March 12, 2020
Hello Friends,
We have spent months putting together Heart of the Horse, with all the excitement, glamour, and fellowship that you’ve come to expect from this event. But as the current health crisis continues to grow, we have been preparing for the possibility that we won’t be able to gather together in one location to celebrate horses. And with yesterday’s news that all large public gatherings are being banned in King County, we have no choice but to rethink our plans for Heart of the Horse this year.
Heart of the Horse is big event for SAFE. The money we raise at this annual fundraiser represents one quarter of our annual budget. We want to do right by our community, and keep everyone safe. But our horses don’t understand the need for social isolation…their primary concern is that the hay and grain keep coming! They won’t stop needing vet calls or hoof trims, and they fully expect that training and exercise will continue on schedule. With 40 horses relying on us right now, we don’t have the option to stop doing the work that we set out to do. We count on Heart of the Horse to fund our mission and keep our horses safe and healthy.
So here’s the plan. We still want everyone to come to Heart of the Horse. But not at Inglewood Golf Club. We’re taking our event online with a Virtual Gala that will kick off in style on April 18. All the elements that make Heart of the Horse so much fun will still be there: the excitement of the auction, the stories that tug at your heart, the laughter and tears, and first and foremost, the celebration of another year spent changing lives for neglected horses that deserved better. We’ve already worked so hard to create this event for you, we just can’t bear to cancel it completely. So we’re taking it to the cloud, where we can all be together and still be safe.
If Heart of the Horse was already on your calendar, we’re inviting you to keep the date and join us for a Virtual Gala instead. All the amazing donations we’ve procured will be available for bid, and the silent auction will remain open for 7-10 days after the kickoff so you can share it with friends and family near and far.
Stay tuned for lots of exciting information headed your way about Heart of the Horse 2020! And as always, thank you so much for being part of SAFE!
Bonnie Hammond
Executive Director
SAFE | Save a Forgotten Equine
PS. Oh, and don’t forget who else can come to a Virtual Gala… the horses! SAFE horses past and present will be joining us to remind you why you support SAFE! This could end up being even more fun than ever before!
