A surprise was waiting in the mail for Julie Macmillan last week.

The owner of J & M Acres Horse Rescue received a cheque for $10,000 from Lillian Campbell, a woman who had recently passed away.

"I had never met her. It was sent in trust from Nancy Brickwood," said the grateful horse rescuer.

"The money could not have come at a better time," she explained.

Macmillan just redid her paddocks to the tune of $5,000, and was just on her way to pay a $5,000 tab for horses she saved from slaughter when she stopped by her mailbox and found the cheque.

Campbell passed away at McKenney Creek Hospice on Oct. 19 after a short illness at age 86.

Macmillan has honoured Campbell for her generosity the best way she could.

"We named two new rescue horses after Mrs. Campbell - they are Lillian and Campbell - and both of them need good homes," she said.

Something else interesting happened at J & M Acres recently as well.

Last week Macmillan saw a comment posted on Facebook from a woman who said she used to own the gelding that J & M Acres had just rescued.

"When I called her on the phone, she was in tears and she told me her story," she explained.

Erin Rogers had owned Splash from 1995 to 2000, when reluctantly she had to give him up.

Rogers was sick and doctors told her that there wasn't much hope for her survival, but she got on a transplant list in November 1995 and received new organs in September 1996. Her transplants went well, but she was still not healthy, explained Macmillan. Rogers wanted Splash to have an owner/rider to keep him fit. Even though it was heartbreaking to sell him, she wanted what was best for him.

Rogers ended up selling Splash to an acquaintance with whom she had a buy-back arrangement. They kept in touch and she saw Splash a few times over the years.

Then a few years ago Rogers couldn't stop thinking about Splash and tried to get him back but it was too late.

He had been sold.

Regardless, she continued to post his picture on Facebook and check rescue sites just in case.

Friends told Rogers that they had seen a horse like Splash on J & M Acres' website and they were right. Macmillan arranged to reunite Rogers and Splash on Nov. 7.

"He was worried about where we were so it took him a few minutes, but he looked like he remembered her in the end," said Macmillan.

J & M Acres Horse Rescue is holding its fifth annual fundraiser at Golden Ears Pub on Saturday, Nov. 19 starting at 6 p.m. Macmillan has rented a mechanical bull and Town Square Cobbler has donated belt buckles for the best rides.

"It's my party and I'll bull if I want to," joked Macmillan.

Tickets are required and can be bought for $25 at Golden Ears Pub. For more information visit www.jmacresrescue.com.

In a more serious tone Macmillan said Town Square Cobbler owner Phillip Brain is "so generous. He's always so good to J & M Acres," she said.

J & M Acres is a private horse rescue in Maple Ridge that began in 1995 and has been operating for the past 15 years. They are 100 per cent volunteer run and are dedicated to rescuing horses and helping them find long-term, loving homes.