Visiting what amounts, essentially, to a petting zoo would be plenty of fun for kids and families by itself, most people would agree. But Lazy J Rescue Ranch owners Hailey Fitzpatrick and Tyler Linn felt like ramping up the fun. Which started with scaling up fun games we’re all familiar with, in clever, over the top ways.
First there was the massive homebrew Ladder Ball set that made the simple children’s game formidable, even for grownups. Then there was the “Bucket Pong” game that turned a drinking game into a sobering challenge. And of course there was Cornhole, which made aiming more arduous simply by moving the holes further apart. A lot of ingenuity was on display at the Lazy J game day.
Unsurprisingly, however, what really attracted attention was the animals. “We love seeing the joy that our rescued animals bring to others,” said Fitzpatrick.
Meanwhile, families interacted with the animals. Including Oreo the pot-bellied pig, who wandered around and said hello to literally everyone.
“It’s cool to see the animals in a safe place now,” Fitzpatrick said, “because a lot of the time when they come to us they’re fearful of people. But then they warm up to us, as we feed them and interact with them. And eventually they figure out that other people around here are OK too. It’s so great to see them moving around among people without fear.”
One popular group of animals were the goats, sheep, and alpaca that got smiles from the kids, and appreciation from adults for the golf-course-like consistency of the turf in their enclosure. “People joke about getting goats or sheep to keep their yard mowed,” said Linn, “but it’s no joke. They really do a great job.”
Two other critters at the ranch caused a stir, coming running whenever their names were called. They were Ruby & Mumbles, who Linn calls “giant pig shaped dogs”. The pair are sisters who were originally rescued on their way to slaughter by Peace Creek Animal Rescue & Sanctuary, which normally works with dogs. They were the first pasture animals at Lazy J, arriving in June of 2019, and are about 5 years old. As the sign beside their enclosure reads, “they are big, bossy, smart, and loveable. They enjoy all the treats, naps in the sun, cuddling in the cold, scratches behind the ears, and possibly think they are just big dogs.”
Lots of raffle prizes were on offer, supplied by local retailers. So many in fact, that just about everyone in attendance won something. Calling out the prize winners while spinning an eclectic playlist of tunes was Midtown Media’s DJ service. One moment of levity involved Fitzpatrick’s niece, 6 year old Vivian Meinpsna, who made it very, very clear that she definitely did NOT want to win the $20 Fareway Gift Card, because she had her heart set on a tin of Tins and Tal Dough, made right here in Eagle Grove. Luckily, the grownup who won it was kind enough to make a gift of it.
There were of course many locals present. But among those enjoying the event were Fitzpatrick’s relatives, Cody & Britni Fitzpatrick, who came all the way from Apopka Florida, which is just north of Orlando. Who brought their young son Chase to the fundraiser to see the animals, and his cousins. “We came up for a family trip,” Cody explained, “but we specifically wanted to do it on this weekend, because we knew that Lazy J was gonna have this event and we’ve never been able to make it up here for one and we hear that they always put on good fundraising events. And if you’re going to come up might as well have some fun and do it for a good cause.”
