This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
09/17/2017 06:36 PMAn intuitive spirit medium with a passion for helping animals will share her gift of communicating “Messages from the Other Side” to help Northford-based All the Kings Horses Equine Rescue (ATKHER). The ATNKHER fundraiser is set for Friday, Sept. 29, 7 – 9 p.m. at North Branford High School (NBHS).
The ticketed event offers an evening of connecting to loved one and pets who’ve “crossed the rainbow bridge,” through the talents of medium Lisa Lanno of Massachusetts.
In the spirit of the event, the ATKHER Facebook page currently features a cover photo of two beautiful Belgian horse rescues, Jack and Dan, enjoying the outdoors beneath a rainbow.
“That photo was taken at our main rescue barn,” in 2012, said ANTKER founder Mary Santagata. “They’ve both since passed on and went over the rainbow. They were very special boys that had been adopted; and they had a beautiful, long life. They were in their 30’s when they passed.”
Rescuing equines in crisis, then helping them with recovery and re-homing, has been the mission of ATKHER since Santagata founded the program in May, 2010. Through the years, ATKHER has built a stellar reputation for its work to facilitate rehabilitation and placement of equines often rescued from neglect, abuse and even the threat of slaughter.
ATKHER volunteers have pitched in to assist with fundraising and ideas for events and programs to help raise money for the mission. Santagata credits volunteer Gretchen Highsmith for coming up with connecting to Lanno’s talents as a fundraiser for ATKHER.
“Gretchen had gone to an event of Lisa’s and saw she does fundraisers for animal groups and thought it would be a beautiful idea,” said Santagata.
The Sept. 29 fundraiser at NBHS will be Lanno’s first time helping an equine rescue group, Lanno told The Sound.
“I haven’t been asked to help horses before. But I’m one of those people who cannot look at the pictures of abused animals. It makes my heart hurt too much. I always say, ‘What can I do?’” said Lanno, who has offered her services in this area before to assist animal rescue groups, including 2014 and 2016 events benefiting efforts of Branford Compassion Club, a local feline rescue and adoption non-profit. Lanno assists animal rescue organizations by providing her services so that 50 percent of ticket proceeds to go to the group hosting the event, in this case, ATKHER.
Some stunning “before” and “after” photos posted at ATKHER’s website (www.allthekingshorsesequinerescue.com) and Facebook page tell the story of dozens of successful rescues of equines adopted into loving homes. The priority at ATKHER is caring for the animals awaiting adoption while also working to find them homes. That means finding additional volunteer manpower to oversee and manage fundraising efforts can be difficult, said Santagata.
“We had recently stopped intaking rescues, because we were having a difficult time with fundraising, and so there were not a lot of donations coming in,” said Santagata. “Recently, we’ve been getting back on track with a lot of fundraising, and we took in two new (equines) a few weeks ago. So we’re at about 100 percent capacity now. And we’re always caring for the animals we have until they are adopted. It takes a lot just to provide for the needs of the horses; and then there are a lot of medical needs.”
Some rescues are re-homed quickly. Others, like Jazz, become an extended guest of ATKHER’s barns and paddocks.
“Jazz is our 30-year-old Morgan; and we would love to find a retirement home for her end of life,” said Santagata. “It would be beautiful for her to have her own person. She’s an older lady and a great companion who loves all people. She’s been waiting here for about three years.”
For those with beloved horses, pets and people who have passed over, Lanno will be reaching out to connect and communicate messages or “readings” which she’ll share with audience members at NBHS on Friday, Sept. 29, said Lanno. Lanno, who is also a psychic, will additionally offer a “psychic question” segment during the Sept. 29 event.
“I try to get in a minimum of 15 readings in a night. Everybody who comes in is also given a raffle ticket, and I pick a ticket and [the ticket holders] can ask me a psychic question,” said Lanno, who specializes in “life guidance” psychic questions.
“It can be anything from ‘Is my house going to sell?’ to ‘Am I going to marry this year?’” Lanno explained.
As for her ability to connect with those who’ve passed away, Lanno said she literally hears from those reaching through her to communicate with loved ones.
“If your grandparent came from France, I can’t speak French, but I can hear it in English,” she said. “When I’m connecting with pets, I hear their feelings in English.”
Specifics will also come to her as she communicates, adds Lanno. For example, in the case of reaching out to a past pet, “...I will say, ‘What do you have to say to mommy or daddy?’ And I might hear, ‘Thank you for saving me, because I have a bad foot.’”
Lisa Lanno will share “Messages from the Other Side” to benefit ATKHER Friday, Sept. 29, 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. at North Branford High School, 149 Caputo Road. Tickets, $30, can be purchased at www.allthekingshorsesequinerescue.com (click donate button and mention “Messages from the Other Side” in the note section). For more information about Lanno’s work, visit www.lisamlanno.com