Hi all,

Here's just a quick note from Bonaire to let you all know the donation has been made.

Here are some (poor quality) pictures:

Martini, thanks for posting these pics! Great work BTalkers! Wooohooo! The plant is on the table! LOL! And Sandy the little donkey is soooooooo cute! I can't wait to hear how it all went

donkey hugs!

Martini, what does "overstekende ezels" mean?

What a great day today is! We give Thanks to all who contributed to the donation to the sanctuary via BT and on their own, too. Congratulations and Thanksgiving to all of us and to Marina for being their when the donkeys needed her the most.

Thanks, Cynde, for coordinating this....thanks Kelly for delivering the check and thanks Martini for taking the pics for us to enjoy.

We do give thanks! Carole and Joe

Carole, well said! Thanks to all the BTalkers that contributed, and to those that have done so online since Jake and Linda have set up online donations through www.SupportBonaire.org! (Yes, shameless plug for Support bonaire;-)

I received an email from Marina, and with the money we raised, it will provide medical and other care for 3 donkeys for a year! Great work BTalkers!

Donkey Hugs,

Cynde

HELLO BT"rs What a great day is THANKSGIVING for our donkeys and me , special for donkey friends who I never met ( sorry if I write it wrong )
It is realy FANTASTIC and you who DONATE brought money inn for 3 Donkeys to Foster for food and medical care for ONE year !!! Because to foster a donkey cost 175 dollar a year
SO A BIG BIG DONKEY HUG FOR ALL OF YOU WHO HELPT US ! I wil send 3 pict off the donkeys you foster this week
THANKS FRIENDS
Marina

Wonderful pictures. Wonderful idea, I have a big smile on my face.

Hello everyone, let me just tell you that Marina is as passionate a person as I have ever met. She loves those donkeys! She said they will take them, and I quote, "over my dead body". She knows them all by name, and by personality, "Isabelle is a spoiled one" -- she is just simply an amazing woman. Our adopted donkey, Sandy, is the cutest one of all, of course I am biased. We spent such wonderful time with Marina and the donkeys, I have so much respect for her.

Lots of donkey hugs!

Kelly

Cynde,

Overstekende ezels means crossing donkey's.

Martin

Isn't language great. I think you mean Donkey Crossing. Crossing Donkeys is getting them pi$$ed - that is the american pi$$ed not UK. UK pi$$ed is too many Brights...

I hope you are enjoy (ing)(ed) your trip to BON.

Brian

Brian, you are correct. It must be the cold and the PBD creating errors between brain and keyboard...

Brian, ROTFLMAO!

Why did the donkey cross the road...

(Message edited by cyndelee on December 3, 2003)

Martin

Sorry about the PBD, mine starts 8th Jan ;-}

Cynde

Cos he was pi$$ed at the cars using it?

Or maybe he was going to the grocery shop for a biscuit.

Or maybe he logging onto Donk mail to chat with Marina about his pension at ChatnBrowse.

Brian

Oh bugga

my english has gone too!!!

Or maybe he was logging onto Donk mail at ChatnBrowse to chat with Marina about his pension.

Martin I blaim your PBD vibes - it couldn't be me - could it.

Brian, you are killing me! "logging onto Donk mail" and the biscuit...and being mad at cars using the road...I swear I'm crying I'm laughing so hard...jfkau;'akgl;japkhdklajfkaj;ljkal;jkg;hjk;l...oops just fell out of my chair!

Martin. I don't care about the poor quality. Those pics are great.

Brian. ROTFLMAO. Annie B.

I love the way you guys make me smile! After another rough day at work ya'll help me get thru life with a smile before I go to sleep. Very funny stuff! Carole

Anyone ever notice how "happy" the donkey is all the time over by Michael's place/Chat n Browse???? My, oh my!! LOL. Carole

Carol

Is this the chap, he was there most afternoons.

PLEASE DEAR BT ers you laugh about a donkey ( male ) who is always visiting Micheal and the crosery store , I will tell you a short story and hope that this will changed your minds ( sorry ) A donkey crossed maybe 10 times a day att a house att the EEG blvd. ( I would not mention the name ) because they hanged a basket on the gatedoor and put food in it for the donkey , I told the people , please don't do it, because a donkey is stubbern and comes back a houndred times to see off there is something in it for them and one day it will cost him his life ! A couple off months later , he was hit by a car and broke his neck , they called me and I called the vet to put him down ! Sorry dear friends do not give food to the donkeys , let them go back to nature and look for there food , this donkey in particular is crossing severall times the streets to see wat is there for him , and one day it will cost his life too, I have in my Sanctuary several donkeys who lost there mother on that road att Hato area and I have had to put several donkeys down , olso att that road , I ask you please Friends think on this and help me to save and protect them from the cars ! It is 25 Dec soon and I count on you all.

A BIG BIG DONKEY HUG
Marina

Marina,
I am glad to see you say Do Not feed the Donkeys. While I was there last week... on many given nights there must have been 10 Donkeys in the middle of the rotary by the old Sunset, and Sand Dollar. Also in the rotary were tourists feeding them. The problem is human nature. Everyone feels for these animals and thinks they are doing the right thing. It is a matter of education. Maybe along with the Donkey Crossing signs, there should also be signs that say do not feed the Donkeys.

Marina, we weren't laughing at the donkey, we were laughing because we think he is so cute

I'm with Jan, I'm glad you told the story, and stressed not to feed the donkeys. A "don't feed the donkey sign" is a good idea! It is tempting because they do come right up to you and are so cute...but in the long run, it may cost them their life. I know they do seem to come out more at night which is even more dangerous because the roads aren't well lit and it is hard to see them. We always drive extra slow at night to be on the safe side (often irritating those behind us though) But a donkey life saved it worth it!

Thanks again Marina for all of your hard work with the donkeys

Cynde

Marina

I was just observing and have never fed the Donkeys either. I have shooed them away from eating the cat food at Don's many times.

I have not been to the Donkey sanctuary yet, but will make sure we do later this month. Good luck with Donkeys and thanks for all your efforts.

Hello Brian , and did the donkeys eat the cat food ??? Because donkeys are vegetarians and in some cat food there is meat . thank you and youre most welcome at the Sanctuary , when I around somewhere at the Sanctuary say hello to me and mention your name , nice to met you all BT'rs
Donkey regards
Marina

Marina,
If someone wants to bring food to the Sanctuary to hand feed the donkeys, what should they bring?
Carrots, apples, lettuce, anything else?

My kids have been several times with school groups and just love the donkeys.

Hello , I don't know what is wrong but I send twice a note to this item and it didn't went trough , is there a reason for or did I do things wrong ??? I am telling about the sign in the arrival hall at Flamingo airport etc.?????
have a nice day all of you BT'rs
Marina

Marina

It was dry cat food pellets they were eating. We will come and find you later this month, what would the Donkeys like as a treat?

Brian

Joe and I always bring lots of apples and Marina helps us cut them up so everyone can get some treats. Many bags of apples have been consumed in our presence! Carrots are always a hit, too, I know. They are so cute and appreciative of the love and treats. You will fall in love with all of them. Just be careful with your feet if you are wearing sandals as their hoofs (hoves?) can be weapons without them intending to be so! LOL. So cute. Carole

Apples , carrots , bread , is what they like as a great treat, our sign is in the arrival hall wich says ''' please do not feed the donkeys near the road or take picture from them , this is to avoid accidants enz. and we olso made flyers for the carrentals , but .... they won't hand them over because it is not of there busenis...... so......, keep telling everybody please do not feed the donkeys etc. this will work too , I think from mouth to mouth is even better.
A donkey Hug and a nice weekend
Marina

Thanks again, Marina, for helping out these wonderful critters and for continuing to educate us humans! See you in June. Carole and Joe

I got to ruffle Sandy today. She is getting sooooo big. Marina was sure to point her out to us when we brought some family friends over to visit. Marina has 91 donkeys now!

Linda, I sent pics of Sandy to my mom, and she said "I never thought a donkey could be so cute!" I she losing some of her baby donkey fuz? (Sandy, not my mom)? I bet she will be full grown in July, and I won't even recognize her!

Yes, she is getting her coarser more adult fur but still a sweety.

Well I can't wait to meet her in person in July Actually, meet Marina AND Sandy I have some of the pictures of her on my wall at work (along with a bunch of pics of my doggies) and everyone kind of goes "huh" when they look at the donkey pics!

I received the most wonderful package from Marina. It was the Adoption Certificates for the two donkey's with the money we raised along with pictures of the babies and mothers!

I want to thank Gail Thomas, Carole and Joe Baker, Eileen Kimmett, Mary Mueller, Karen and Roger Huff, Darlene Ellis, Lorrayne Bayford, Donna Leiss, LaDonna Pride, Mike Endrezzi, Susan and Geoffrey Feldman, Kelly Lott, Martin and Angela De Weger for contributing! I'll most likely begin fund raising again next year so we can keep Gilian and Sandy as the BT Babies!

Here is the adoption certificate for Sandy, born on April 10, 2003 and her mother Karin.


picture of Sandy and Karin


Here is the adoption certificate for Gilian and her mom Steffie


picture of Gilian and Steffie


Thanks to everyone, and especially to Marina for loving the Donkey's! You can donate to the sanctuary online if you go to www.SupportBonaire.org and it's a tax write off to boot if you do

Thanks for letting us see the certificates and pics, Cynde....so sweet! We have a few certificates here on our walls at home, too, and plan on adding to the "collection" every time we make it to Bonaire. Great Lady, Marina, is....hats off to her and the folks who work so hard at the sanctuary with her. Carole and Joe

Carole, notice at the bottom where it says "Adoption Parents"....Bonaire Talkers

I love the pictures! The donkeys are so sweet, and Marina is a saint!!!! I can't wait until I make it to Bonaire (sometime in the near future I hope) to meet my new "family members"! Thank you Cynde for all your organizational efforts!
LaDonna

Cynde,
Thanks for all you have done in organizing this donation to our cute little donkey friends and thanks for posting the pictures!!
Marina wasn't at the sanctuary when I was there in December to point them out to me, but I am pretty sure that I saw our adopted friends when I was there I may even have some pictures of them.

Darlene, if you do have pics, post them I think Sandy and Gilian are so cute, big ears and all! More of them to love

Cyn, yes, I did notice and think it is wonderful that Marina had the adoption papers created to show the BT folks! She is a class act, as they say! Thanks again, everyone, for helping out such a great cause. Carole

The donkeys are so cute! Thank-you Cynde for all the work that you have done and organizing all this! I hope to meet the donkeys some day (soon).

Cynde, I am not sure if these pictures are our adoptive babies, but they are really cute!

Maybe Gilian


Maybe Sandy


Pair of cuties


Pair of babies. This one reminds me of Linda's painting.


Here's a little older one


I just had to post this one. It is a favorite of mine

They are so cute.

Darlene, are they lined up awaiting their turns for the restrooms?? LOL!! I think that is the area this was taken, wasn't it? Sooooo cute!! Carole

Hey all! I posted this on another page...not sure which one...after we returned in Jan. I told Marina that maybe the "Bonaire Talkers" would use the December Holiday season to renue our contributions to the donkeys (for anyone who is interested...no pressure unless you really want to give...) this way maybe we can get somemore talkers along the way each year....just a thought.....

Darlene, what great pictures! I love them! The baby donkey's are sooo cute, and the mothers really care for them so well (as well as their mother Marina) I love the one of them all lined up. Can you email me that one? I'd like the original and I'm going to print it and hang it on my office wall (with all the other donkey pics...people at work are beginning to worry, I now have fish, dogs, and donkey's covering the walls!)

Meryl, that is what I had eluded to earlier in my post, about hitting everyone up next year. I think I'll do it around October/November for Thanksgiving while folks still have money before Christmas hits! What do you think?

Count us in...good Idea dear....share the harvest...for the donkeys....a much better time I must agree....You are so talented..

Cynde, your office wall sounds like a "normal" wall to me...no?? LOL! Folks come into my office and sort of "stare" for a moment and then either say nothing or will ask. I have actually had a few become very excited as they recognized where they were from and were "aware" of Bonaire or had been there....mind you, that's a very small percentage of folks, but when they do know about Bonaire their visits tend to be much longer than those who don't have a clue....LOL!

No goats on your wall/??????? No birds or iguanas??? We'll have to start a protest against you for discrimination! LOL. Ayo. CArole

Carole, I'm an equal opportunity picture hanger...LOL! I do have a cute little Christmas card that Bas and Yana sent, a seahorse and flamingo:-)

Cyn, I was certain of it! It does make working more tolerable when we can "see" what we are working for! LOL. Carole

Update, I just received a newsletter from Marina (Carole, maybe you got one too). Anyway, I'm emailing her to see if I can post some of the news (about the "Donkey Sanctuary Safari Park.") She also included pictures of Sandy and Gilian, and they are 'growing into their ears' I'll scan the pics and post them here in the next couple of days

Hi, Cynde...no, haven't received anything from Marina as yet. I hope she will let you share some pics and news with all of us! We will see the donkeys in person very shortly! I will give Sandy and Gilian a hug and pat on the rump from everyone...and, of course....some apples!! Carole

Does the Donkey Sanctuary still have to move?