Fall Festival, Spur Cross rides to benefit Luv Shack

By Curtis Riggs | October 15, 2008

A busy weekend for equine rescue
DESERT FOOTHILLS – The 4th Annual Fall Festival will take place from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18 at the Luv Shack at 36029 N. 10th Street. (Take 7th Street north of the Carefree Highway to Cloud Road. Turn right on Cloud and follow it to the Luv Shack.)

The Fall Festival is the Luv Shack’s primary fund-raiser of the year. Last year $5,000 was raised. This year Luv Shack owner/operator Joey Ogburn hopes to double the amount.
There will be face painting, horse painting, a cakewalk, a bounce house and a horse-kissing booth for the younger set. The main treat for the young ones will likely be the hayride trip to the Pumpkin Patch where they can pick their own Halloween pumpkin.

Adults will be treated to a fabulous silent auction, which will include airline tickets to anywhere in the United States, stays in condominiums in Sun Valley, Idaho, San Diego (Sea World), Sedona, Lake Havasu City and at many Arizona resorts and casinos, flight lessons, jeep tours, Ernie Banks autographed baseballs, certificates to a number of fine Valley restaurants, theater tickets and even a chance to play at the Rancho Mañana Golf Course in Cave Creek.

Ogburn said the money raised at the Fall Festival will go toward paying for feed and veterinarian bills for Luv Shack horses. If Ogburn can raise enough money she would like to increase the Luv Shack programs for children, which are offered free of charge, and even possibly “growing into a larger facility.”

Both adults and children are encouraged to wear their Halloween costumes to the Fall Festival.

A $5 donation is requested from adults who attend.

For information about the family-friendly Fall Festival visit the website www.luvshackranch.com or call 602-400-0826.

The busy weekend will not end for the Luv Shack on Saturday. On Sunday proceeds from the “Take a Hike Arizona” event at Spur Cross Stables will go to the Luv Shack. The Sunday event is to “help abused, neglected or unwanted horses” across the nation. The rides will begin at 9 a.m.

Photo: The popular horse painting will take place at the Luv Shack’s Fall Festival on Saturday.
Courtesy photo

Annual blanket/jacket drive benefits homeless

ANTHEM – If you have some extra blankets or warm jackets lying around, Vineyard Church at Anthem – and the homeless – could use them.

The church is collecting new blankets (twin size or larger) and jackets, or clean and gently used ones, to distribute to the homeless in downtown Phoenix on Nov. 22. Blankets may be dropped off between now and Nov. 15 at the following Anthem locations:
Anthem Community Center (drop blankets off at the main desk)
Ace Hardware, 3440 West Anthem Way
Walgreens, 41125 N. Daisy Mountain Drive
VCA Church House, 4303 W. Diburgo Drive
(during the week)
Vineyard Church @ Anthem, 42105 N. 41st Drive (on Sunday mornings)
Daisy Mountain Fire Department, all four station locations

It was five years ago, after helping a couple who were living out of their car in Anthem, that Vineyard Church @ Anthem began a Thanksgiving tradition of collecting blankets and distributing them to the homeless. Last year, 261 blankets, 64 coats, 110 sweatshirts and 19 cases of water were distributed to the homeless. “One woman picked out a large, multi-colored blanket.

“I want that one,” she said pointing excitedly. She hugged it tightly to her chest and wouldn’t let go even though the bulky blanket made it difficult for her to rummage through a barrel of jackets,” said Senior Pastor Terry Tarleton.

Of the 7,300 homeless people in the Phoenix Metro area, nearly 5,000 are unsheltered, according to a January 2007 study by the National Alliance to End Homelessness. “We believe in doing the stuff Jesus did and that includes taking care of poor and hurting people,” said Senior Pastor Terry Tarleton, “We can’t solve the problems of nearly 7,300 homeless, but we can do something and we want to do more.” The church’s goal for 2008 is to collect 500 blankets.

Copyright © 2008 Sonoran News