STORY AND PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK

The Advocates kicked off summer fundraising season in Sun Valley Friday night with a well-attended, enthusiastic group of supporters who crowded into the Limelight Hotel.

Attendees milled around visiting as they nibbled on hors d’oeuvres and sipped Ribbon Rita Margaritas, Huckleberry Mules, Aperol Spritzes and other drinks before settling down to the business of raising their paddles to help The Advocates provide shelter, counseling and other services for those in need.

Tricia Swartling, The Advocates COO, noted how the Advocates had transitioned from their Black and White Soiree to Color Our World, hanging colored ribbons in Cimino Memory Park to signify support for the organization.

Larissa Price Rico applauds as the table next to her bids on one of the auction lots.

Last year 1,400 people—350 of those children--found healing through The Advocates, Those seeking safety spent 4,000 bed nights in emergency shelter, many of them getting gas cards, counseling and services like acupuncture. And The Advocates educated nearly every sixth- through 12th-grder in the Wood River Valley about what constitutes a healthy relationship.

“We celebrated the first anniversary of the KIDS Thrive Center, and broke ground on the Thrive Center for Safety and Healing,” Swartling said. “Thank you for supporting a compassionate community, a world free from emotional, sexual and physical violence.”

Meg, a young blonde-haired woman who found herself in an abusive relationship at 22, recounted by video how she was a strong, independent women who found herself at the mercy of her controlling husband. She began second guessing herself and apologizing for things she hadn’t done.

“I didn’t feel strong,” she said as she related the sexual and physical abuse that followed. “I needed every bit of energy to get through the next day. I was told every day that everything was my fault. And, eventually, it became life threatening.”

Dr. Katherine Buckley, a Wood River Valley resident who recently returned to work as an emergency room doctor at St. Luke’s Wood River, shared the evening with Brittany McFarland, a nurse at St. Luke’s Wood River.

Meg recounted how she walked into her mother’s house one night at 11 p.m., her hands shaking and her eye blackened. With support, she began training for a marathon three years later, using it to support other survivors of abuse.

“My support group had a lack of judgment and complete understanding,” she said.

Auction lots included a ski parking spot at River Run that went for $9,500 and a sushi dinner for eight paired with Satori sake donated by Shin Hasegawa that went for $5,600. Other lots included a two-night stay for four at an exclusive estate in Sonoma coupled with sommelier-led tastings, wine and cuisine.

Sarah Felton with Alpine Lodging said one of the core values of her company is to be community minded: “And The Advocates make the whole Wood River Valley a better place to live.”

Louisa Noyes sported her colorful new blouse that fit the colorful occasion as she shared a moment with Sara Felton.

“There’s a need for the work they do, and they do wonderful work for the community,” said Louise Noyes. “They’ve demonstrated how flexible they can be, and it’s exciting to see how they will address needs in the future.”

Gabrielle Tierney and Leslie Jiranek were among a group of women from the philanthropic Wood River Women’s Foundation.

“I learned about The Advocates through the Wood River Women’s Foundation, and now I’m advocating for The Advocates,” said Tierney. “We just love the holistic way they wrap around people, the way they embrace those suffering from domestic abuse.”

Reuben and Susan Perin drove to Sun Valley from their summer home in Stanley to take part in the evening. Reuben Perin was board chair of The Advocates when the organization was founded.

Sarah Mann, Lindsay Combier and Augusta Walker were among the attendees.

One of the first tasks the board had was meeting the sheriff, said Susan Perin. “They originally started with a house with four or five rooms. Now you look at their next phase, and it’s so exciting.”

Susan Perin recounted how she learned of a young girl who was cutting herself.

“And I knew just what to do. I called Tricia and said, ‘This child needs help now.’ That’s what’s so wonderful that about this community—we can do something like that.”

“I’m 87 now and I’m still supporting The Advocates because I believe in the cause,” added Reuben Perin.

HANGING RIBBONS AND DRAWING FOR RAFFLE PRIZES:

The Advocates will hold their weeklong Ribbon of Hope display and raffle in Ketchum’s Memory Park at 5th and Main Street through June 30—just as the City of Ketchum winds up its 4th through 6th Street reconstruction.

Volunteers will hang colored ribbons that supporters purchase. The $100 purple ribbons provide a night of shelter for a survivor of abuse; a $250 yellow ribbon, economic education for one person; and a $5,000 pink ribbon, legal services for divorce, custody and protection orders for survivors of abuse.

On July 1 The Advocates will hold a drawing for raffle prizes donated by individuals and businesses. The tickets cost $25 and ticket purchasers get to select which drawings they wish to enter.

Prizes include a two-night stay at the Idaho Rocky Mountain Ranch, a 2025-26 Sun Valley Challenger Season Ski Pass, two nights at Hotel Terra in Jackson Hole, a year-long membership to Zenergy, $1,000 in gift cards to local restaurants and a wellness package featuring services from 18 different local health practitioners.

To purchase a raffle ticket or ribbon of hope, visit: https://www.theadvocatesorg.org/color-our-world-2025.