The Face of Red Bucket

You only get one chance at a first impression! Meet the woman that makes sure we always have our best hoof forward.

When her best friend asked her to visit Red Bucket, Linda Rose nearly declined because of her other volunteer obligations AND her full time job. All it took was one visit and Linda was hooked, and the face of Red Bucket has improved in so many ways because of her.

“Everything changed that day I walked through the gates of Red Bucket,” Linda shares with me. “After touring the Ranch and hearing Susan’s stories of abuse and neglect that these beautiful animals had suffered, I knew I had to be a part of this life-saving work. I couldn’t wait to get started…and I have never looked back!

Not only was Linda impressed with the cleanliness and order at the Ranch, she was deeply moved by Susan Peirce. “Susan has such a passionate commitment to this beautiful work,” Linda explains. “I also love the way Red Bucket provides opportunities for anyone to get involved and make a difference, even if they’ve never touched a horse in their life. Our volunteers serve in every imaginable capacity, from horse care to marketing, photography, even gardening! Because I work full time and also volunteer with the Sheriff’s Posse, my time at the Ranch is limited to only one day per week. But I have been able to find other ways to serve the horses and Red Bucket, even when I am not physically at the Ranch.”

Susan provides insight into the indispensable services Linda offers: “Linda never even THINKS the word ‘no’! She is one of the best people I’ve ever met. She has a way of sweetly and kindly addressing every situation. Linda is absolutely knee deep into Red Bucket; she is our tour guide every Sunday, helps with grooming, oversees the monthly newsletter, assists with new volunteer orientation, and helps to proofread just about everything that goes out in print about Red Bucket, including my personal messages.”

Since joining our team, Linda has made indelible impressions on us all, including our Chief Volunteer Officer Anna Eddy, who has this to say about her: “Linda has been an amazing volunteer and support to our horses and volunteers. Linda has embraced our culture from the start of being involved with Red Bucket. She always has a ‘can do’ attitude and sincere desire to serve. It is a joy and honor to work with Linda as she serves our Red Bucket community.”

Linda loves all aspects of her varied volunteer duties. In her words, “I love sharing our beautiful Ranch, our mission, and our horses’ stories with visitors who come for Sunday tours. Many of our visitors end up becoming adopters, or I see them again when they attend our new volunteer orientation.”

“Jenon is our breezeway coordinator and she assigns the horses that I will be caring for,” Linda explains. “Jenon is absolutely amazing and has been such an inspiration to me because of her total commitment to our horses’ care and well-being. She will drop everything to come and help if I have a concern about one of the horses, and she has a gift of quiet confidence that our horses respond to with trust and respect.”

It’s no surprise that Jenon also has the utmost respect for Linda. “Linda has been a fixture at the Ranch for about two years. When she first arrived it was pretty clear she knew her way

around horses. She was extremely modest about her knowledge which left the door open for her to expand her skills. Linda followed the Red Bucket guidelines for grooming and handling, and it was easy to release her to work on her own. Getting her acquainted with the residents didn’t take long as she made it a priority to meet them all. She has a tremendous knowledge of the colors of horses’ coats and the genetics that create them; Bay, Paint, Dun, Roan, etc…Not sure? Ask Linda!”

We are fortunate that Linda came to Red Bucket with horse experience. She also came with horse rescue experience. “My first horse, Buttercup, was scheduled to go to auction,” Linda relates. I see Buttercup’s eyes in every horse at the Red Bucket Ranch, those eyes that say, ‘I am worth something. Please give me a chance. Let me show you what I can do.’ ”

Susan Knox also describes the qualities Linda possesses that contribute to the success of our organization. “This year Linda took on a huge role for the Ruby Red event,” explains Susan. “Being a team leader and managing several different aspects of the event has been an enormous help. Linda is a one-of-a kind volunteer that I am proud to say is part of the Red Bucket Team.”

Kata Conlon shares in the accolades for Linda: “I can’t say enough about Linda Rose; she is such a pleasure to work with! She has a true love of Red Bucket, and it shows in everything she does for us. As our lead tour guide, she shares our story with visitors and guests with sincere compassion and the utmost honesty. Her attention to detail, proofreading and editing all our collateral materials is priceless. Our newsletter wouldn’t be the same without her! Red Bucket is extremely lucky to have such a dedicated, loving and talented volunteer.”

As Linda continues to accept additional responsibilities within our organization and grow with our team, she explains why she is dedicated to our cause. “What really sets Red Bucket apart from other volunteer organizations I have worked with is our culture of supporting and helping one another. We do not gossip or argue. The Ranch is a place of peace and healing. It’s about changing stories from tragedy to triumph, from fear to trust, from worthless to treasured. We all work together with a common goal of saving lives and providing a nurturing and healing environment for these beautiful and deserving animals. For me, it is a magical place.”

Thank you Linda Rose for sharing your magic with us, from your Red Bucket Family!