Media Release: Book Proceeds Support Farm Sanctuary

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 31, 2013

Book Proceeds Support Farm Sanctuary

The Suffering Eyes Project donates first proceeds to Big Sky Ranch Animal Sanctuary

Less than two months after the release of her book Suffering Eyes: A Chronicle of Awakening, Canadian author Franceen Neufeld will be donating the first of the book's proceeds to Big Sky Ranch Animal Sanctuary in Kemptville, Ontario.

"Suffering Eyes is an account of awakening to the suffering of others - in this case, specifically the suffering of animals at the hands of humans," says Calvin Neufeld, editor of the book and co-founder of the book's fundraising umbrella, the Suffering Eyes Project. All proceeds go to support the work of carefully selected farmed animal sanctuaries, which provide life-long shelter and care for animals rescued from abuse, neglect and slaughter.

Kemptville's Big Sky Ranch is the first Canadian sanctuary to receive funds through the Suffering Eyes Project. Founded in 2002 by Andy Parent, the sanctuary to date has rescued and re-homed over 1,700 animals. Their motto is that all animals deserve a second chance without a time limit.

On December 14th, Calvin Neufeld visited Big Sky Ranch for their Christmas with the Animals event. "It was an incredible, uplifting, joy-filled experience," he says, "witnessing the rescue first-hand, the compassion of the volunteers, the gentleness and happiness of the animals, many of whom have suffered unimaginably. Especially at this time of year, I am struck by how this work parallels an ancient story: the search for shelter, the sanctuary of a stable, and the birth of new life, hope and joy."

Author Franceen Neufeld has written a cheque for $500 to Big Sky Ranch, from her book's first proceeds. "It's a modest amount," says Neufeld, "but it's a meaningful amount to us, and to them. For a sanctuary, $500 goes a long way. Every dollar counts, every dollar goes to rescue. I am honoured and grateful that we are able, in this small way, to help those animals, whose need for love, shelter and sustenance are being tended to by these amazing people."

Each year, North American sanctuaries rescue hundreds of thousands of animals and host hundreds of thousands of human visitors who are drawn to witness and share in their body-and-soul-restoring work. The Suffering Eyes Project supports this work through the donation of proceeds, and by making the Suffering Eyes book available to individual sanctuaries for use in their own direct fundraising.

For more information, or to order a copy of Suffering Eyes, visit www.sufferingeyes.com.

For more information about Big Sky Ranch, visit www.bigskyranch.ca.

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MEDIA CONTACT:                                                                               
Calvin Neufeld                                                          
The Suffering Eyes Project                                                                  
57 Foster Street, Box 2012                                                                                     
Perth, Ontario, Canada, K7H 1R9                                                  
877-312-1718                                                                                    
info (at) sufferingeyes (dot) com                                           
www.sufferingeyes.com