Boys

Today we are collecting for them

Today we are not collecting for animals. Today we are collecting for those who dedicate a huge part of their time, their strength, and sometimes their lives to them. For our boys. Because Centaurus is not just rescued horses, dogs, cats, and hundreds of other animals. Centaurus is first and foremost people. People like you – Donors. Because every help you give us costs you money, and to earn that money, you give your time. But today we want to draw your attention to those who are almost invisible on a daily basis. To the boys from our stables.

Including employees and volunteers, there are over forty of them. They have different stories. Most came from abroad, sometimes from very far away. They left their homes, families, and children there. They came here in search of a better world. At least that’s what they thought then, because it often turns out that the world is similar everywhere. I remember our first team. The boys didn’t even ask for an advance. When they were hungry, they secretly ate potatoes from the steamer. Yes, the one for animals. For over two weeks they ate these potatoes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and we wondered who was eating our potatoes. When we discovered the truth, we simply felt foolish. We asked why they didn’t say anything and didn’t ask for an advance. The answer was short: they were ashamed.

The team we have today also doesn’t buy themselves pizza, doesn’t go for ice cream, and doesn’t save up for a new iPhone. They send money to their families. That’s why when we give them coffee or a cookie, they can thank us as if they received something truly great from us. They are surprised that someone even thought of them. And then we feel foolish again, because we drink coffee every day. And there are no millionaires among us. For us, coffee is coffee. For them, it can be a luxury.

And then they go to work. In 35-degree heat, in rain, in frost, in mud and dust. On roofs, by fences, in stables, and with animals. And if necessary – also at night. And before you ask: no, their workday doesn’t always end after eight hours. They often work much, much longer. They start at dawn or even before it, and finish long after dinner. They must be available around the clock, because at the Animal Farm, an animal doesn’t look at the clock before getting sick. A horse doesn’t check the time before an accident happens. Here, something is simply always happening.

Some tell us that we shouldn’t hire people from abroad. Others say it’s fantastic because it’s so international. But we don’t dwell on that. Because for us, they are not ‘people from abroad’. They have names. John, Roma, Sasha, Jason and many others. We know their stories. We know why they came here, how many children they have, and what those children’s names are. We also know what they miss. Some haven’t seen their families for several years, because a plane ticket costs several thousand zlotys, and several thousand zlotys can, after all, be sent home. One of our boys, while here, lost his wife. He previously preferred to send her money rather than spend two salaries on travel. He only flew for her funeral. That shook us.

That’s why today’s campaign is for them. For the boys from our stables. For people for whom coffee, chocolate, or ordinary cookies can be something they won’t buy for themselves, because there’s always something more important: family, children, a home thousands of kilometers away. We want to collect 10,000 PLN and do something for them that they completely don’t expect. To prepare a huge package for each of them that will last a long time. Coffee, jam, cookies, chocolate, cosmetics, shaving cream, and other ordinary things that are everyday items for many of us, but for them are an expense they deny themselves.

We want to place such a package in front of each of them and just say: thank you. For every morning and every night. For the mud, frost, and heat. For every day they do more than they have to. For a million things that no one asked of them, but which they did anyway. And most importantly, for their love for our animals. Because the team Centaurus has today is truly exceptional.

But there’s one more thing. We want to buy them a washing machine with a dryer. And it’s not a whim. The boys working in our sanctuary live in containers, and our sanctuary is located among the Przemkowskie Bagna. They have a power generator. We dug a well, so they have water. But humidity is everywhere there. I remember one of the boys, with tears in his eyes, taking down his laundry. It had simply rotted. Hanging in the humid air instead of drying. I asked what happened. He smiled and said, “Nothing. I’m used to it.” And again, I felt ashamed. Because people shouldn’t have to get used to such things.

We know how much factories pay. We know how much they can earn on construction sites, in pizzerias, and in many other places. We know that people like them are awaited there. But they stayed here. Because they liked these animals. They liked this place. Among our boys are people who previously worked in pizzerias, on construction sites, or as mechanics. Their paths met here, at Zwierzęcy Folwark and in the other Centaurusa centers. And although all year long they do everything to make our animals better off, today we want to do something for them. Just this once. We want them to feel special.

We need 10 000 zł. For a washing machine with a dryer for the sanctuary. For packages for over forty people. For ordinary things for extraordinary people. If you can donate 10 zł – donate 10. If you can 20 – donate 20. If you can more – you will help us close this fundraiser faster. And if you cannot donate anything today, share this appeal. Let it go further.

Help us do something for the people who do so much for our animals every day. We want to raise the entire amount as quickly as possible, buy a washing machine with a dryer, prepare over forty large packages, and place them before our boys. Just like that. So that for once, someone takes care of them.

Join the fundraiser. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all your support for our boys.