Home > Farrier Relief Fund > Offers Of Help

The AFA will regularly post offers of assistance on this page for those in need. If you would like to offer assistance, please click here.

Name: Mr. Jon Smolko
Subject: House to Share in Milton, Florida
Date: October 14 , 2005

Single dad and 5 year old son have 3 br house to share. Only request is to have recipients to be on premises from 4p to 6a on Sunday, Mon.,Tue. while I work and my son is in need of supervision while I'm away........Can accomodate single woman, single mom w/one child, couple, couple w/one child. E-mail: jasmolko@bellsouth.net

Name: Mr. Doyle Blagg
Subject: Need Farriers in Texas
Date: October 3 , 2005

I would very much be interested in communicating with farriers who have been displaced by the Hurricane, to see if they would be interested in coming to Texas to work. The horse industry here is booming. We need good qualified farriers.

Please let me know if you have any referrals. E-mail: revdblagg@aol.com Phone: 903-815-0115

Name: Mr. Stacy Miller
Subject: Donation
Date: September 5, 2005

Due to the unfortunate events of Hurricane Katrina not only are thousands of people homeless, but many are also now unemployed. The Carolina Horseshoeing Conference, with the help of the American Farrier’s Association and the North Carolina Horseshoer’s Association, will be donating all proceeds of the conference to the AFA’s Farrier Relief Fund to be distributed to farriers in need in the Louisiana and Mississippi region.

As a farrier in Western North Carolina I know if I ever needed help, a fellow horseshoer would be the first to lend a hand. We, as horseshoers, need to step up and give a hand to the farriers in the areas affected by hurricane Katrina. I have a goal of raising $10,000.00 by October 1, 2005, the day of the conference, to be given to the AFA’s new Relief Fund. This is a very obtainable goal. Although the goal may seem high, $25.00 (the cost of conference registration) is less than most farriers make in one trim....about 15 minutes of work in one day.

Please, let’s pull together and shout out a cry of hope to our fellow friends and farriers. For more information on the conference or to make a donation go to www.carolinahorseshoeing.com or call 828-681-5095. Thank you for your donation

Name: Jim and April La Claire
Subject: Assistance in Pensacola, FL
Date: September 5, 2005

My name is Jim La Claire, a farrier from Pensacola, Florida. My wife and I are trying to coordinate resources east of New Orleans for Equine related matters. There are many facilities/organizations at our disposal in the Pensacola FL. area. We have at least 200 people volunteering to help in any way that they can. We have the Equestrian Center here in Pensacola, Veternarians who have volunteered to help and enough people to handle anything that may be needed. My wife and I have looked at the map and with the AFA find-a-farrier list have contacted as many farriers as possible. With the resources available here in Pensacola we should be able to handle anything that may be needed. We also have the Panhandle Equine Rescue Association standing by to assist. We are approximately 80-90 miles from Gulfport\ Biloxi to the east. Hope you can use this information to our advantage.

Please contact us:

Jim and April La Claire
10170 Rebel Rd..
Pensacola FL. 32526

850-944-5147
850-380-4446 (Jim Cell)
850-380-9229 (April Cell)

justshoeit@bellsouth.net (Email)

Name: Rick Burten, CJF, RMF
Subject: Housing, Tools & Supplies
Date: September 4, 2005

Add my name and contact information to the list of people who will open their home to any farrier and/or family members in need of a clean, dry, safe place to stay.

Further, I have enough back up tools and supplies(except for a forge--I just gave my old one to a farrier in need here in Illinois ) to outfit one, maybe two farriers to help them get back on their feet. I've even got a spare truck that I would willingly make available during their time of need.

Please contact:

Rick Burten, CJF, RMF
1102 Galen Drive
Champaign, IL 61821

217-359-9014 (home)

217-369-9014 (cell)
hoofrx1@insightbb.com (Email)

Name: John Blombach, CJF
Subject: Shelter, Food, Supplies, Warmth, and Airplen
Date: September 4, 2005

What ever service I can be, you can count me in. As volunteer Angel Flight pilot, my aircraft and I have been on standby alert for five days, ready to move out at a moment's notice to bring whatever is needed to the heart of this disaster area. It pleases me that the AFA has taken an active role in this relief effort.

I can offer shelter, food, supplies and warmth to those most needy. Please advise.

Please contact:

John Blombach, CJF
PO Box 740
Westminster, MA 01473-0740

978-874-2806
joneglu@aol.com (Email)

Name: Derin Foor, CF
Subject: Count Me In
Date: September 4, 2005

Count me in.......I just sent a note to Baron Tayler about this same subject...I think getting the word to those that truly need it will be the hard part....anyone with a way to get the word to our fellow farriers down there should do so.

Contact:

Derin Foor, CF

1270 Thrashers Creek Road

Amherst, VA 24521

434-277-8940

dsfoor@aol.com (Email)

Name: Dan Burke, CF; FPD, Inc.
Subject: Sending a check
Date: September 4, 2005

I will have Linda send a check for $2,000 today.

Name: Dan Bradley; GE Forge & Tool
Subject: Trying to help
Date: September 5, 2005

Hi Michael (Joshua)(Chairman, AFA Finance Committee): Good talking with you today. Another idea I had was that people will start needing food, clothes, toilet paper, etc. What can be given out are Wal-Mart gift cards. We have Super Wal-Marts all over Louisiana & Mississippi. Your can get groceries, clothes anything there with a gift card. Now that would be easy. Some of the Wal-marts sell gas too. Also Home Depot and Lowe's have gift cards which could be used for building material if needed. Just a thought that you can add to your list.

Here is a list of the AFA members that I have found out that are okay physically, if their homes are okay, that I cannot answer.

Louisiana:

John Argus, CJF

Jerry Baker, CF

Lori Bishop, CF

Jules Domingue, CJF

Dilton Emerson

Richard Fanguy, CJF

Todd Fontenot

Fran Hancock, CJF

James Gifford, CF

Jimmy Gore

Tim LeBas

Ricky LeRay

M.E. (Mac) Little, CJF

Tim Medlin

Timothy O'Brien

Lindsay Perez

Stephen R. Tankersley

Mississippi:

Dan Bradley

Hank Chisholm, CJF

Leslie Falvey, CJF

David Hodges, CJF (Note - We've heard from David and his home is a total loss)

Aily J. Ledet

Sandy McBeath, CJF

Joey Mott, CJF

Anything else I can do just ask. I will do want I can.

Name: Steve Davis, CF; President, Music City Horseshoers Association
Subject: Chapter Willing to Help
Date: September 2, 2005

The last few days have been troubling to us all . Please keep trying to get info on those farriers affected by this terrible tragedy and let us know what we can do to help them. My assoc stands ready to do whatever to help.

Name: Steve Conner
Subject: Housing and Work
Date: September 2, 2005

Have you gotten any calls from any Farriers in mississippi or
louisiana needing temporary housing or horses that need a temporary home. I
have a spare room in my house that I can temorarily house a fellow farrier
in need of housing. plus I have enough extra work they can earn a bit of
money here in North Eastern N.C. till thing settle down in mississippi/la.
area. I can also sponsor a horse or two temporarily here until folks get
things back together. I am not sure what else I can do ...but I am offering
to help .

I know when I got hit two years ago from Hurricane Isabelle I was out of
work for nearly a month and I lost my barn. I had a field donated to me for
pasture (6 acres). as far the work I was left out in the wind there. I have
more than enough work here and am willing to share it with a fellow AFA
member who is in need of work till things get better in that area. with a
place to stay as well.

Let me know if I can help

Contact:

Stephen Conner

1264 Northside Rd.

Elizabeth City, N.C. 27909

252-771-5585 (home)

252-312-7463 (work)

horsinaround@usa.com (Email)