08/26/2026
5 YEARS OF B***O BASE CAMP - KIOWA
August 26, 2026
Five years ago today, Mike and I drove to Canon City with the truck and trailer, following Nicki with her truck and trailer, to pick up the 11 remaining Bureau of Land Management (BLM) b***os in holding that year. With 6 on our trailer and 5 on Nicki’s, we returned to our residence in Kiowa, CO, to an arena with a single loafing shed and deep grass. The first day of B***o Base Camp in its new location, and the start of a journey we could never have imagined.
We’ve experienced so many opportunities along the way through more than 400 b***ows coming into our programming. B***os who were terrified and reactive to those who were trusting and affectionate. We’ve seen all sizes, shapes, colors, personalities, brays, and characteristics that make them each as special as they are. We’ve experienced the highest of highs and have shed many tears in losses and challenges we had no idea we would face.
This year has brought the joy of watching five healthy babies enter this world! We have grown, not without growing pains. We’ve expanded our programming to better support the b***os who need us the most. We are running multiple pens and constantly improving our infrastructure to better support their time in our care. Our Q-Camp One is officially housing its first donkeys, and we are excited to see it evolve into the picture in our minds.
We have the most amazing community standing beside us who never pauses when we say there are 18 on a trailer heading this way, and only asks what we need to do. Thousands of hours shared in roles you can see when we were scooping manure, feeding and caring fro the animals, building trust, and loving our long years, to the roles you cannot see building a nonprofit from the ground up (I say it every day. It is the hardest business we’ve ever built), maintaining our financial records, a website, socials, including YouTube channel, making sure there is money in the bank and hay in the barn so we can say yes to the next b***o who needs us.
We have been showered with support we could’ve never imagined. Our B***o Backers, our sponsors, our donors, and the organizations who have read our grant requests and shared their belief in us by funding our asks, which oftentimes seem profound. Each and every one of you has allowed us to grow and share our love for the b***os beyond our wildest dreams.
We cannot wait to share the next five years and beyond, and to reflect on what we didn’t see in our vision. Thank you for sharing our journey. Thank you for every ounce of your love and support, and thank you, Nicki, for trusting us to follow your trailer five years ago today. We are grateful!
Now time to head out to the 81 friends who are braying in celebration.
