June/July 2023 Issue

EAST COAST EQUESTRIAN June/July 2023 Page 7 Tell our advertisers you found them in East Coast Equestrian! Museum of Chincoteague Signs Contract to Save the Beebe Ranch (Continued from page 5) (Continued on page 24) whatever made you fall in love with that community in the begin- ning,” he said. “The bottom line is the Beebe Ranch is part of our history. You can’t replace it with five acres of McMansions.” In addition to Landsberger’s donation, other donations – large and small – have poured in, many with letters, notes and cards. Faith said donors are sharing how Misty made a difference and how her story gave them reasons to dream and to hope – especially for children whose lives didn’t offer much hope. “Everyone is doing the most amazing things,” she said. “We just got a donation today with a letter from a mother and daughter who make decorative cookies. They sold pony cookies online to raise funds and sent $550. Someone else sold $1,200 in Chincoteague memorabilia. One person had a jewelry party and sent $1,200, but then she sent us another $500 in last-minute sales. One woman did lithographs of Misty and sent us $1,000. Anoth- er sold stickers and ornaments in her Etsy store, then gave us more to sell in the museum store.” The museum also held a din- ner with an auction in April. They made $5,500 on the dinner and $11,000 on an auction that day. Then, they sold over $10,000 in 5” x 5” canvases from kids in an ArtSea exhibit they hold annually for the museum. This year the funds were dedicated to the ranch fund. “We usually make about $5,000 on the ArtSea exhibit, but because it was for the Beebe Ranch, we made over $10,000,” Faith said. In addition, Miss Molly’s Bed & Breakfast (where Margue- rite Henry stayed while research- ing and writing Misty’s story) held a raffle for a week’s stay in the Marguerite Henry Room for Pony Penning week 2024 with a package of many extra items, like a donated boat tour and gift certificates. It brought in $12,000. According to Faith, is- land photographer, Darcy Cole (known for tracking foal births on the island and hiking 3-7 days a week year-round to check on the ponies) was her cheerleader. “Darcy is a big part of why this fundraiser is happening,” Faith said. “In the beginning, I was getting a little discouraged. Some board members thought this was too big for us to take on. I was doubting myself, but Darcy shook the sense into me with her words. She told me, ‘You can do this!’ So, I went back to the board and presented it again and they agreed that we had to at least try.” One big blessing came in an offer by the Chincoteague Vol- unteer Fire Company, who had previously donated $5,000, but