Project Saving our Heritage & Home

I Thank You for taking the time to view the video and read my story. Please help spread the word and share the links. We all rely on the kindness of strangers at some point. Our friends and family cannot do this alone.

I'll start my story off with a definition: Leukemia: cancer that is found in your blood and bone marrow, which is caused by the rapid production of abnormal white blood cells.

My father Lyall Sharer Sr has been a cancer patient for the last 8 years. Blessed for his strength and determination, he is in remission at the moment but this could change with the blink of an eye. We first discovered he had Leukemia (he was diagnosed with the worst level you could be diagnosed with) after several days complaints about pain and trouble breathing. I was able to convince him to go to the emergency room. This is where we discovered he had Leukemia. The doctor told us that if we would have waited any longer, he would not be here with us now. His next news was not what we wanted to hear: the doctor said he has only 6 months to live. My dad had the option to use a trial treatment that hadn't been released to the public. We decided to go for the treatment, as we had no other options available. Thank God it worked and he went into remission off and on for the next 8 years. He still struggles with infections and blood clots in his lungs.

Fast forward to two years ago.

My dad was on life support for several months during Christmas. To say that was the hard for our family is an understatement. Visiting him and seeing your father with tubes coming out of his mouth, regulating his breathing and taking fluids out of his lungs, being sedated to the point of not being conscious so he didn't rip out his tubes and having his arms strapped to the bed... I wouldn't wish it on any one. My family worked hard to keep our Faith through this whole process. Trying to be strong in front of my dad but crying inside.

Trying to keep our family farm alive and thriving through this ordeal has been a trying experience. When they say stress can kill you, take it seriously. We have been battling our local bank, with the threat of them taking away our home for years as my dad has been battling leukemia. There were weeks upon weeks when we couldn't get my father out of bed. But cancer doesn't make the bank go away. I knew my dad didn't have the strength to get up. But cancer doesn't make the bank go away. My mother is deaf which complicates matters of medical care and dealing with courts and legal issues. But cancer doesn't make the banks go away. I had to be the one to try and save our home. For my father, in bed with leukemia. For my mother who taught me strength through her own adversity through life. For my children and my family.

This is a battle I have been fighting on my own for 2 years. I have reached the point where I need to reach out. I need your help.

My dad owned Sharer Cycle Center. The cycle center was home to a a wide customer base that loved the services and products he provided. They were loyal customers and he did a productive and thriving business supported by his enthusiastic customers. Returning to his business could have been his way back from "the brink", but the bank came in and took his entire inventory of the motorcycle shop. This was right when the season was going to start. Any opportunity to make a comeback was taken from him. He could have caught up on his payments. But cancer doesn't make the banks go away. They got their way. They took his livelihood and a well-loved small business from the community.

The banks idea was, apparently, to make a quick sale of the property as well. However, they weren't expecting me to be here. I am Lisa Sharer and the owner of Lisa Sharer Equestrian Stable( https://www.facebook.com/LisaSharerEquestrianStables?ref_type=bookmark) . We are on the same property as the cycle center (well, where the cycle center WAS). Recognize the barn in the photo below? We had a beautiful mix of horses and horsepower on the same property. The painting on the barn is the Triumph flag and marks the property for all to see.

As they got frustrated with me keeping the property a float and not just "going away", the bank tried not renewing my loan and they were planning to sell off my horses. I have some of my own horses that are used for breeding, showing and lessons, but there are also a large number of boarded horses on the property.

I was not going to give up that quickly. My dad didn't always know what month or day it was due to being on chemo therapy. The bank liquidated his business and even closed down his account with them. They then closed another account he had with another bank. Our lawyer, the crooked one, should have stopped from happening at the time but chose to do nothing. Closing his accounts caused him to lose his health insurance. It's snowballed from there. Cancer's long term effects are scary in more ways than one. They affect your health and your life monetarily. The monetary aspect cannot be fixed with social security and what little income we can generate after the business was liquidated.

We have been fighting the foreclosure for 2 years now. We were focused on my father’s health. While we continue to pray for his long term well-being, we must fight to keep our property to ensure the future of the family, the property and Sharer Equestrian Stables is secure.

The story of that struggle begins here. With a lawyer.

I started out hiring what I THOUGHT was a top bankruptcy/foreclosure lawyer firm in Wisconsin. I later discovered that they were working with the banks lawyer. They never filed a single objection to the banks accusations on our behalf. I had to personally go down to the State Court house and pay to view the case file to find out what was actually filed. That was why I hired a lawyer...right?

When we moved on to our next lawyer we had some hope. This one was very good. He was willing to work, find the truth and stick up for us. We had a case to fight with the help of the Truth and Lending Act. However, the court sided with the bank and trustee. We are now representing ourselves and we have 1 week, yes, 7 days, to take this on. We have $600,000 to pay to save our property, our home, land and farm. We have another $400,000 in legal fees, fines and interest that the court has added to the pot. Above that there are back taxes and additional medical bills due to my dad's health insurance being dropped after the accounts were locked. But cancer doesn't make the banks go away. Cancer doesn't even make the people at the banks or in the courts care about the people the banks are hurting.

Please Please HELP

We must stick together and help one another. It was very hard for me to put my pride down and ask for help. I really thought we could win our court case and keep our land. I am not just begging you for your help just for our family, but also all the kids, adults, and families you watched in the video. For those who want to learn about horses, introduce their children to working with animals, and build self-confidence. Even those people that want to have their motorcycles fixed, or to come reminisce with my father about his past as one of the best flat track racers of his time, this has become their home and safe haven as well. Those people and animals who come here for the lands healing energies and friendships will be losing place that is sacred to them.

When our ancestors came here from Europe, they came and settled on this land outside the small town of Verona in the outskirts of Madison, Wisconsin. We are 3 generations remaining on the last 43 acres of the original farm that my dad purchased from his mother. This is too big for our family, or even our small community alone to overcome so we are asking for anyone that has ever had the kindness of strangers in their lives, the warmth of a horses breath on their arm, or the hug of a friend when they were in need, please help us through this time.

I did not think it would get to this point as I sat at my father’s bedside through his leukemia. It's difficult to comprehend that we got through those times, only to face losing our home. Our Heritage.

Please help spread the word. Help share our story. If each person can give $25 dollars or more and we all get this message out to thousands of people, we can prevent losing our home & safe haven

An Empty Barn Aisle

 I hope this finds you well. I am contacting you at a time of need for a farm in the community that offers much more than a place to keep your horse. As one boarder says, "you can find a home here". Unfortunately, this home may not last long.

Even if you have never met the people or the horses impacted by this impending loss, if you have looked into a horses eyes, felt their breath, mucked stalls just to get another riding lesson, watched you child ride for hours on end, mounted up in the freezing cold or stood as quietly as possible just to listen to horses chew, you know the impact these majestic animals have on the people that work and live with them.

  This is the summary of Lisa's story:

There is a Riding stable in Verona, on the outskirts of Madison just a stones throw from the new Epic facility. This stable is in jeopardy of disappearing. After an 8 year battle with Leukemia the land owner and Lisa's father, Lyall Sharer, experienced insurmountable financial debt. His business, Sharer Cycle Center, was sold out from under him and  the farm is now facing a sheriff sale on the 24th of June. Yes, a mere 5 days away.

If this sale happens, the saddles will sit empty. The bridles will hang the walls and the brushes will sit quietly in their buckets. Perhaps nobody will notice that the world lost a sacred place. A place of incredible relationships;, not just between people but between horses and their human companions.

Who are you helping?
This farm is run by Lyall's daughter, Lisa Sharer, a 4-H leader in Dane County for over 20 years and a mother of 5, she trains riders and their horses and teaches much more than riding lessons. She teaches animal husbandry and personal development. Hundreds of kids have learned the value of hard work, self confidence, and persistence through Lisa's mentoring. She has given people the ability to learn and grow on a personal level for decades. Her warmth, kindness and genuine interest in each young and old person's development shines through everything she does. 

To imagine the barn aisle silent, without the sound of hooves coming up to the arena for the next lesson. The aisle without the upbeat banter of friends sharing their joys and frustrations about their last ride.

Without the horses...just empty...

The experiences, stories, and the education are priceless. But we ask you now to put a value on your memories and friendships founded through working with horses. We need your help saving the farm. Please don't let the aisles become empty.

The family cannot do this alone. Follow this link for the full story, a video and to donate via FundRazr: http://fnd.us/c/8nRta/sh/e3aTH9

Sincerely, 
Molly Gursky, Friends & Family of Lisa Sharer