Safe Passage Violence Prevention Center is off to the races with a new event: Hats and Hooves.

This Kentucky Derby-themed brunch to support Safe Passage's Children's Advocacy Center will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. May 7 at the Hayden Lake Country Club, 2362 E. Bozanta Drive, Hayden Lake.

Guests will enjoy a crepe bar, breakfast burrito bar, mimosas, mint juleps and more. Everyone is encouraged to wear their Kentucky Derby best, especially their most festive hats.

Safe Passage development director Annette Nolting said the nonprofit has organized the Violence Prevention Breakfast for 10 years.

“We hit a point where we just wanted to mix it up,” she said. "No one does this type of thing. It's unique. People want to wear a hat and have a good time."

Executive director Sally Winn said Hats and Hooves will shine a light on the great work that Children's Advocacy Center director Scott Coleman and his team are doing.

"Instead of doing the fundraisers we’ve always been doing, we wanted to do something that really helped out the CAC," Winn said. "It's such a depressing subject in so many ways that we need to do something festive and fun for our community."

The Hats and Hooves fundraising goal is $75,000, Winn said.

"The biggest project we have in mind is to have an in-house mental health counselor,” Coleman said. “The challenge in this area is there’s not enough mental health counselors to help the kids out, so there are waiting lists for weeks and weeks. These kids are physically abused, sexually abused or emotionally abused, in most cases pretty severely. There aren’t always counseling services available to help them start to heal from that trauma.”

During the Hats and Hooves event, Safe Passage will share the impact the Children’s Advocacy Center has had on the North Idaho area. In 2021, the center conducted 228 trauma-informed forensic interviews for children who were victims of physical and sexual abuse. It also provided advocacy and support to non-offending caregivers and parents.

Child abuse in Idaho grew by 17% in 2020, following a 22% increase in 2019. More children are at risk of abuse now than at any point in Idaho’s history, raising the demand for the services provided by the Children's Advocacy Center.

"Hats and Hooves will be a great opportunity for the community to learn more about and support Safe Passage’s Children’s Advocacy Center," Nolting said. "It also promises to be a fun time to dress to impress and show off those fancy hats."

Safe Passage provides safety, education and empowerment to victims of violence and to the community. Established in 1977, it is one of the largest victim services agencies in Idaho. It annually provides confidential direct services to more than 1,600 survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and child victimization throughout North Idaho.

For those who are unable to attend Hats and Hooves but would like to donate, email Nolting at [email protected] or call 208-664-9303.

Tickets: www.safepassageid.org/events