Funny how if you let go and let it – life seems to always work in your favor? Although that does not mean it’s easy, where would the fun in that be?
As Iong as I can remember, I have been a huge animal lover. I actually stopped eating meat at twelve after going to a petting zoo that had a baby calf. And while I have been blessed in my life to have had the opportunity to do many rewarding things, my biggest dream has always been to live among animals and nature, and in my heart of hearts, to open an animal sanctuary.
As life would have it, as it usually does, Heather, Xavi, Ana, Leenie, Debbie and of course Ray – our core group of longtime staff – are also huge animal lovers. Not only do they love them, they support treating them with respect. So, what did we create with the ‘blessing’ of the blessing bracelet?
Our dream. A beautiful, peaceful, magical place with a barn and pastures and nature all around. A place where we can plant flowers and memorial trees, have a staff vegetable garden, acres for our dogs to roam, and a place where we can provide a safe and loving home for displaced animals in need.
Made as Intended is now located at, and 100% supporting, an animal sanctuary in Elgin, IL. In 2025, we made the move, relocating our home, offices and manufacturing to an old dairy farm that needed some love. Once settled in we were ready to open the farm up to whoever needed a home, that crossed our path. We started with a little mini-horse named Beau; poor guy is slightly crippled from his previous owner never trimming his hooves. (He still thinks he is a show horse, so we don’t let on that his hooves make him any less beautiful!), Next, we received a baby goat without a mom. Ray named him TK – the Kid, and we raised him in the house til he was a big enough guy to live outside. Then there’s the beautiful flock of a dozen chickens that a suburban couple could no longer care for, and so it goes…… now there are 32 animals calling our farm home, and for now we are out of space until we can find a way to renovate the other barn on the property.
And for the record- it is so much work! Sometimes it’s heartbreaking, like when a chicken dies, or a cat does not return, but is always rewarding & worth it. We all want to thank you because each and every bracelet sold over the past 12 years has had, and still has, a purpose. Now that purpose is giving these animals, and hopefully many more, a place to live out their days with love and companionship, and without fear.
If you want to know more about the animals, or visit sometime, our sanctuary now has a name – Sunny Side Up! We are hoping to have a social media page up soon, we will keep you posted as we go. And check back here – as we will be updating.
Many Blessings, and with so much Gratitude,
Dawn, Ray and the staff and animals of Made As Intended
Sunny Side Up is a 501C3 Non-Profit organization, all donations are tax deductible.
