2014 Audrey Grace Benefit Auction on PleasureHorse.com

A letter from Jane & Leon Backes

Dear Friends,

 We are excited to announce the 13^th annual Audrey Grace Benefit Auction on PLEASUREHORSE.COM. Last year, in spite of a less than stellar economy we netted over $50K!   We started this program when we lost our daughter, Audrey Grace, at birth October 21, 2002.  Friends got together to make a tragedy into a success story; finding something positive during a time of sadness.  We started raising money for a much needed children’s home in Audrey’s honor.  The Auction has grown with the help of generous donors such as you.  In twelve years, we have raised $650,000 strictly through the Auction on PLEASUREHORSE.COM.    Along with our family’s matching gift, we now have $1,300,000 for the New Horizon’s home for sexually and physically abused children.  Then, upon review of the project from the T. Boone Pickens Foundation and The Reese Jones Foundation, we were blessed with a sizable donation for the Audrey Grace House.   On August 19^th 2009 the dream became a reality!  We had the Grand Opening ceremony and our first group of children moved into the Audrey Grace House!  Your gifts will continue to help us with the full scope of the project.  The money is used from purchasing the land, to building the home, maintaining the house, supplying food, clothes, schooling, medical care,  hiring Master’s Level Licensed Clinicians who provide the care these children’s need, and  24 hour caregivers.  We are truly grateful for the ongoing support keeping the Audrey Grace House a top level Children’s home.

Each year thousands of children are victims of abuse.   For over FORTY years, New Horizons (non-profit 501© (3)) has provided services to “at-risk” youth and developed a reputation as the benchmark for offering quality, continuum-of-care treatment services for those kids with the highest level of need.  Services include residential care, foster homes, therapeutic group homes, family services, adoption programs and emergency shelter. 

The goal of services provided in today’s environment is to serve children and their families closer to their homes.  New Horizons’ Community Centers of Care will serve as residential treatment and family centers in cities that do not currently have services available for the kids who are considered the highest risk.  The Audrey Grace House is the first of these centers and is located in Abilene, Texas. 

This year we are continuing to reach out to the horse world with our friends Joe and Heidi Zeimentz at PleasureHorse.com by posting a full section of photos and information on your stallions, merchandise and other items with links back to your web site.  In addition, your donation will be mentioned in articles in Show Horse Today Magazine, and the Auction will be promoted across the PleasureHorse.com online network.   They have one of the largest online equine audiences in the world, with over 560,000 Facebook fans, over 52,000 members of their forums, and multiple online destinations, including the award-winning PleasureHorse.com website and award-winning digital magazine, Show Horse Today.

We’re excited about the exposure you will get as a donor based on the continued growth of the PleasureHorse.com and Show Horse Today online community.  Once again, we will be providing each donor with a full page on PleasureHorse.com to include your details, a photo gallery, video and links back to your website.  We will also post full descriptions on the Pleasure Horse forum with its nearly 4,000 viewers every day. The online Auction will run on the PleasureHorse.com forum from Monday, December 8^th through 5:00 pm EASTERN time Sunday, December 14th.  The items consist of stallion services, training services, tack, web sites, advertising, art work, jewelry, show clothes and other horse related items.  This year we are extending the payment due date for auction items to January 15^th, 2015.

Please help us again this year by donating to the Auction.   The Audrey Grace Auction is so successful and loved because unlike MANY charities 100% of every dollar goes to the children.  There are no salaries paid for the work, all involved donate their time, letterhead, postage etc.  Joe and Heidi donate the site and the horse friends donate the items  ZERO costs means 100% profit going straight to the Children in need!!!  Your donation is 100% tax deductible for the full retail value.  Please use the enclosed form when submitting your auction donation information to insure accuracy with web sites, phone numbers, and retail value and include any extra fees needed to be paid by the buyer and full descriptions.

We encourage you to spread the word; Children are a universal love. We and all the staff and children at New Horizons sincerely appreciate your involvement.

Warmest regards,

Jane  & Leon Backes

Click here to download the 2014 Audrey Grace Donor Form

Send an email to Jane with questions on donating or bidding