New barn collapses in Ruckersville, VA. 35 horses without shelter. Family, farm and riding school for special needs children in jeopardy!

What happened?
When I was 51 years old I started my own horse farm. I had dreamed of it all my life. And I built the big aisle barn I’d dreamed of all my life. Now at 63, I’m experiencing the devastation the record-breaking snow fall has unleashed upon my livelihood.

I started my horse farm in 1998. I trained and sold a few horses, and gave lessons to children and adults, utilizing my 30 years of equestrian experience. When my son was killed in 2000, I took the money from the settlement and built a barn to expand my business, completing construction of a 24 stall (5840 sq ft.) barn in 2005. After 12 years in the horse business, with the help of my daughter, we built Hidden Creek into a substantial 35-horse farm with a great reputation - selling quality horses to beginners and intermediate riders, hosting a summer camp for kids, teaching lessons for all levels, conducting specialty classes (such as Mommy and Me) and were on track to launch a non-profit horse therapy program for physically handicapped children and adults this spring.

During the big snow storm in December of 2009, I was unloading hay off the truck and I heard a huge rumble. Looking in the direction of the noise, I watched as the snow caved in the entire middle portion of our barn. I was filled with disbelief, heartbreak, and panic. Shouting, I called my daughter down to the barn to see if the horses were okay. Since the direct point of implosion was in the center of the barn, no horses were injured, but most of them needed to be turned out in the snow due to the leaking roof and crushed stalls. The coming rain sank the roof further and turned the center of the barn into a mudbog, with water rising into the stalls no matter how much trenching we did. Assessing the damage, I was filled with heartbreak and despair. The snow storm that arrived on February 6, 2010, demolished the rest of the barn and made it unlivable. The remaining horses had to be turned out to pasture in the cold and the snow.

Why we need your help
We are desperate. The insurance company is refusing to cover the barn and the barn manufacturer will not answer any calls or letters, even from our attorney. I would love to pursue litigation, but have been told that it will take many years, and by then I’ll have no business, no land, and no home. And that is what big companies count on. For more information on the insurance and warranty story click here. I am confused and disheartened, but I need to find a way to rebuild our barn – a home for our horses and the very heart of our livelihood. I'm not going to let them beat me. With my family, I started thinking outside the box, appealing to my Internet community to help me rebuild my barn...A VIRTUAL BARN RAISING!!

I’ve written to all of my representatives, both state and federal to see if there is any program that can help me. We’ve started planning local fundraisers, contacted local media and we’ve even applied to a reality show. We’ll send hand painted horse figures to those who donate and hand felted horses (both with thank you cards attached) to those who donate just a little more. We are trying everything we can think of and refuse to let our dream die!

If each person sends just a little bit, and passes it on…whether it's because you love horses, or want to help a small business person who watched her dreams collapse under the weight of the snow, or because you want to raise awareness to hit back against companies who will not shoulder their responsibilities. Help out how you can and send this on to your friends and neighbors.

Our Goal
Our goal is to keep our farm afloat by building a new barn as quickly as possible. My horses and students need a barn now, not years from now when the courts get finished. It is not an option to put a new roof on the barn, as the walls are no longer structurally sound. At this time we are looking at multiple options to find the best value. The best estimate is $50,000 with labor included. We would love to find a contractor who would be interested in helping us create a new cost effective barn. The total price of funds needed may vary with options, and we’re exploring as many as we can find.

Watch this website, we will be adding news and new ideas as we struggle to get the help we need.

It's not often you get to see the tangible results of a donation, but this is one of those times. We need your support and sincerely appreciate any donation amount. We will keep this site updated with our fundraising progress and the barn raising. In the meantime, we’ll be developing plans for local fundraising events and appreciate any additional fundraising efforts or services you can provide.

Thank you so very much.

Sincerely,
Kandi Sterling, Tammy Stirling and the horses of Hidden Creek Farm



If 2,500 people give just $20 we can re-build the barn! Please donate and pass this on.