It Was "A Very Special Horse Event!"

On Saturday, March 31st, Mother Nature blessed Tucson with a bright sunny day as the amazing and dedicated volunteers of Equine Voices assembled in the wee hours of the morning to prepare for the annual Spring Fundraiser: "A Very Special Horse Event- Building a Community of Compassion".

Spring weather is always a hold your breath, and wait and see experience, and many fingers had been crossed to stave off a repeat of last year's freezing rain and temperatures!
With the Tucson extremes, the warm weather that day had every available speck of shade utilized, however it was much preferred over cold, windy and damp!

Jennifer Waddell from KGUN 9 News was a magnificent and welcomed addition to the day's activities. Her energy and enthusiasm was contagious, and her family was a delight!

A gracious and fun co-host, she had wonderful comments about the organization and the dedication of all who assisted in making the event a great success!

Jennifer made her debut as an Auctioneer, partnering with Jerry Tucker as they commandeered the lively bidding wars for some of Tucson's most delicious desserts! We raised over $2,700.00 in the Live Dessert Auction which is equivalent to 135 bales of hay.

A great big heartfelt Thank You to Jennifer for spending the day with us.

As always, I stand in awe of the generosity of hundreds of volunteers, who so freely give the gifts of their time and energy to bring to the community an event like this. Unable to name each and every one of you here, please know that every effort is appreciated!

Fundraising is a critical component to keeping the dream alive of ending the suffering of our equine companions who have given so much and are such an integral part of this nation's history. Even in the face of a challenging economy, the hundreds of donors and sponsors who contributed their goods and services for this event, made the live auction, silent auction and raffle possible.

The other objective of this event is to bring education and awareness to the community. "Building a Community of Compassion" truly does "take a village"! Change can only begin if there is recognition and awareness that suffering exists. The touching stories of the rescued horses who have made their way back from the abyss of agony to a new beginning and a second chance in the loving care of new guardians, brought home to many who attended the event the thought that everyone can have a part in making the world a better place, for all beings. Cruelty and suffering is not unique to a species. It is most easily initiated on the most vulnerable: animals, children, and the elderly. Even the smallest gesture of kindness and action can make a huge difference, and many small acts of kindness can truly change the world!

Our children are the future. What they learn, they will live. The wonder on the faces of the next generation as they touched the mighty magnificence of Gulliver, mascot of Equine Voices, and Pirate, the smallest resident at the Sanctuary, says more than any words are able to express.