Helping seniors, both human and animal, has been a goal of Katherine's ever since she befriended an elderly woman named Rose in a senior care facility back in Minneapolis where she lived. Katherine went on private visits, weekly, with her little pug, until the elderly woman's death. The experience made a profound effect on her.
And she has always felt empathy for senior creatures, often abandoned just when they need help the most. She has taken in senior creatures at the farm, and has found a way to rise money by doing what she loves- sharing her donkey and art. Apron sales from Pino's Gallery all go to helping senior creatures from organizations such as New Moon Goat Sanctuary, El Refugio del Burrito [donkeys] and Old Dog Haven. The farm has also trapped/spayed/neutered and vetted up to 25 semi feral cats at a time. They are down to only 12, but be it a wandering rooster or a kitten on the highway, animals land at Apifera.
Katherine's print sales help animals. She also participates in other fund raising efforts such as helping the Grace Foundation through a group show at Skinner Howard, or collecting $500+ for Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue to relocate donkeys to grazing land.
Apifera Farm is also the final refuge for senior animals and physically disabled ones from goats and donkeys to Priscilla the senior goose and the infamous One Eyed Pug. Special needs animals are also helped including Stevie the goat, crippled from neglect but helped by surgery. Rosie the pig was also adopted when her elderly owner could not care for her.
