Lilac Festival's Feast of Epona Raises Funds for Care of Animals
By Sean Ely

For the third year, the Seabiscuit Café hosted the Lilac Festival's Feast of Epona fundraiser, a two-hour silent auction and wine tasting that benefits the Dr. Rex M. and Elizabeth C. Orr Fund for the Care of Animals. Endowed with the Mackinac Island Community Foundation by two of the Orrs' daughters and Seabiscuit owners, Sandra and Debra Orr, the fund provides animal care and education. Dr. Orr was a veterinarian on Mackinac Island.

Ten prizes were auctioned during the Feast of Epona Tuesday, June 12. Foundation Executive Director Jennifer Bloswick said the event ties in nicely with the blessing of the animals at the 4-H barn, the dog and pony parade on Saturday, June 16, and all of the other animal related events throughout the week. The Orr fund has sponsored vaccinations for Island animals and provided money for the purchase of horses by the Mackinac Island Horseman's Association.

"All the proceeds we make from this event go to our parents' fund," Sandra Orr said. "With my father being a veterinarian and having a love for horses, seeing this event do well is great. Caring and working with horses were his favorite things to do. My parents would have loved this restaurant; it's based on horses, and has a name for the love of them all as well. It's wonderful."

The annual Lilac Festival "is a way to help the business community, and this time of the year is special, showing a resurgence of lifestyle," Debra Orr said. "With everyone coming back to share the Island during the spring, it's wonderful. I just think it shows a great support for the community, by bringing everyone in for such a good cause."

Guests at the Feast of Epona could sample wines and hors d'oeuvre while bidding on 10 items in a silent auction. By 4 p.m., the bids were collected and the winners were announced.

Kevin Gelnett purchased a sterling silver turtle bracelet for $12, a turtle charm bracelet for $25 and a pizza with unlimited toppings from the Mustang Lounge for $10. Billie Rayment walked home with a $1 collapsible water bowl for a pet, while Wendy Crowley purchased a tote bag and bowl for $5.

Carol Rearick won the 2007-2008 MIRD calendar for $5 and a sterling silver horseshoe necklace for $10.

Marsha Kleber purchased Parisienne earrings and a sterling silver horseshoe necklace for $10 each.

The big winners of the day were Mary Maurer and Roberta Droskie, who took the grand prize after donating $1,000 to the Doctor Rex M. and Elizabeth C. Orr Fund for the Care of Animals. The prize consisted of a four-day, three-night trip to the Rolex Kentucky Equine Event in Lexington, Kentucky and includes lodging, most meals, VIP admission to the Equine event, a tour of a local horse farm, and many other accommodations. It carries a retail value of $1,500 and is donated by the Lexington Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The two friends purchased the trip last year, as well, and had so much fun they decided to bid on it again this year.

"It was absolutely wonderful," Mrs. Droskie said. "We decided that we didn't see enough of Lexington, and some of the other areas, so when we go back, we are going to do that. We'll hopefully have more time to do other things. The whole time, we just couldn't have been treated any nicer than we were. We felt very important, and we learned a lot about horses."

On their trip, they were in awe at how beautiful the horse farms were. Going into it, Mrs. Maurer and Mrs. Droskie didn't know very much about horses, but when they arrived, that all changed.

"We were just taught so many interesting details about horses," Mrs. Droskie said. "Everything was very educational, as far as horse races, how horses are raised, and how they are trained, where they were brought up, how stables were kept, and everything. We were even given some really nice books on the horses, themselves. It was all just absolutely gorgeous."

They ate fried green tomatoes and drank mint juleps, had passes for lunch at the Keeland racetrack, where they were invited to the winners circle, normally reserved only for the horse owners, toured and ate at Woodford Distillery, one of the most prestigious bourbon distilleries, a had front-row table at the cross-country horse competition, and were treated to a tour and lunch at the Shaker Museum. With all that, plus the hospitality of Tourism Director David Lord and his wife, Sara, the trip was great, Mrs. Droskie said. The weather was perfect and they hope to have as much fun next year as they did in April of this year.

Of the Feast of Epona, said Debra Orr, "It's more for the fun of the donation and the activity than for the gifts," she said. "The staff put a great deal of effort into selecting the wines that they wanted to serve with the food. They chose a variety, which was interesting to sample during the auction.

"Everything is donated," she said, including the trip to Kentucky. "The price tag on that is very high, and it's very nice that someone is able to give that to us, as well as some of the nice jewelry. I was very happy with the selection."