Lori Heckaman of Golden West Saddle Blankets has again generously donated one of her fabulous hand woven pads to the March To The Arch auction which will take place in Lake St. Louis, March 12. The three pads she has previously donated have brought nearly $6,000 which was all donated to charity. 

GoHorseShow.com spoke with Lori about her donations.

"I love to donate the blankets to the March to the Arch. I look at it as a way to do anything I can to help with this GREAT cause! I wanted the blanket to be very usable and really cool that the owner would be proud to use! I also wanted to use the color which has become the symbol of cancer - pink.

The first two years the blankets were black and white with several shades of pink. The first pad I donated to the auction brought $1200 and the next year it brought $1800. The third year I used tan, sand, brown, off white and pink (pictured left). I had approached Shorty at the Congress to see if she would consider getting involved, she said that she would so I matched the tan background of the blanket to her tan hat color and she matched the pink crystals that she used on the hat band and buckle to the pink I was using in the blanket. They really looked great together and the blanket brought $2900!!!

I was unable to donate last year do to some unexpected medical expenses, but the blanket this year is going to knock their socks off!!! It is black, white, a light heather gray, small darker gray accent, and a darker raspberry pink.

The blankets take several days to several weeks to weave, depending upon the weaver. Everything we make is one of a kind so I draw each one by hand. Then it takes about four more hours to finish each blanket after it comes off the loom.

The other reason this cause is so important to me is because one of my dearest friends who worked the trade shows with me for 10 years and has been weaving for the last 12, has been fighting breast cancer for the last year. I wanted her to weave this year's donation blanket but she was unable to due to her continual treatments. This one is for her!"

Showtime Show Clothing has donated a pink jacket (pictured here) to the March to the Arch fundraiser. It is a size 6 but can be altered to fit a size 4 or 8.

According to Penny Young or Showtime, "We have always donated a pink jacket to the event, but this year designed one especially for the fundraiser. We are hoping it will raise some serious money for their donation to find a cure for cancer."