Here’s an opportunity to contribute to Take The Lead and have a chance at winning an Apple iPad2. We will be drawing for a winner at the 2011 Pink Carpet Gala and you need not be present to win. For more information and ticket sales, please click here.
A number of clubs have inquired about holding a fund raising event to benefit our organization. We want you to know how much we appreciate these offers. Every event is different and can run the gamut. It can be as simple as selling a piece of pizza for $2 ($1 for the slice and $1 to benefit TTL), up to holding a full blown sit down dinner. We have an Events Committee who can help you with your goals and assist in producing any type of event.
Our organization greatly benefits from these events. Not only does it raise much needed funds for Take The Lead, but these events are a huge help in making the dog show public aware of who we are and what we can do for those qualified members of our sport who are in need.
As an example, if only 50 clubs (yours plus 49 more!) raffled off just one prime item…. an iPad, a custom made crate, a fancy grooming table, etc…. essentially anything which might appeal to our fellow exhibitors, we think that your club could raise $1,000 or more to donate to Take The Lead. Simple, yet in the big picture, you and your fellow clubs will have helped raise $50,000 to aid those members of our sport!! Please help make a difference in the lives of those who truly need help.
I first attended the Take The Lead event at the Kentuckianna Cluster two years ago. I enjoyed the event and it ran smoothly. However, the 2011 event was an entirely new experience and a stunningly successful one. This year the attendees had so much to do. First came the silent auction. Various dog-related items were displayed on tables in a reception room at the newly restored Henry Clay building in downtown Louisville. Hors d’oeuvres, served on silver trays, were offered by gracious wait staff, who, with their southern hospitality, made everyone feel as though they were at a pre-Derby VIP event at Churchill Downs. It was a magical event, made possible by generous support from the Louisville Kennel Club, Silver Spoon Catering, VIP Host Committee members, Live & Silent Auction contributors and dedicated Take the Lead Board Members. Take The Lead Goes To The Races 2011 proved to be an enchanting, fun, exciting five star gala. Those who bet on the races with “play money” were as enthusiastic as the bettors at a live race. When we heard, “They are off and running!” the excitement was genuine. Play monies were in different denominations, known as Bradleys and Bivens, because portraits of these two esteemed Take the Lead Board Members adorned the front of the bills. Half of the monies wagered went to Take the Lead, and the other half was won by the lucky people who chose the winning horse. (And the winners got to exchange the play money for the real thing!)
This Kentucky-Derby-inspired event proved to be everything one expected and more. The venue, the downtown Henry Clay, a building restored to its classic beauty with stained glass ceilings, ornate plaster moldings, and baroque cloth wall-adornments provided a spectacular back drop. The evening offered fine dining, unbelievable live auction items and virtual horse racing. After passed hors d’oeuvres, cocktails and silent auction, Jason (an official Churchill Downs bugler) called over 300 attendees to dinner in sterling fashion. As we entered the main ballroom, everyone was struck by the beauty and attention to detail. The tablecloths were adorned with exquisite painted flowers; the actual centerpiece flowers added a delicate fragrance and were beautifully arranged and highlighted with tall silver trumpet vases on many of the tables. The atmosphere was truly captivating and immediately set the tone for the more than special evening. The giant screen on the stage was a wonderful touch for the evening. The large screen served a two-fold purpose and was truly effective. The horses—and their saddle pad numbers—were big enough to see clearly and it felt like you were actually at the race track. Mr. Michael Faulkner, emcee extraordinaire, ran the live auction between each of the six races, and the descriptions of the items were easy to read and the bidding was fast and furious at times.
Take The Lead Board Members dressed in racing shirts and hats, served as cashiers, and ran the betting windows. Replicas of the twin spires of Churchill Downs flanked the “betting” area. The racing energy was intense at times, with the crowd jumping out of their chairs, cheering for their favorite horses. There were many big winners through the course of the evening, with the biggest winners being those who have been and will be served by Take The Lead, as this event raised a record amount of donations.
From the attendees’ perspective, kudos and bravos to everyone who purchased a ticket and to the entire group of racing teams for their generous support. We all know how much planning and hard work go into an event such as this one. It was really a special evening. We all look forward to Take the Lead Goes To The Races 2013. I just know that I am going to purchase even more Bradleys and Bivens.
A huge Thank You to you all.
Suzanne D. Hemminger
Our gratitude to all of you! Through your contributions to Take The Lead in 2010, we have been able to continue to help those in the fancy who are seriously ill and have needed it the most. Thanks to your support, our total client distribution figure for 2010 is $318,261.
Even more astounding is the fact, our total client distributions since our inception in 1993, now totals $2,778,136.00. Take The Lead started with a glimmer of an idea by a small group (our founders) and has grown into an organization to which those of us in the dog fancy can count on to be there in times of medical hardship, today and into the future. Once again our profound thanks to all of you who helped make a difference. Wishing you all a happy and healthy New Year.
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