It costs a great deal of money to run an organization like SAFE, and some people might be surprised to know that we receive no funding whatsoever from government at any level. We rely on public donations to pay the bills and keep the lights on. Fundraising can take many forms, and here at SAFE, we have several revenue streams to keep cash flowing. One of these is special events.
SAFE has two major fundraisers that happen each year. The first event is called Heart of the Horse, an unforgettable evening of fine dining, award-winning wines, and a silent and live auction filled with treasures. Heart is our largest fundraiser, and the 2018 event brought in over $150K for the horses at SAFE. With over 200 guests, 30 volunteers, and hundreds of donated items, putting on this event is a LOT of work. Fortunately, having done it for the past eight years, the Heart team has gotten pretty good at their jobs!
Heart is made possible by a number of people, but a lot of its success can be credited to Procurement Manager Tiffany Lindan. Months before auction night arrives, Tiffany is organizing the procurement plan and directing her team out into the community to request donations from supporters new and old. These gifts are then tracked, cataloged, and assigned to the silent or live auction. If you’ve been to Heart of the Horse as a guest, you may have noticed how smoothly the evening progresses, but there’s a lot going on behind the scenes, and preparation is the key to perfection.
SAFE’s other big event is the SAFE Benefit Horse Show, a two day open show that’s been held every August since 2007. The show offers competition in English, Western, Dressage, Hunters, Trails, In Hand, and fun classes. There’s also a dinner held on Saturday evening with 180+ guests and entertainment. The 2018 SAFE Show was quite a success, and while there were a huge number of people to thank for making that possible, two individuals played key roles in making that happen. Kit Topaz co-managed the show, and was charged with recruiting and organizing the 40+ volunteers needed to run the show each day. And the show office was managed by the amazingly skilled and talented Jet Parrett, who kept classes running and competitors smiling.
In addition to Heart and the show, there are a number of smaller events that serve to raise awareness in the community and raise additional funds for the horses. Quarterly open houses make it possible for our supporters to visit the farm and the horses, and offer family-friendly fun to our community. Several of these open houses are paired with Tack Sales, where our tack queen Candace and her team turn donated tack into funds for the horses. We also put on a Holiday Open House each December, and last summer, an Equine Health Expo. All of these events welcome our supporters to our home, and allow us to share our horses with people.
If you’re interested in volunteering with SAFE, but can’t commit to a weekly chore shift, the Events Team needs your help year round! Visit this page to learn more and submit a volunteer application!
