Friends of Mounted Patrol, Clay Canvas Host Second Annual Fundraiser

Picture courtesy Friends of Mounted Patrol Oxford

Oxford Mounted Patrol has worked diligently to keep the streets safe and secure, especially during football season. For those grateful for this service will have a chance to thank them this Saturday.

This Saturday the Clay Canvas with Friends of the Mounted Patrol will have their second annual fundraiser. This fundraiser came to be after Kelly Whitten, owner of Clay Canvas, read a feature on the Friends of the Mounted Patrol last summer.

“Yes, I read an article last year and wanted to help the Mounted Patrol,” said Whitten. “These guys are a non-profit group that help our community in many ways. They asked for help so I answered the call. Isn’t that what we should do?”

She then held the first fundraiser a year ago for the Friends of Mounted Patrol, a nonprofit organization that helps Oxford police upkeep its mounted patrol.

“After we saw the outpouring of support last year and the way horses helped build relationships between strangers in the community we together decided to make it an annual event,” said Whitten.

Kelly Whitten with Della of the Mounted Patrol at last year’s fundraiser.

This year’s fundraiser is for the benefit of the horses. Officer David Misenhelter, who is in charge of the Oxford Mounted Patrol, said, “Donations are used to offset the cost of hay, training, barn needs and other items that help our horses. Veterinary expenses can be difficult to predict. For example, we were able to bring an equine dentist to our barn and remove an expired tooth.”

There is no numerical goal for this year’s fundraiser, but any amount will help. Misenhelter said, “We will be retiring two of our horses this summer, so Friends of Mounted Patrol Oxford will be helping allocate and train new horses for the Mounted Patrol.”

However Kelly Whitten said, “We have a corporate sponsor again this year that will match funds raised up to $5,000.”

The fundraiser will be at the Clay Canvas, located 107 North 13th Street, which is open for business that day. A portion of sales for that day will be donated to Friends of the Mounted Patrol.

“We will bring a few of our patrol horses, including our Clydesdales,” said Officer Misenhelter. “This gives people the opportunity to interact with our horses and look at saddles, helmets and other riding equipment used by mounted officers and horses on duty.”

There will be a shotgun raffle with the tickets available at the fundraiser and the Mississippi Auto Arms, the fundraiser’s raffle sponsor. The raffle will be drawn at a later date. This year Friends of Mounted Patrol will grant a CZ USA Upland over/under.

A volunteer photographer will be at the fundraiser to snap pictures of Oxonians with the horses. For a $5 donation, the photographer will send digital copies to the donors’ email. There will also be t-shirts for sale from the Friends of the Mounted Patrol for $15 each.

To keep updated on the event visit the Clay Canvas’ Facebook page and on-goings of the Oxford Mounted Patrol check its Facebook page.

Callie Daniels is a staff writer/reporter for HottyToddy.com. She can be reached at callie.daniels@hottytoddy.com.