March 22, 2018. By Jennifer Wolfsberg:
Without a doubt it is well known that we are a family of animal lovers. Our own furry friend, a Shih Tzu named Darby, melts our hearts every day and brings us such joy. In support of Centerpoint’s Year of Giving charitable initiative, I chose to revisit a location near and dear to me called the Winslow Farm Animal Sanctuary in Norton, Massachusetts. You may recall the name from a Centerpoint team volunteer outing a few years ago.
Winslow Farm is a volunteer based, non-profit animal sanctuary devoted to the rescue and care of abandoned and mistreated animals. The Farm has welcomed a myriad of animals since its inception in 1996 ranging from dogs and cats to alpacas and donkeys. The stories of their arrival are simply shocking and in some cases disturbing. Without Winslow, their over 200 animals would be out of a home or euthanized. It is wonderful to see how happy they are in their safe habitat; however, it is easy to see how challenging it can be to feed so many animals in need, especially during the harsh winter months when they are unable to feed off the grounds.
Following a recent storm, Michael, Aziza, and I bundled up for a family trip to Costco and loaded up the car with as many fresh fruits and vegetables, bags of dog and cat food, warm beds and supplies as we could fit to bring to the Farm. We like to bring hand warmers and snacks for the Winslow team as well who work tirelessly daily. We could barely see out of the back window and when we arrived the volunteers had to bring out carts just to carry it all to the storage shed.
The residents of Winslow were happy to have visitors especially since traffic seems to slow down this time of year. They have over 60 cats as well and one named Velcro who literally will sit on your shoulder while walking through the sanctuary. Arthur the large turkey followed us closely when walking the food cart to the supply house and apparently is known for his own snacking.
It is always rewarding to help at Winslow not only because it appeals to my love of animals, but also because the volunteer staff are so very appreciative for our help. As you can see in the photos above, the residents are as well.
The Farm is open to the public year-round and the cost of admission is just a $10 donation for adults and $5.00 for children. If you would like to learn more about how to support Winslow Farm Animal Sanctuary, Click Here.