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Horse Show This Weekend!

4/23/2012

10 Comments

 
I’ve been blogging about a happy journey I’d like to take, living my life as though I’d already won the lottery. 

You can find the previous blogs HERE and HERE.  The first is about the initial spending frenzy that would accompany that kind of large windfall, including photos of the house and car I’d buy.  Not exactly the Beverly Hillbillies’ mansion or Prince’s “Little Red Corvette”, but still, they’re exactly what I’d want.

The second blog deals more with how I’d start living my life, as I start to attempt to take better care of myself. Not much point in having that kind of money if I weren’t going to be around long enough to enjoy it, right?

One of the first things I’d really like to do, and I hope I really would make it one of the first things, is to put my money where my mouth is, and lend a hand to some of those causes I believe in.

These days I do what I can, and if I had a sudden influx of ludicrous amounts of cash, it would be very easy to whip out my checkbook or my Amex Plutonium card and make donations with scarcely a second thought.

I think that would be missing the point a bit, though.  Granted, the one thing most charitable organizations need is money, but I also think many of them could also use actual personal involvement.  Time.  And even without the wealth, I still manage to, as Pink Floyd said, “Fritter and waste the hours in an off-hand way.”  With money to burn, literally, I can see that getting easier and easier to do.

I’ve long been a fan of William Shatner.  A few years ago, I read his autobiography “Up Till Now” and was really taken with the story of his Hollywood Charity Horseshow.  For those who don’t know, Shatner came to be involved with this when he learned how severely handicapped children could somehow be reached by horses, even when no other kind of physical therapy worked.  Children who couldn’t even hold their heads up would ride the horse, taking them through intricate exercises, and this animal therapy seemed to make a difference, where all others had failed.

Picture
I was really moved by this, and the way William Shatner became involved.  He didn’t just throw money at this problem.  Instead, he worked to build it into an annual event that raises money and awareness, featuring major sponsors and a long list of musical guests who donate their time and talent to the proceedings (including Sheryl Crow, Randy Travis and Ben Folds to name a few).  Joe Walsh of the Eagles is this year’s musical guest. I don’t sing.  Unless I’m in my car.  Alone.  Driving very fast.  I imagine a grateful public is breathing a sigh of relief at that, particularly if you’ve been unlucky enough to hear me croak out a line or two of “White Christmas”.  Or Elvis’ “Blue Christmas”, for that matter.
However, William Shatner does sing (though some may wish to debate that).  And because I also run a Christmas station and love Christmas music, I knew that he had recorded a version of “Good King Wenceslas” for KROQ in L.A. some twenty years ago.  I thought it would be a great idea, and a way to make some money for his charity, to finally release that song to the public.

He was fine with that idea, and I was amazed at the array of talent that also agreed to lend songs to the effort (including previously unreleased tunes from Huey Lewis, Richard Marx and Stephen Bishop)! 

The album made a bit of a splash, but being new to this, I wasn’t able to bring about the publicity needed to really make it as big as I’d hoped.  I’m still trying, of course, but as difficult as the music biz is, it’s even harder to sell Christmas music in April.

Besides, this isn’t really about me.  Sure, if I did win the lottery, I’d pump money into my record label.  But what could I be doing now to support the causes I want to support without that kind of capital?

I can try to raise some awareness about it.  I can let people know how they can help, even if they aren’t able to attend this year’s show.  That’s something I’d be doing if my bank account balance had six or seven extra zeroes (to the left of the decimal).  And it’s something I can do right now, even when my account balance is tiny enough that I can’t withdraw anything from an ATM.

This year’s Hollywood Charity Horse Show is coming up this weekend, Saturday April 28.  It’s at the L.A. Equestrian Center in Burbank.  Tickets are $300 (and there are VIP tickets that include Meet-and-Greet with William Shatner for $400).

If you think it’s a worthwhile cause, you can still help, even without buying tickets.  I don’t know about you, but $300-$400 is a little steep for me at the moment. 

The event starts at 5:00pm with a silent auction, and you don’t have to have a ticket to go to that.  At 5:30pm, there’s an arena show, which is also free.  That’s followed by the dinner and performance by Joe Walsh, and you do need tickets for those.  Still, if you live in or near the area, you can check out the auction and the arena show for free.

If you want to make a donation, even as little as $1, you can do that here.  That’s also where you can buy tickets.  If you just want to find out more about the Horseshow, you can do that HERE.

There are other causes I’d like to help if I had the money, like SWEET RELIEF and DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS, among other,  Since I’m trying to live like I already won the lottery, I’m going to try and figure out some other ways I can help them, too.

I’d be glad to hear your ideas, both about causes you’d like to support (or already do), and ways to do that when you can’t just whip out your checkbook!

Ken

P.S. - Hi Marvin!  It's all there - the happy journey, Pink Floyd and color songs ("Little Red Corvette", "White Christmas" and "Blue Christmas")!

10 Comments
Chris Mitchell link
4/23/2012 09:45:22 am

Back to Scouting for me.

I also have put in time with Habitat for Humanity and an equestrian therapy program similar to the one in your blog.

Reply
Ken
4/23/2012 10:01:50 am

Hi Chris!

I had never heard of equestrian therapy before reading Shatner's book. It sounds amazing, and I'd love to be able to help with that if I could!

I'm also a big fan of Habit For Humanity, but I'm very mechanically challenged, so any help I gave them would have to be either financial or promotional (or both)!

Ken

Reply
Tyler
4/23/2012 06:02:22 pm

Youth Sports of course would be my passion

Reply
Ken
4/28/2012 03:16:21 am

Thanks, Tyler! I would love the chance to work with kids. Maybe I could look into helping with some music programs!

Reply
Marvin Martian
4/24/2012 02:39:23 pm

I bet you can sing! Don't hide it from the world, anyone that appreciates music as much as you do can sing, perhaps not on a vocal plain but in spirit of mind and heart...you can sing! 8 points Earthling! :)

Reply
Ken
4/28/2012 03:17:43 am

Thanks, Marvin! I can and do sing, just not especially well. Or rather, especially not well. I don't look at it as hiding it from the world. It's more like I'm protecting the world from it!

Reply
trev
4/27/2012 04:38:55 am

the horse therapy is very effective Ken... I am involved in the Leaning Disability world which includes autism as well as mental health issues and a myriad of other symptoms... all of which respond so well to sitting on the back of a walking horse... its sounds so simple and it is as simple as it sounds... much like people find an infinity with dolphins... I have been involved as a volunteer for the past 20 years... I find it rewarding and and satisfying as well as infuriating and frustrating ... yes you guessed it.. FUNDING... or should I say the lack of it... in the times we live in at the moment, with the banks going tit's up... its been a real struggle to get the funding streams already in place from going under... and of course the first thing to go was the funding streams that paid for the horse riding... because horse riding is classed and an extravagant activity and cannot be paid for with benefit monies... you see what I'm up against pal?.... but I only have to go into a room full of people with a Learning Disability and see how they just take life in their stride.. always recharges my batteries to get back in there and try try try again... sorry for bending your ear Ken... you pushed a few of my buttons here in your blog my friend... good blog Ken...

Reply
Ken
4/28/2012 03:20:33 am

Thanks, Trev!

I had never heard of this until I read Shatner's book, and now have come across many more instances and organizations that do this. I'd love to be a part of it if I could, and since I'm not in a position right now to be able to help with funding, the next best thing I can do is try to help others become aware of it. Raising awareness might just help raise some money (hope so)! Thanks again for your insight and sharing your experience!

Reply
Jay
4/27/2012 09:22:15 am

Sounds like a wonderful event and cause. I believe in organizations that look out for the children...being from Memphis, I support St. Judes childrens research hospital, they do great work! Yes, the notion that William Shatner can sing is definetly up for debate, haha!

Reply
Ken
4/28/2012 03:21:57 am

Thanks, Jay!

I'm a fan of St. Jude's, too, as well as other children's hospitals. They do terrific things, and that's definitely another way I'd like to spend my lottery winnings!

Reply



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