Saving neglected and abused horses, it’s a mission that has two ladies taking the reins, and they’re spreading hope and hay along the way. Tracey Sawyer and Destiny Gurley are our Everyday Heroes.

Tracey Sawyer is the founder and president of H.O.P.E. Acres Rescue. “H.O.P.E. Acres Rescue is a federally recognized non profit horse rescue located in Berkeley county.  Founded in 2010, we’re about to enter our ninth year of rescue and rehabilitation of abused and neglected horses,” says Tracey.  “We see a lot of emaciated cases.  We’ve had several come in with sinus infections, with hitches.  We’ve seen fencing injuries that require multiple surgeries and thousands of dollars in reconstructive surgery, but starvation is one of the main cases that we see.  It’s heartbreaking.  I feel like the general consensus is these animals are disposable, and they’re not.”

H.O.P.E. has rescued more than sixty horses over the years.  Tracey says, “We’re a 100-percent volunteer organization.  We have no paid positions. Every dime we bring in, goes directly to the program, and rehabilitation, and medical needs of the horses.  There is a fulfillment that I personally get from watching them blossom, from watching life come back into their eyes.”

Seventeen-year-old Destiny Gurley, a senior at Faith Christian School is one of the volunteers. Her time at the farm started as community service hours for school, but has grown into her passion.  Destiny says, “I grew a great love for this place and their mission, and what they do.”
 
H.O.P.E. Acres is funded by grants and donations.  As part of her school community service project, Destiny is putting together a fundraiser to raise funds and awareness for hope.  She says, “They encourage us to combine two of our passions, and I’ve been volunteering for a little over a year now, and I’ve been bowling since I was a little kid, so I though it would be a great idea to combine a bowling event to raise money for H.O.P.E.”  Hope for H.O.P.E. is a three hour bowling event at  Ashley Lanes in West Ashley.  It’s 20-dollars a person, and all money raised goes to the rescue.   “If you can just save one horse, that gives you hope you can save another, and I feel like making a difference in one horse means the world.”

Destiny’s Hope for H.O.P.E. will be held this Sunday, November 4th at Ashley Lanes. For more information on the fundraiser, and how you can help H.O.P.E. Acres Rescue, click here: 

Saving neglected and abused horses, it’s a mission that has two ladies taking the reins, and they’re spreading hope and hay along the way. Tracey Sawyer and Destiny Gurley are our Everyday Heroes.
 
Tracey Sawyer is the founder and president of H.O.P.E. Acres Rescue. “H.O.P.E. Acres Rescue is a federally recognized non profit horse rescue located in Berkeley county.  Founded in 2010, we’re about to enter our ninth year of rescue and rehabilitation of abused and neglected horses,” says Tracey.  “We see a lot of emaciated cases.  We’ve had several come in with sinus infections, with hitches.  We’ve seen fencing injuries that require multiple surgeries and thousands of dollars in reconstructive surgery, but starvation is one of the main cases that we see.  It’s heartbreaking.  I feel like the general consensus is these animals are disposable, and they’re not.”

H.O.P.E. has rescued more than sixty horses over the years.  Tracey says, “We’re a 100-percent volunteer organization.  We have no paid positions. Every dime we bring in, goes directly to the program, and rehabilitation, and medical needs of the horses.  There is a fulfillment that I personally get from watching them blossom, from watching life come back into their eyes.”

Seventeen-year-old Destiny Gurley, a senior at Faith Christian School is one of the volunteers. Her time at the farm started as community service hours for school, but has grown into her passion.  Destiny says, “I grew a great love for this place and their mission, and what they do.”
 
H.O.P.E. Acres is funded by grants and donations.  As part of her school community service project, Destiny is putting together a fundraiser to raise funds and awareness for hope.  She says, “They encourage us to combine two of our passions, and I’ve been volunteering for a little over a year now, and I’ve been bowling since I was a little kid, so I though it would be a great idea to combine a bowling event to raise money for H.O.P.E.”  Hope for H.O.P.E. is a three hour bowling event at  Ashley Lanes in West Ashley.  It’s 20-dollars a person, and all money raised goes to the rescue.   “If you can just save one horse, that gives you hope you can save another, and I feel like making a difference in one horse means the world.”

Destiny’s Hope for H.O.P.E. will be held this Sunday, November 4th at Ashley Lanes. For more information on the fundraiser, and how you can help H.O.P.E. Acres Rescue, click here.