Fresh new fundraiser packs a big surprise, literally!
Zoe, born premature and weighing only 14 ounces, was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. Zoe came to SUF confined to a wheelchair and walker and is now taking steps on her own and controlling her muscular and skeletal systems head to toe.
by Kathy Dunker with photos courtesy of the SaddleUp! Foundation
Stonecroft residents, Bryan Gray, founder and president of Alpine Planning Group, and his wife, Karen, have a lot on their plates as they prepare to co-host a fundraiser in August entitled “SaddeUp! and Pack Your Bags Suitcase Party.” This unusual venue will take place on Friday, August 26 at Denver JetCenter’s private hangar at Centennial Airport. Alpine Planning Group is teaming up with the SaddleUp! Foundation (SUF) for this inaugural event with all proceeds benefitting SUF of Parker.
SUF, a non-profit organization, is designed to be a one-stop therapeutic environment geared toward families of people with disabilities by using hippotherapy or horse therapy. The horse is used as a tool for licensed therapists in numerous ways, such as physical therapy for head and trunk control or to modulate the sensory system of an autistic child. Executive Director Adam Daurio said, “There’s tons of research out there on the benefits of horse therapy, but at the end of the day, it’s just magic!”
Guests to the Suitcase Party are asked to bring a packed suitcase to the event and walk the red carpet. The evening will include bidding, sampling food and beverages from local restaurants, and dancing to live entertainment, all with the anticipation of possibly boarding a private jet for a weekend getaway that very night.
The winning lottery ticket, announced by television celebrities Denise Plante and Kirk Montgomery, will entitle its owner and a guest to grab their suitcases and board the private jet which will immediately depart for Napa Valley. Exclusive accommodations in Napa will be provided which will include a full day of winery tours before returning by private jet back to Centennial Airport two days later on August 28.
The Suitcase Party will kick off at 6 p.m. on August 26, with the jet departing at 10:30 p.m. The cost is a flat fee general admission ticket of $150 per person with early bird pricing available before June 15 at $100 per person. Tickets may be purchased online by visiting the event website at www.denversuitcaseparty.com.
To learn more, go to www.saddleupfoundation.org.
Craig Hospital patients who have recently experienced a spinal cord injury and who are in therapy with SUF are pictured here with their program organizers.
Wyatt, who suffered a broken neck during a high school wrestling practice, was also a rodeo athlete. He came to SUF to learn how to integrate horses back into his life post injury.
