Bill's Excellent Bunny Hop Adventure

Bill Welychka's Excellent Bunny Hop Adventure aired on 'A' Morning today! Check it out on YouTube! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qTURzZx88U Thanks again to Bill, Tina and everyone at 'A' for their support!!

Thank You for making the 2009 Bunny Hop for Hope a success!!

The 2009 Bunny Hop for Hope raised $3684.61 for New Moon Rabbit Rescue! We would like to thank EVERYONE who was involved with this event. We couldn't have done it with out the brave souls who collected pledges and put on their bunny suits and bunny ears to brave the 20km walk and the wonderful volunteers who helped us out at the finish line BBQ, bake sale, raffle and kids activities and who donated baking for our bake sale. Equally important were all of the generous people and businesses that sponsored the event by making generous donations of money and raffle items. And finally, thank you to all of the people who came out on Saturday to support our cause. It was wonderful to see so many people who are interested in what we do for the rabbits that come to us.

Be sure to watch 'A' Morning on September 24, 2009 to see "Bill's Excellent Adventure" for Bill Welychka's coverage of the Bunny Hop for Hope!

Hippity Hop Down the 20 km Bunny Trail

It was a gorgeous day! It was exactly the kind of weather organizers of the Bunny Hop for Hope had been wishing for: no rain, no scorching heat - just beautiful sunshine, in the low twenties.

At 7:30 AM on Saturday (September 12, 2009), volunteers were meeting in the College Square parking lot (corner of Baseline Rd & Woodroffe Ave). A few yawns could be seen. Some had been up as early as 5:30 AM getting ready for this big day. I was one of them!

Out came bunny ears, bunny costumes, water bottles, backpacks, signs and anything needed to walk nearly 20 km. It was a feat I had never dared to attempt before! I was once very active and fairly athletic, but those days are very far behind me. I'll admit - I was extremely nervous about this walk. Still, I knew that organizers wanted a herd of bunnies this year. It would definitely be more eyecatching. So, to show my support and to encourage the organizers, I signed up.

Regan & Marg (president and vice-president of New Moon) brought out their creative juices and talent to make me a cute soft fuzzy bunny costume, turning me into a Mini-Rex, like my little guy, Jennings. Like everyone else, I giggled shyly as I pulled my bunny "cap" over my head. At least no one would recognize me... right? We were sure to attract attention, which we wanted! How many two-legged walking bunnies do you see on the sidewalks of Ottawa? Or any city, for that matter!

Nearing 8 A.M. - it's showtime! Bill Welychka of 'A' Channel" was presented with his own bunny costume for the event. He would be filming an episode for "Bill's Excellent Adventures!". Without a moment's hesitation, he led us towards Baseline Road, asking questions along the way and waving to cars. The bunny herd behind Bill followed suit. We began to feel more comfortable, enjoying the quizzical looks of passers by.

We walked. And walked. And walked some more! Drivers honked along the way. We gave out fun lollipops (covered with felt bunny faces) to some passengers in stopped vehicles and we explained to people why we were walking in bunny suits. One cheerful cyclist rode up behind us and slowed down to inquire about this funny sight. We told him about New Moon Rabbit Rescue. He thought it was a creative idea and gave a donation! We thanked him for his generosity and gave him a lollipop, along with our gratitude. He had just given us a boost to keep going!

Some of you might be wondering if anyone was monitoring us along the route. No worries! A wonderful volunteer decorated her vehicle with Bunny Hop and New Moon decals, as well as bunny ears and nose! She cheered us on and made sure we were well hydrated, having a cooler filled with water and beverages. We were very well taken care of.

We made our way through Barrhaven, well on our way towards Manotick! Shortly after turning on Jockvale Road, a car drove past us, honking wildly in support. We loved it! We waved and smiled. A few moments later, the same car returned in the opposite direction. It slowed down to a halt. The driver wanted to support us by giving a donation. The lady was so kind and supportive. We were starting to feel the pain in our feet and the fatigue setting in. Her gesture and enthusiasm was exactly what we needed to lift our spirits! She said she would be at the finish line to see our arrival. We couldn't wait to get there!

We were continuing our walk along Jockvale Road when one of the Hoppers pointed to a pick-your-own apples' stand where quite a few people were gathered. She wanted to see if the children would like lollipops. The farmer at the stand couldn't help but wonder why adults dressed up as bunnies were passing by! It wasn't Halloween. It wasn't Easter. So, what were we doing? We explained our walk, told him about the rescue, and mentioned the little "party" held at our finish line. He was touched. He loved animals and wanted to help. He gave us a donation for the rescue and apples for the Hoppers. He was happy to hear of the rabbit rescue's existence in the Ottawa area. And the Hoppers were happy for the apples! Famished and thirsty, the sweet, fresh-picked apples were very much appreciated. All the Hoppers quickly agreed: these apples were incredibly delicious!!! Two paws and two ears way up for Apple Hill Fruit Farm. Thanks again to the kind farmer for the best apples we've tasted!

Next stop: Manotick Mews! Another 30 to 40 minutes or so, we were at the finish line! It was about 12:30 P.M. when we arrived. People were cheering and clapping. There were colourful balloons, great music and yummy smelling BBQ! One of the veggie dogs cooking on the grill was calling my name - I swear I could hear it! We all sat down, ate, drank lots of water and relaxed. It was so nice to see people gathered to help the rabbits of New Moon. The months of planning, the preceding days' frenzy and the blisters on my feet were well worth it! A big thank you to everyone who came out to support New Moon!


I browsed the booths... bake sale, kids' (of all ages!) games, raffle prizes, New Moon Rabbit Rescue products, Jasper's Spaw & Associates and National Capital Vegetarian Association's (NCVA) information kiosk. I stopped to enjoy Rachel McCully's lovely performance too. Before I knew it, it was time for me to hop on a bus and go back to the start line, where I had parked my car. Rideau Bus Lines Ltd offered their services for us, free of charge! No Hopper had to worry about how they would be returning to their vehicle after the walk.

I can say that this bunny slept very well that night. The day had been a success on many levels. Donations were raised, but so was awareness for the rescue and the situation of domestic rabbits! I look forward to next year's Bunny Hop for Hope. With wonderful supporters, sponsors and volunteers, I just know it will be as succesful as this year's event, if not more!

I'm walking 20 km in a bunny suit. Yes, it's true!!!

Anyone who knows me is very well aware of my love for rabbits. It started with Stanley (pictured left), who showed me how wonderful, beautiful, intelligent and surprising rabbits truly are. Losing him was very difficult. However, to honour Stanley, I believed the best thing I could do was give another rabbit a warm, loving home. Jennings was in need of a family. I was in need of a faithful friend.

Through Jennings (pictured right), I met wonderful people who were passionate about rabbits. They poured their heart and soul into saving unwanted, abused, abandonned and neglected rabbits. I wanted to help them. Since adopting Jennings in April 2007, I've been doing my best to lend a hand to the founders of New Moon Rabbit Rescue.

WHAT & WHEN?
On September 12, 2009, there will be a great fundraising event: Bunny Hop for Hope! I will be joining a group of volunteers, wearing a bunny costume and walking 20 km in hopes to raise money for New Moon Rabbit Rescue and awareness about domestic rabbits. Best of all, this event includes many fun activities for adults and children alike: live music (Rachel McCully), games for kids with prizes, many awesome raffle items to be won, vendors, BBQ and bake sale. There's even something for our furry friends: Jasper’s Spaw & Associates will be providing psychic readings and Reiki for animals, as well as nail trims for dogs, with a portion of proceeds going towards the rabbits of New Moon! Finally, lets not forget a special guest: Bill Welychka of ‘A’ Morning will be joining the walkers in his own bunny costume and filming along the way for an upcoming episode of “Bill’s Excellent Adventures!”

WHERE?
Look for humans dressed up as bunnies walking from College Square (at Baseline Road and Woodroffe Avenue) all the way to Robinson’s Your Independent Grocer (at 1160 Beaverwood Road, Manotick) as early as 8 AM.
The finish line activities start at 11:00 AM at Robinson’s Your Independent Grocer in Manotick.

MY REQUEST
Please show your support by participating in this event on September 12. Join in on the fun!
If you are willing and able, please consider sponsoring my walk (and all the other walkers too!). This cause is very important to me. Besides, I promise to post pictures of me dressed up as a bunny! To sponsor, you may:

• Contact me (e-mail at francine@newmoonrabbitrescue.ca)


• go to www.newmoonrabbitrescue.ca and click on the Canada Helps logo, selecting Bunny Hop for Hope as the Fund Designation.


• send a cheque or money order with “Bunny Hop for Hope” in the memo line to:
  New Moon Rabbit Rescue
  PO Box 24 North Gower, ON K0A 2T0

Please note that tax receipts can be given for donations of $10.00 or more.

Additional Info
For more information, visit http://www.newmoonrabbitrescue.ca/ or New Moon Rabbit Rescue's event page on Facebook

Thanks in advance! All the New Moon bunnies (past, present and future) are grateful too.

They keep coming and coming . . .

Ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of 'A' Morning? We have tickets to a taping of 'A' Morning and a tour of the station! Thanks Tina for making this happen!

A few other things up for grabs include:

Three bags of Bourne Free Hay and three packages of Martin Apple Dumplings for bunnies! Bourne Free and Martin Mills were so generous that we are able to do THREE draws for this! Yes, three lucky people will go home with 3 bags of hay and 3 packages of treats for their bunny friends! Thank you to Martin Mills and Bourne Free!

This Team Canada Jersey was just donated by the Ottawa Animal Defense League for the Bunny Hop raffle!

These Vancouver 2010 items were donated to the raffle by Hannah J! Thanks Hannah.

Thank you to Almonte Veterinary Services for this raffle donation!

Thank you CRAZY HORSE!!!

Everyone at New Moon Rabbit Rescue would like to say a HUGE thank you to the newly opened Crazy Horse Stonegrill Steakhouse and Saloon for their generous donation in support of this year's Bunny Hop for Hope! It is so helpful to have sponsors like this that help to cover the costs of putting on an event such as this. Show the Crazy Horse how much we appreciate their help by visiting them for dinner then next time you are in Kanata! I know I will be!

The Crazy Horse http://www.thecrazyhorse.ca/home.aspx is located at 115 Roland Mitchner Drive in the Kanata Centrum. And can also be found on Facebook, http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=103089641197&ref=ts

If you have a business or know someone who and are interesting in being a sponsor for a future event, contact info@newmoonrabbitrescue.ca

You guessed it . . . more Raffle Donations!!!

A 150 bulb garden collection from Vesey's has been graciously donated by Oneir Solutions. www.oneirsolutions.com The collection includes assorted tulips, daffodils, allium, crocuses and more.

If you are a coffee drinker, this next basket is for you! It is a Starbucks basket, complete with a $25 Starbucks gift certificate. Thank you to Marika A for this donation.

These next two baskets were generously donated by Liz T. The first is a Candle Basket, and if you are anything like me, you can never have too many candles! And the second is a basket for the Tea lovers among us! Both are filled with great stuff!

More raffle items . . .

Here are a couple more raffle items that are up for grabs. And the nice thing about this raffle, is that unlike some raffles, you only enter for the items you want to win. You don't have to worry about winning an item that you will never use. Buy as many tickets as you want and put them into a bunch of draws or put them all into one, the choice is yours. Ticket prices are as follows:

1 ticket - $2

5 tickets - $3

10 tickets - $5

This basket of Yves Roches products was donated by Sara McIlree.

And this basket of bunny goodies is made up of various donations to New Moon . . . wouldn't your bunny love to have his or her salad served in a carrot bowl?

There are many more raffle items to come! They may not all make it to the blog, so you should plan to come to the Bunny Hop and see them for yourself!!!

September 12, 2009

Your Independent Grocer, Manotick

11am-3pm

Look at these Raffle Donations . . .

Here are just a few of the raffle items that will be up for grabs at the 2009 Bunny Hop for Hope!

Thank you to Global Pet Foods (3191 Strandheard Drive, Nepean location) for these two pet theme (one dog and one cat) baskets. http://www.globalpetfoods.ca/home/home.htm

This exciting basket was generously donated by Tish & Snooky's Manic Panic. http://www.manicpanic.com/

This basket of kitchen goodies was donated by Naom Stone.

This basket of organic goodies was donated by Monica K.

Please stay tuned for more raffle items! There are lots more to come!!

Meet Katie . . .

This is Katie! She had been dumped outside an apartment building in the Bayshore area and had been living in a box. We were very lucky to have caught her so quickly as there was so much traffic it was very dangerous for her. What an adorable girl!! Katie is hoping to find a nice forever home real soon!!

New Moon Rabbit Rescue is always looking for foster homes to take in bunnies, like Katie, until they can find forever homes. The rescue is run exclusively through foster homes, so we can only help as many rabbits as we have fosters. If you are in the Ottawa area and interested in fostering for us, please see the Fostering section of our website for more information and the application.

http://www.newmoonrabbitrescue.ca/help_us/foster.php