Everybody loves Jewel, including Candace!

Organized, efficient, motivated, wonderful! The list could go on and on about our July 2016 Volunteer of the Month, Candace Carlson. Candace has truly found her niche here at SAFE, she is the Tack Queen. She is cheerful and willing, and most important of all, undaunted by the volume of tack we get on a regular basis. Not that her specialty stops her from helping in other ways. Candace is always happy to groom horses in advance of events, help with chores, and generally do whatever needs doing. Her roll-up-the-sleeves attitude translates into peace of mind for our staff, knowing that the tack situation is handled. Thanks to Candace we recently turned some of those donations into useful funds to support our horses. At our June Open House we raised over $2,000 in tack sales. When I asked Candace about herself and her background, she shared some neat information about herself and why she loves volunteering at SAFE.

“I grew up in Bremerton, but have lived and worked in downtown Seattle for many years. A year ago, I retired from Metro Transit where I managed the 7‑agency ORCA fare payment system. I first learned of SAFE from a news article several years ago which featured Bonnie’s horse rescue efforts.  I was hooked. Through my work site “Giving” program I was able to support SAFE with annual donations. On retiring, signing up as a SAFE volunteer was a high priority. Like most of us, I’ve always loved horses, but living in the city with a crazy work schedule is not conducive to horse ownership. I ride Western and am the product of horse camps, treks, lessons and lease horses. A lot of good horses in that mix! I enjoy my SAFE job handling tack donations.  We get amazing donations. SAFE horses get the best to meet their needs and we sell the rest or pass along to other rescues.  On a few occasions, people have written the most heartfelt notes. They have lost their horse and it gives them comfort or a kind of closure that a SAFE horse will use their gear. Another case of horse rescuing human. Every donation bag tells a story. Come visit me in the garage and maybe I can sell you some tack!”

Candace, we thank you from the bottom of our blankets and the tops of our bridles.