Farwell

Today we went to Nikki Zebell's benefit fundraiser. Originally she was to attend and see all the wonderful people who came to support her. Unfortunately, she passed away a week earlier to bone cancer. I had the pleasure of meeting her last year when she baled me out at the Sioux Falls Regional Livestock Horse Sale. She had attended and took in a no value donkey and a no value yearling. She helped me get Savanna and Sahara home. Bless her heart for helping me out. We'd only met one other time.

She was an advocate for the no value horses. She would attend auctions and bring home the no value horses, feed them, educate them, and then find them good homes. For the past year I havent' been able to attend any auctions but I knew that Nikki was out there attending auctions and picking up the no value horses when she could.

I did feel guilty about not attending an auctions because I knew she was out there working her magic. She wouldn't ask for help, she wouldn't ask for money, she wouldn't ask for recognition. She simply did what was right and helped those that couldn't help themselves.

Although she may have lost her battle to bone cancer, she made a huge impact during the short time she was on this earth. Many of the community turned out to support her family. I can only imagine the medical bills that piled up. By the crowd at the Parker Community Center, Nikki touched many people's lives. I can honestly say I was honored in meeting her.  The beneift seemed like a success but I expect that the bills are still piling up. If you can help out, I am positive that the family would be relieved of the burden of dealing with the final costs. If you are interested in donating, please let me know and I'll post the details.

It is a sad day to know that Nikki is no longer on this earth and that there is one less advocate for the horses. But after seeing the number of people attending the benefit, there is hope that her cause will never be forgotten.