MOSES LAKE — When the rodeo riders wear purple, that means it’s time to man up.

“Man Up" is for awareness of domestic violence, said Kim Pope, executive director of New Hope. “Any time we make someone aware of the services that are provided in our (area), that’s important.”

The Moses Lake Roundup Rodeo teams up every year with New Hope for the Man Up Crusade, an awareness program to raise both money and awareness of domestic violence. Rodeo competitors and spectators will wear purple bandannas, shirts and more at the rodeo Saturday to signal their support for the folks who care and advocate for domestic violence victims.

There are several ways to help New Hope financially through the Man Up Crusade. One is through a silent auction that takes place at the Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce’s Business After Hours rodeo kickoff at the rodeo grounds Aug. 11. There will be Man Up swag for sale at Moses Lake’s annual Cowboy Breakfast, which is Aug. 14 at the Moses Lake Elks Lodge, and then again at the rodeo itself.

Finally, there’s a raffle going on from now until the end of the rodeo with three grand prizes: four Mariners tickets including parking pass donated by the McGraw family, Airpods Max donated by Vyve Broadband and jewelry donated by Miller’s Fine Jewelers. Tickets are available at the New Hope office and will also be available at the rodeo Aug. 21 and 22. The drawing will be held at the end of the rodeo Aug. 22.

The fundraising is making a difference, said Elsa Borrego, emergency shelter advocate for New Hope.

“Last year we raised over $8,000, and that was probably one of the biggest years since I’ve done it,” Borrego said. “Prior to that, it was about $4,000. Last year we had a lot of donors because more people were becoming aware of the crusade.”

New Hope serves Grant and Adams counties, and despite the fact that it’s technically a Grant County agency with county oversight, the county provides very little of its funding, Pope said. The majority of the funds come from grants and private donations. 

“Grants are very specific as to what you can use them for,” Pope said. “There are a lot of times where we fall short on grant money, so this will help us considerably. Whatever our greatest need is, then we have these funds available for that.”

“Housing is always a problem,” Pope said. “For people who are fleeing domestic violence situations, being able to provide housing and keep them safe is very important. And then finding therapy that doesn’t have a big wait list, or that people quality for (with their) insurance. That is really difficult for us to find.”

The other half of the Man Up Crusade is awareness. 

“A lot of times people don’t want to acknowledge that we have domestic violence or sexual assault,” Pope said. “(We want to think) that it doesn’t happen in our town, but it does, and we’re here to help those victims.”

Roughly twice as many women as men are victims of domestic violence, and 75-85 percent of persons arrested for domestic violence are male, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The Man Up Crusade was created by then-Canyon County, Idaho, Sheriff Kieran Donahoe in 2012 to remind men of their responsibility to combat the problem through iconic cowboy values.

“The cowboy is an iconic figure of strength, conviction and fortitude,” Donahue wrote on the crusade’s website. “The cowboy … understands the fundamental belief that right is right and wrong is wrong. It is the goal of the Man Up Crusade to celebrate this courageous spirit and be an example to people everywhere that we can stand up for what is right and help put an end to domestic violence.”

“It’s part of that western culture and that rodeo community,” said Joe Ketterer, executive secretary for the Moses Lake Roundup Committee. “There are many values that align between the Columbia Basin Rodeo Association, the Moses Lake Roundup and New Hope. We’re happy to continue supporting it.”

Business After Hours rodeo kickoff and silent auction

5-7 p.m. Aug. 11

Rodeo Arena Last Chute

Grant County Fairgrounds

3953 Airway Drive NE, Moses Lake

Enter at the Green Gate off Paxson Drive

    New Hope team members sport their Man Up shirts with the Moses Lake Roundup Committee and Miss Moses Lake Roundup. The Man Up Crusade will raise money and awareness for domestic violence services from now until the rodeo.