VOLUNTEER GROUPS' and COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS' VISITS

We love having groups come out to F.R.I.E.N.D.S. to volunteer !

To help everything go smoothly, please carefully read the following.

Of course, we can always accommodate groups from three to nine people in attendance on any Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday from 12:30-5:30 without a "save the date."

However, if you would like to reserve a specific date for a group visit for your team to volunteer at F.R.I.E.N.D.S., we now require a minimum of 10 or more people in attendance.

If there are minors in the group, we will require an adult; (teacher, coach, parent or guardian) to set up the group visit appointments or volunteer days.

1. The first thing you will need to do is designate an adult to be the planner of your group to "save the date" for your visit. Please include the company name or organization and the contact person who will be setting up your volunteer day, along with the email address.

2. Then the adult planner will need to provide three different dates that will work for your group.

3. Next, we will need to know approximately how many people will be attending and how many of them are minors.

Once you have these three things, we can book and confirm your date and send the forms to you for the minor’s parents to fill out.

F.R.I.E.N.D.S. is very grateful to all of our volunteers, team leaders, students and visitors. However, because we currently have 51 equine, 2 farm pigs, 2 sheep and 3 goats for a total of 58 animals that have to be cared for on a daily basis, twice a day, we have to be sure we have enough people who are committed to come out to help when they have said they will be there.

We understand things happen and you might have to cancel or change a date but a "no show" is a "no go." As long as you give us enough notice to get other people out there to help, we are fine, but please do not wait until the day before or the morning of to let us know.

Thanks in advance for your understanding and consideration.

Our most needed day for help is Thursday, but if that doesn't work for you, a Tuesday or even a Saturday can be arranged if necessary.

We are open from 12:30-5:30 PM but you can set your start and finish time to what works best for your group as long as it is between those hours.

Regular daily chores include the following:

Dumping/scrubbing/filling the water buckets and troughs, stall cleaning, pasture cleaning, bathing, grooming, braiding, feeding, mowing grass, other routine maintenance, and anything else that might need to be done that day.

Please go to "Know Before You Go" so everyone will be prepared.

We look forward to having your volunteering group out to F.R.I.E.N.D.S. soon!

Here is a partial list of some of the other groups that have come out to volunteer. Let us know if you would like to come out too!

FIU French Club, Key Club International, Thermo Fisher Co., Lighthouse of Broward, Vertical Church, City Rev Church, Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach, Conrad Inc., Thornton Tomasetti Engineers, Carlton Apartment Management, Hands On South Florida, Volunteer Match and many others.

Students from Miami Dade Collage were out to volunteer with the horse!
Thank You Ladies

Bobby Barwick, our Farrier, Equine Dentist, a F.R.I.E.N.D.S. Board Member and the Manager of F.R.I.E.N.D.S. Horse Rescue & Sanctuary opened our gates to two teachers and 40 students from HCI College. There have been several students over the last two decades that have come out to help care for the horses by grooming, watering, cleaning stalls and other various chores. However, this time the students requested to get some "hands on time" learning something new so they could get some experience.
The group was divided into two groups and the teachers and Bobby would show them how to "pick out a hoof" and how to "wrap" a hoof on their own.
Then the other half of the group followed and did the same thing. While the groups were divided, the other group would work on cleaning stalls, watering and other chores. Next, they would learn how to wrap a horse with a standing leg wrap. These wraps are used for many reasons some are used on your horse's legs to provide support, compression, and protection. They are not just for horses that are injured, recovering from serious lameness, some owners use them after riding to reduce swelling, offer support to tired legs, and promote recovery from work and training.

There were a total of 40 students and 2 Teachers from HCI College that came from 12:30-5:30 pm.

Noel Mitchell, Grants Administration Manager at Community Foundation of Broward, came out to see the ranch and got up close and personal with "Maverick."

"The Community Foundation of Broward provides community leadership, fosters bold philanthropy and builds permanent resources to tackle Broward’s biggest challenges – today and forever."

"BUD" with the group from Nova Southeastern University
Management & Marketing International Business & Communications

American Express's "Green2Gether" program, a company-wide initiative, focuses on employee engagement in environmental and social causes through volunteer opportunities and donations, aiming to support communities and address climate change.

Troop #492 Came out and built a new house for the pig Oreo

HandsOn South Florida empowers people to make a difference for causes they care about. By leveraging the power of people and socially responsible businesses, HOSF transforms local communities through meaningful hands-on service projects.

Hilton Hotel Volunteer Group