Donkey Walk 2018

All Creatures Great and Small is a sanctuary for sick and disabled animals on a small 2.5 acre organic farm just outside Delhi in Haryana. It is founded by Anjali Gopalan, a Human Rights and Animal Rights Activist in New Delhi, India.  I visited the farm in 2014 and instantly fell in love with this magical and compassionate place. The more time I spent with Anjali and the animals on the farm, the more I wanted to give back to this place.  The animals are so resilient and forgiving in their spirit.  Each and every one of them with stories of trauma and injury they have experienced through human violence. I love them all - Murugan the puppy, Bheem the buffalo, Razia the donkey, Bulbul the horse…and the list goes on and on and on.  Since that first visit, I go back each year to the farm and share in this dream.  I cobble together little fundraisers every year and contribute in some meagre way with caregiving for the animals.  Just imagine a place where almost 600 injured and maimed animals live in playful bliss. A place where they are sheltered, fed, cared for, and LOVED endlessly with abandon. That is the miracle of this wonderful little farm.

This year, Anjali would like to improve the pond on this organic farm and I want to help make that happen. So I have arrived with my begging monk bowl asking all of you for your help. My original plan was to raise $2,000 (Canadian dollars), but due to a most generous donation by Mollie and James Tonn, we have met that entire fundraising goal before we even left the start line!  A magical gift of care from two of the loveliest people on this planet!  So, now the bar of kindness has been raised to $5,000 (Canadian dollars).  We now have to collectively raise $3,000 for this amazing cause.  I will be walking 42 km on Saturday July 7th from Aurora to Lake Simcoe on the first ever Donkey Walk in York Region to raise awareness in my own circle of friends and family.  I’m looking for your support.  The walk will take anywhere between 7 - 8 hours from start to finish.  Please help me raise funds for the animals at All Creatures Great and Small.  I can’t do this without you and every dollar will make a huge impact!

Here’s how you can help:

·      You could open up your hearts and wallets, and contribute to this awesome and irresistible project. 

·      You can join the Donkey Walk 2018, find some sponsors for this cause and join me on this marathon walk or even for sections of the walk.

·      You can join me for a lovely Donkey Walk celebration picnic at the end point - a park by Lake Simcoe.  Details will follow.


What you will get from this heart project:

·      An opportunity to share resources with a non-profit organization that creates a happy home for hundreds of beautiful animals.

·      The ability to stand in solidarity with a human rights and animal rights activist in India. 

·      A lovely afternoon of merriment by Lake Simcoe after the Donkey Walk 2018 is completed.  Please note that Lovely Lisa Darchiville of Velvet Sunrise Coffee Roasters will prepare the picnic snacks.  A water blessing ceremony is also planned with the support of my friend Peggy Pitawanakwat.

·      The comfort of knowing that this fundraising project will be successfully completed on July 7th.  We will meet our goal!  I will match every dollar raised up to $1,000 to help this special cause. 

·      A thank-you note from Anjali and my eternal love for you.

In solidarity and gratitude, Radha