Photo credit: The Alice Sanctuary
I am fortunate to work with a talented, generous, clever group of people. This sounds like I am buttering them up for a big ask, I’m not. These folks show their true colours every time they lend their wisdom to a post and answer my 20 questions patiently and graciously, or when the workload overwhelms and they pitch in to ease the burden of a colleague, and even more so when they walk out of the InsureMy doors and continue to give so much of themselves without expectation to the causes they are most passionate about.
It’s these givers that have inspired me to start a little feature to further highlight some of the smart work being done in our communities at the hands of hardworking volunteers like my teammates. This week, we’ll start with The Alice Sanctuary (TAS) since this is one of the organizations that so many of my co-workers like to spend a great deal of their time at. Who can blame them? I was fortunate enough to visit the sanctuary over the summer and it’s hard not to fall in love with a furry friend or two.
What is The Alice Sanctuary?
Located 25 minutes east of Balzac, Alberta, TAS was founded by Janneane Madill just over two years ago. It is a farm that provides care and healing for rescued, surrendered, or abandoned farm animals, and as their mission states, it draws on the resiliency and life-affirming presence of the animals who live there. The goal of The Alice Sanctuary is to empower, encourage, and inspire visitors to find the tools they need to go out and make a positive change in the world around them.
Madill who has a background in social work, had spent many years volunteering at other rescues and is a firm believer that a connection between people and animals can be life changing. Similar to studies that have linked pet ownership to such health benefits as lower blood pressure, reduced anxiety and rates of depression; volunteers and visitors alike can attest to the restorative powers of a few hours spent with these farm friends. Janneane hopes to one day bring her work experience together with her passion – her work at TAS seems to be paving the way.
How can I get involved?
There are many ways to participate in sanctuary activities.
- It is indeed a farm and there is work to be done. Volunteers are always welcome to sign up;
- You may just fall in love. Sponsor the care of your favourite four-legged friend;
- There is a wish list of much needed supplies, and of course cash donations are always appreciated;
- Join the fun and explore. Keep an eye on the Facebook page for event dates and plan to join a tour of the farm, yoga with the cows, or perhaps ask about a private booking for your group.
Want to know more? Review these sources and resources.
Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Have More Questions?
Let me know and I’ll do my best to address it here for you and all of our readers. Better yet, contact an InsureMy advisor; these guys know their stuff. Email Info@InsureMy.ca or give them a call locally at (403) 410-1896 or toll free at 1-844-410-1896.
Everyday Insurance With Allie
Working mom, lover of the great outdoors and self-professed know-it-all. Our resident blogger, Allie isn’t the insurance guru she claims to be – but she’s learning and we are happy to help guide her. All the while keeping you in the loop on the “insurancey” stuff you need to know. #AskAllie
