Staff Reports | Happenings & Events
Hunkapi Programs, a Scottsdale-based equine therapy nonprofit, will host its annual Open Your Heart Gala from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, at Hunkapi Farms in Scottsdale.
The event, themed “Year of the Fire Horse,” will raise funds to support Hunkapi’s therapeutic programs and the care of its rescued and retired horses, according to a press release.
Guests will enjoy dinner, drinks and entertainment, along with stories from the Hunkapi community, opportunities to meet the horses, a Best Dressed Contest with prizes and a live auction.
Carey Peña, an Emmy Award-winning journalist and founder and CEO of Inspired Media 360, will serve as emcee. Live music will be provided by the Donny Grub Band.
Hunkapi has set a fundraising goal of $300,000. Proceeds will support therapeutic programs for children, adults and families, as well as complimentary services for veterans, first responders and their families.
Funds also will support operations at Hunkapi Farms and the care of rescued and retired horses that participate in the organization’s programs.
“The gala has become a special tradition for our Hunkapi community, a night when the people who believe in this work come together to celebrate the horses, the people we serve and the connections that make Hunkapi what it is,” said Terra Schaad, founder and executive director of Hunkapi Programs. “The support of our community is what allows us to keep saying yes to the people who come through our gates and make sure these programs are here when they need them.”
Hunkapi serves approximately 250 people each week through somatic-based therapeutic horse programs led by licensed mental health professionals, PATH-certified instructors and somatic experience practitioners.
The organization works with children and families, veterans, first responders and others facing mental health and emotional challenges. Its programs use horses and somatic practices to help participants build connections, regulate emotions and work through difficult experiences.
Through this work, Hunkapi strives to “teach the world to fear less and love more.”
