Thanks to her he gained the weight that he so desperately needed. She would soak his feed and make a mash out of it. He would go through a 50-pound bag every 2½ days.
Here is Jim in August 2008 at the Camp Victory Kids and Family Weekend in Hesston. It is a camp at Victory in the Valley, and is held for children who have been diagnosed with cancer.
Jim traveled with us to every special event we went to. Camps, fall fests, parades, and more. He loved giving rides, and did this often.
He was a big guy with an even bigger heart.
Sadly we lost Jim on January 25, 2010.
Just a few days before we had gorgeous weather, and he enjoyed it. He spent the afternoon with a group of girls. They rode him everywhere, and he loved every minute.
"All horses deserve, at least once in their lives, to be loved by a little girl." ~ Author Unknown
Our rescue depends solely on donations. The very smallest of amounts helps. One dollar, a lead rope, a bale of hay - everything is a blessing (and tax-deductible!).
Some things we are able to purchase with monetary donations... hay, grain, medications, veterinarian services, and farrier services. If you would like to make a donation, visit our donations page. We accept cash, checks, credit cards through PayPal, you can even set up a sponsorship to help us care for these horses each month.
By definition gems are precious stones. For us, our Jim was a precious friend. In his honor we have developed a special donation program for him.
Jim was around 35 years old when he crossed the rainbow bridge. For just $35 per month, you can be a Gem for Jim. That is just $1.15 a day! Only $420 for one year. With a one year commitment, you will receive a free Hope in the Valley "Gem for Jim" t-shirt.
If you are interested in being a part of this special program, and helping to preserve Jim's legacy, please contact Ande at 316-519-4129 or email Christina.
At some point, we all must think about what life will be like after we are gone. Planned giving is something that you can do to help the rescue. You can let your family know that helping to support the rescue horses is important to you. It can be set up through a will, or by letting the funeral home know that you would like memorial donations in your honor made to Hope in the Valley Equine Rescue and Sanctuary, Inc.