MSN_042519

4 | April 25, 2019 | Malibu surfside news news
malibusurfsidenews.com
Volunteers fund, build corral for horses that lost home
Abhinanda Datta
Interim Editor
As the Woolsey Fire
raged across Malibu in
November, many lost their
homes, including two unconvential
community servants.
Koa, a handsome stud,
and Gracie, a majestic
mare, have served the community
with their services
at Alo House in Malibu,
soothing residents with severe
addictions. The fire,
however, completely destroyed
the property, rendering
them homeless.
The nonprofit, Big Heart
Ranch, swooped in to their
rescue.
“They had been safely
evacuated during the fire
but they had nowhere to
come back to and we took
them in,” said Denise
Ritchie, program director at
the Big Heart Ranch.
Koa and Gracie got shelter
but they had to share
space with eight other miniature
horses and donkeys.
The fires and the subsequent
rains had financially
crippled the ranch, and it
had to ask for emergency
funding just to feed the
animals. Building a separate
home for their newest
dwellers was not an option.
Ashley Miller, manager
of the Starbucks at Trancas
Country Market, had frequented
the ranch before
the fire, and she offered a
helping hand.
“So many of our employees
and customers lost their
homes,” Miller said. “I
wanted to give back to the
community with something
personal and authentic;
something that hasn’t been
done.
“I was drawn to Big
Heart Ranch’s community
connection partnerships.
Big Heart Ranch’s rescue
therapy animals help so
many people and I wanted
to find a way to help them.”
With an unwavering
commitment to the welfare
of the animals, Miller organized
in-store fundraisers
not just at her store, but
obtained approval for all 16
Starbucks in the district to
reward donors with a bag of
coffee or a free drink
Money, however, was
not the only obstacle in the
way of Koa and Gracie getting
a new home; the ranch
needed labor.
With that in mind, 30
Starbucks employees arrived
at the ranch on April
17, and by the end of the
day, the horses had a new
corral.
Regional director of operations
at Starbucks for
Los Angeles County Sean
Williams said the ranch’s
motto, “Live Big Love
Big,” resonates with his
own beliefs.
“I grew up on a ranch,
worked with and rode horses
my whole life,” he said.
“Big Heart Ranch’s motto
fits my desire to reach out
and help our community
rebuild.”
Built from the ground up
with metal pipes, the rescued
horses’ new corral is a
large enclosure that allows
the two horses some room
to kick up their hooves.
“The fencing that we
needed to build the new
enclosure was donated by
a Malibu resident,” Ritchie
said. “So much of our ranch
had been damaged and destroyed
that this fencing
was greatly appreciated but
it needed to be built as it
came to us in pieces.”
Local Starbucks employees build a corral for two rescued horses April 17 at the Big Heart Ranch. PhotoS Submitted
Alexis Vasquez, an employee
at the Trancas Starbucks,
saw the ranch’s plea
for help.
“I wanted to help knowing
that it would benefit
homeless horses,” she said.
“Starbucks changes our
schedule so we can help
our community. I’ve never
built a corral before. It was
challenging but I had a
great time.”
Ritchie recalled her apprehension
about a corporation
the size of Starbucks
infiltrating the Malibu community,
but today, she has
nothing but admiration for
the coffee shop’s employees
she has met.
“I worked side by side
with 30 people from Starbucks
Thousand Oaks,
Westlake, Agoura, Los
Angeles and the Westside
who spent an entire day
building a home for two
homeless horses,” she said.
Koa (left) and Gracie anticipating their new home.
“I watched Starbucks corporate
regional director of
operations dig post holes,
fix broken chain link, lift,
move and assemble pipes
with employees from all
over the city. I heard laughter,
shared stories of hope
and joy as we moved two
homeless horses into their
new corral.”
Koa and Gracie may
have found their forever
home, but the ranch is
currently housing 75 rescued
animals. For more
info on how to help, visit
ww.bigheartranch.com.