For Tia Nash, choosing a senior project came easily.

A Brightwood resident, Nash, 17, has always had a close relationship with
animals. Her immediate surroundings support this notion – Tia has four cats,
three chinchillas, two lizards and a dog.

“I understand animals more than people,” Nash said. “They’re always there
for me whether I’m in a good mood or not. I know that if I’m giving and
caring toward them, then they will return the favor.

“And, they don’t talk back,” she added, with a chuckle.

Tia’s love for animals led her to volunteering at Heart Link to Horses, a rescue
mission for these hoofed heroes, also located in Brightwood.

“I read the story in The Mountain Times about Heart Link, and wanted to
volunteer,” she said. “And then my mom and I got this idea about a raffle for
my senior project.”

What followed was a flurry of activity rounding up sponsors for the project,
and throughout February community members can get involved by buying
tickets for a raffle to win prizes provided by the local sponsors.

“We asked both Clackamas County Banks (Welches and Sandy) if we could
set up a table for customers to buy tickets, and they said yes,” Tia said.

Leather’s Fuel in Sandy will also be hosting a raffle stand, and Tia will be
going around selling tickets in the community as well.

Proceeds from the raffle will go to Heart Link to Horses, a rescue project
primarily for Rocky Mountain horses.

Donated prizes will be provided by Welches businesses: Hazelnut House
Bakery, Mt. hood Roasters Coffee Company, The Shack, Barlow Trail,
Wraptitude, Mountain Sports, Rendezvous Grill, Lindsoe Clayworks, The Fly
Fishing Shop, El Burro Loco, Thriftway, Jackie LaBosco, Mountain Building
Supply, Pages Mt. Hood Auto & Tire, Mogul Mountain Pizza, In Sheep’s
Clothing, Designer’s Hair Center, Whistle Stop, and Tia’s mom Sherri Nash.

And, Sandy businesses: Geren’s Farm Supply, Dolly’s Pet Shoppe, The Beer
Den, No Place Saloon, Leather’s Fuel, Mike Schmidt Woodcarvings, Wall Street
Pizza, Moon Shadow Etchers, Mountain Moka, Ivy Bear Family Pizza and B&B,
Leslie Cheney-Parr, Petra Lin Moser, Vibrational Medicine, Northwest Butcher
Supply, Echo Valley Natives, and Ailynn.