By Pam Gamble
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, TN ranks as one of the world’s premier pediatric cancer research centers. Its mission is to find cures for children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases through research and treatment.
The children’s hospital is known for never turning a child away because of their family’s inability to pay. Because of this, St. Jude runs primarily on donations. St. Jude requires approximately 1.7 million dollars a day to operate. When entertainer, Danny Thomas founded St. Jude in 1962, he had already founded ALSAC, which is the fundraising arm of St. Jude five years before that.
Every person has an opportunity to positively impact St. Jude. There are many fundraising events in the Mid South area, including a very successful marathon each year.
“We continue to learn from our coordinators what makes for a successful event and of those we find – interesting locations to ride, ample space for trucks and trailers, and providing a fun family environment. Our larger events provide entertainment, meals, and camping for participants. They include the opportunity for the young and old to participate in the event whether on horseback or a horse drawn wagon.
“The motivation that keeps people coming back year after year is a well run event and the desire to help the children of St. Jude. We hear over and over how the riders are thankful for their own healthy children and grand children.”
The largest Saddle-Up for St. Jude ride in the U.S. took placeon July 15-16, 2011 at the 15th Annual Saddle Up for St. Jude trail ride and gathering, held at Gardiner Farms near Tuscumbia AL. This fundraiser for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital raised a record $125,000. Jimmy King, a long time organizer of the trail ride, said over 500 horses, 5,000 people and 220 trucks and trailers came in for the 2-day event.
Tressa Flores organized her 7th Saddle-Up ride to benefit St. Jude this year. It took take place at Long C Trails, Westmoreland, TN September 24. Tressa’s association with St. Jude is personal. She recently lost her niece to cancer. Ironically, she was raising money for St. Jude long before her niece started her fight with cancer.
The 13th Annual Buck Creek Saddle-Up ride took place September 23-25 at Weaver Farm in Alamo, TN. The Weaver Farm ride differs from many trail rides because if you don’t have a horse, you can ride the hay wagon. Musical entertainment takes place throughout the weekend to keep the event moving.
People in the Equine community give to St. Jude in many ways. Carriage Tours of Memphis offers free carriage tours to the sick children and their families on the weekdays. Many families only have one day in which their children are not undergoing tests and are well enough to leave the hospital. Carriage Tours owner, Chrissy Saylor, says they give away an average of ten rides per week. “The ride is a donation from the company and from the driver. The company pays the driver only part of what they would normally make on a paying tour. We are happy to do them because the kids really appreciate it. The smiles on their faces make it worthwhile.”
Regular Mid South Horse Review contributor, Hunter Burrus Concrete has been a proud partner with the St. Jude Dream Home since 2009. Even though Hunter was originally approached by Southern Serenity Homes and asked to participate, he is “glad to be a part of something this important.” Hunter laid all of the concrete in these houses including the driveways and decorative concrete work in the atrium of the 2011 Dream Home.
Western Store, Cowboy Corner recently gave away a $1000.00 gift certificate in the 2011 Dream Home give away. Even though the home itself is in the news the most, many local businesses contributed to raise $ 1,274,400through the Dream Home giveaway.
When Don Dowdle, original owner and publisher of the Mid South Horse Review passed away from cancer in 2008, his family asked that memorial donations be made to St. Jude.
To submit your own St. Jude story please e-mail to midsouthhorsereview@yahoo.com. To request a packet to host a Saddle-Up event or other volunteer information, visit www.stjude.org/saddleup.
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, TN ranks as one of the world’s premier pediatric cancer research centers. Its mission is to find cures for children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases through research and treatment.
The children’s hospital is known for never turning a child away because of their family’s inability to pay. Because of this, St. Jude runs primarily on donations. St. Jude requires approximately 1.7 million dollars a day to operate. When entertainer, Danny Thomas founded St. Jude in 1962, he had already founded ALSAC, which is the fundraising arm of St. Jude five years before that.
Every person has an opportunity to positively impact St. Jude. There are many fundraising events in the Mid South area, including a very successful marathon each year.
Of course, most of the equine community prefers to fundraise from horseback instead of a marathon or walkathon. Saddle-Up for St. Jude Trail Rides take place all over the country every year. A Saddle Up events consists of a trail ride, but it can also include horse shows and other equestrian events.
Jackie Harris, Saddle-Up employee for St. Jude, says the equine fundraisers are among the strongest for the children’s hospital. The program, which was started by a core of enthusiastic horse people, has become a nationwide movement. Jackie said the greatest need concerning the Saddle-Up events is getting permission for more rides to take place on private land. “People will make a greater effort to come to a ride on land on which they have only temporary access.”
Jackie said, “Over the last five years an average of 515 Saddle-Up events have taken place each year. Approximately 42% of all scheduled events turn into actual donations for St. Jude. One of the main reasons for not having follow-through is difficulty finding locations for the ride.“We continue to learn from our coordinators what makes for a successful event and of those we find – interesting locations to ride, ample space for trucks and trailers, and providing a fun family environment. Our larger events provide entertainment, meals, and camping for participants. They include the opportunity for the young and old to participate in the event whether on horseback or a horse drawn wagon.
“The motivation that keeps people coming back year after year is a well run event and the desire to help the children of St. Jude. We hear over and over how the riders are thankful for their own healthy children and grand children.”
The largest Saddle-Up for St. Jude ride in the U.S. took placeon July 15-16, 2011 at the 15th Annual Saddle Up for St. Jude trail ride and gathering, held at Gardiner Farms near Tuscumbia AL. This fundraiser for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital raised a record $125,000. Jimmy King, a long time organizer of the trail ride, said over 500 horses, 5,000 people and 220 trucks and trailers came in for the 2-day event.
Tressa Flores organized her 7th Saddle-Up ride to benefit St. Jude this year. It took take place at Long C Trails, Westmoreland, TN September 24. Tressa’s association with St. Jude is personal. She recently lost her niece to cancer. Ironically, she was raising money for St. Jude long before her niece started her fight with cancer.
The 13th Annual Buck Creek Saddle-Up ride took place September 23-25 at Weaver Farm in Alamo, TN. The Weaver Farm ride differs from many trail rides because if you don’t have a horse, you can ride the hay wagon. Musical entertainment takes place throughout the weekend to keep the event moving.
People in the Equine community give to St. Jude in many ways. Carriage Tours of Memphis offers free carriage tours to the sick children and their families on the weekdays. Many families only have one day in which their children are not undergoing tests and are well enough to leave the hospital. Carriage Tours owner, Chrissy Saylor, says they give away an average of ten rides per week. “The ride is a donation from the company and from the driver. The company pays the driver only part of what they would normally make on a paying tour. We are happy to do them because the kids really appreciate it. The smiles on their faces make it worthwhile.”
Regular Mid South Horse Review contributor, Hunter Burrus Concrete has been a proud partner with the St. Jude Dream Home since 2009. Even though Hunter was originally approached by Southern Serenity Homes and asked to participate, he is “glad to be a part of something this important.” Hunter laid all of the concrete in these houses including the driveways and decorative concrete work in the atrium of the 2011 Dream Home.
Western Store, Cowboy Corner recently gave away a $1000.00 gift certificate in the 2011 Dream Home give away. Even though the home itself is in the news the most, many local businesses contributed to raise $ 1,274,400through the Dream Home giveaway.
When Don Dowdle, original owner and publisher of the Mid South Horse Review passed away from cancer in 2008, his family asked that memorial donations be made to St. Jude.
To submit your own St. Jude story please e-mail to midsouthhorsereview@yahoo.com. To request a packet to host a Saddle-Up event or other volunteer information, visit www.stjude.org/saddleup.
