The Olympic Peninsula Equine Network is celebrating the opening of its new Western Treasures and Used Tack store with a ribbon-cutting ceremony facilitated by the Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce at noon today, May 9, at 251 Roupe Road, Sequim.
The nonprofit, Olympic Peninsula Equine Network (OPEN), serves as a horse rescue, rehabilitation and placement program since its inception in 2006. It is operated by an all-volunteer board and staff that runs its educational and support services on fundraisers and donations.
OPEN President Valerie Jackson said its used tack store will be a new way the nonprofit can generate funds to continue its horse rescue operation.
“We thought if we had a store then all we have to do is open the door as an ongoing fundraiser for the horses,” she said. “This all goes to OPEN’s mission of horses and humanity.”
Jackson said every year the OPEN Board and its volunteers focus on a project for the horses. In the past, the nonprofit has put up paddocks and built a hay barn. This year’s project was building and opening a used tack store.
The new store will offer a variety of western clothing and jewelry, decor and horse equipment that has been collected over the years.
Each time the nonprofit had a tack sale, Jackson said, staff had to unpack the gear and setup an outdoor market and repeat the process, but now with a storefront the inventory can be on display all the time. All “treasures” are for sale by donation.
Jackson said the name of the store goes along with the merchandise that is offered.
“At Western Treasures, you never know what you’re going to find,” she said.
The 400-square-foot wooden building was funded from a Gofundme account that raised $5,000 toward the project. The nonprofit said it is continuously fundraising and will hold its first barn dance, dinner and auction fundraiser at $55 per person from 5-10 p.m. Saturday, June 30, at Fox Bell Farm Weddings & Celebrations, 137 N. Barr Road in Agnew.
The nonprofit also is participating in ASPCA’s “National Help a Horse Day Campaign,” a two-month long contest designed to help rescue horses find good homes and allows participating organizations to win part of $110,000 in grants.
As part of the campaign, OPEN will host a Clallam Conservation District workshop on the dangers of spring grass at 3 p.m. on May 31 and a Community First Saturday Event at Hartinagles & Angeles Millwork from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on June 2.
For more information about the store or OPEN, visit https://olypenequinenet.org/. For more information about the barn dance fundraiser, contact Mike Vaillancourt at goldenmikedj@gmail.com or call 714-222-0755.
Western Treasures and Used Tack for Sale
Grand Opening: Noon- 3 p.m. on Wednesday, May 9, 251 Roupe Road, Sequim
Hours: Appointment only tentatively
Owners: Olympic Peninsula Equine Network
Contact: Google message line, 360-207-1688
The Olympic Peninsula Equine Network’ new Western Treasures and Used Tack store offers western clothing, jewelry, decor and horse equipment for sale by donation that will serve as an ongoing fundraiser for the nonprofit. Sequim Gazette photo by Erin Hawkins
