Cracker Box Palace – Farm Animal Haven
2009 Annual Report
Board of Directors Operations
Robert Madison, President Cheri Roloson, Farm Manager
Laurie Gasper, Secretary Shannon Mahoney, Volunteer Coordinator
Ethan Irwin, Treasurer
Kris Forsythe
Cheri Roloson
2009 Financial Information
Revenue Expenses
Adoptions $2800 Animal Care Direct $30,094
Animal Admissions $4650 Animal Feed $43,286
Donations $43,509 Animal Medical $15,343
Events & Fundraisers $23,033 Barn & Equipment Cost $9,234
Grants $12,000 Events & Fundraisers $9,389
Horse Board $8,946 General Operations ** $6927
In-Kind Items Donation $16,760 In-kind Goods $650
Memberships $7,762 Office & Newsletter $2,847
Services Other $1,752 Rent $3,000
Total Revenue $121,212 Total Expenses $120,770
** Includes utilities, phone, farm supplies, gas
auto repairs, insurance, snowplowing, misc.
2009 Highlights------
Cracker Box Palace provided shelter for 265 animals in 2009. 94 new animals came to Cracker Box this year. Thirty eight animals found new loving homes through adoptions and foster care opportunities. Sadly, 39 of our animal residents passed away in 2009. The economy impacted the number of calls for animal assistance this year. Many horse owners struggled to make ends meet. In response to their calls and the lack of room for more horses, we established a referral system by posting available horses at our shelter and referring prospective new families to those in need. We also continued to operate a feed bank to help animal owners until suitable homes could be found for their animals.
Grants - Petfinder.com provided a new Honda Generator for our farm and to be used on emergency calls by the Large Animal Response Team (LART). Intervet in cooperation with Ledgewood Equine Clinic provided horse vaccines for 10 of our equine residents.
Large Animal Response Team (LART) continues training exercises to remain in top form for animal emergency responses. A 16’ Monarch horse trailer was donated to the LART. The team intends to modify the trailer for use as a new Rescue Trailer. By having equipment already loaded and stocked in the trailer, response times will be cut by precious minutes. The LART was called eight times in 2009 by veterinary clinics, a municipality, 911, private individuals with animal emergencies, and to assist Wayne County Animal Cruelty Investigators, law enforcement personnel, and the Wayne County District Attorney in one abuse/neglect rescue call where three horses, two goats, a sheep, a pot belly pig, three ducks and 25 chickens were taken from a case in Galen.
Membership: 248 new members joined in 2009. 2009 year-end membership was at 550 across the US. We thank everyone for their support.
Community Partnerships – CBP partnered with the following local agencies to provide opportunities for program participants and farm volunteering.
’ Youth and Community Service Agencies include: Wayne ARC, Youth Advocacy of Wayne County, Workforce Development, Wayne County Dept. of Probation and Corrections, Wayne County Dept. of Social Services, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, 4-H clubs,after school programs such as the Lyons Enrichment Academic Program (LEAP) and summer programs such as LEAP.
’ Animal-related agencies include: Wayne County Animal Response Team (CART), Wayne County
Emergency Management, Wayne County Humane Society, Wayne County Animal Cruelty Investigations, Animal Control Agents per their towns, Kritter Kris and Feathered Friends Wildlife Rehabilitation, Finger Lakes Thoroughbred Adoption Program, Days End Horse Farm, MD, Farm Sanctuary, Beverly Animal Shelter, the National House Rabbit Society, Habitat for Cats, Petfinder.com.
Alasa Farms Preservation Project
In February of 2009 a fire severely damaged the historic Shaker Main House. Local volunteer firefighters fought the blaze and saved the structure. Shortly thereafter the Mangan Family, owners of Alasa Farms, made the difficult decision to sell the entire Alasa Farms property. The Cracker Box Palace Board of Directors voted to execute a contract with the Mangan Family for the purchase of this magnificent property for a discounted price of $1.5 million. The safety and welfare of the animals served as the driving force behind this decision. The Mangan Family has established a deadline of November 30, 2010 for the completion of the sale.
In September of 2009, Cracker Box Palace received a $500,000 grant through NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to subsidize the purchase of Alasa Farms. Those funds will be used toward the purchase of Alasa Farms. The Genesee Land Trust Board of Directors joined in the effort to save the farm, applying for federal funding to subsidize the purchase. At the close of 2009, the fundraising goal for the purchase of the farm was $1.5 million, with another $500,000 to establish an operations fund, making the total fundraising goal $2 million. Cracker Box Palace launched a capital campaign to raise the funds necessary to complete the purchase of the farm.
The farm’s historic value resulted in a listing on the National Register of Historic Places in December of 2009. An application to the Preservation League of New York was also submitted for designation as one of their “Seven to Save” properties in New York State.
The Board of Directors intends to restore the historic farmstead, provide a forever home for current and future animal residents and continue the legacy of the Mangan family by maintaining the farm as a community resource.
Thank you to all of CBP’s supporters, our friends old and new. For more information about Cracker Box Palace, details about our rescue efforts, making tax-deductible donations for operations and to our capital campaign, memberships, and events visit www.crackerboxpalace.org or call 315-483-2493.
Cracker Box Palace, Inc. PO Box 174 – Alasa Farms 6450 Shaker Rd. Alton, NY 14413
315-483-2493
www.crackerboxpalace.org
A Not for Profit Corporation
NYS Tax #: 225956 EIN: 16-1600471 NYS Charities Reg #: 40-91-09