The Cowboy Spirit of Giving
If you love the western way of life and want ways to give back stay tuned for Open Range. I’m Susan Allen I’ll be back to share a couple of my favorite Western Charities. When I was at the NFR on “Tough Enough To Wear Pink” night and all those cowboys and cowgirls rode into the arena in pink it was a tear jerker especially as a mother of a rodeo cowboy knowing it all started in 2004 when Terry Wheatley a breast cancer survivor asked her son if he would do the unfathomable for a tough cowboy, wear a pink shirt, but do it to support breast-cancer awareness. Today Tough Enough To Wear Pink has raised more than ten million dollars for breast cancer causes and become a rodeo staple. The organizaiton would love it you would host an event, just contact the group for permission to use their slogan. Our Armed forces are dear to rodeo, often soldiers that have been on long deployments need to unwind before reentering life. Rick Iannucci believes the “cowboy way” helps the transition. Both his Cowboy Camp and Horses For Heroes provides a place for veterans with and without disabilities to work on a ranch. Gathering cattle, chores and camaraderie help veterans prepare for their next chapter and his Cowboy Up therapy program uses the gentle partnership with horses to treat Post-Tramatic Stress Disorder. Western Wishes started by Donnalyn Quintana grants cowboy wishes for kids suffering family trauma, illness’s and disabilities, now horse trainer Chris Cox has teamed with the group and they are working on a Wish Kid camp for children at his ranch.
