PLYMOUTH TOWNSHIP – The Helping Hands Farm Animal Rescue Community Appreciation Day Saturday, Aug. 1, was a success before it even got started.
The organization, which has been celebrating helping farm animals for seven years, was planning to have animals up for adoption at a meet and greet during the event.
However, only one animal, a male Cayuga duck named Aflac, was left.
“We got a bunch of animals adopted out way, way before the event,” Missy Townsend, who operates the rescue, said.
She had put a post on the Jefferson Chatter Facebook page prior to the Community Appreciation Day. Following the post, people from Jefferson as well as a couple residents from the Cleveland area showed up and adopted the animals ahead of the event.
Townsend said 13 to 15 animals were adopted, which included chickens, ducks and a goat.
She was encouraged by the response.
“I’m very, very overwhelmed with the community’s response,” she said.
One visitor, Hailey Bilbrey, brought her young child, Adalynne, to the Community Appreciation Day.
“We wanted to see the animals, and let her experience something new,” Hailey said.
The event was also scheduled to feature a Chinese auction, free popsicles, a coloring station, lots of photo props, face painting and temporary tattoos.
All proceeds were to benefit Helping Hands Farm Animal Rescue of Ashtabula County.
