Great Charity Challenge Leads The Way In Equestrian Philanthropy By Julie Unger
Wellington’s equestrian community has long been a leader in local philanthropy, and that tendency toward charitable giving has been magnified over the past nine years thanks to the Great Charity Challenge, presented by Fidelity Investments, held each February at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. The Great Charity Challenge is a special event where equestrians — amateurs, juniors and professionals — are paired with local charities for a highenergy show jumping competition. The charities receive donations based upon how their team ranks, with each receiving a sizable minimum donation. The competition is the brainchild of co-founders Mark Bellissimo and his daughter, Paige. The event runs like clockwork thanks to the hard work of Executive Director Anne Caroline Valtin. Valtin first experienced the Great Charity Challenge, or GCC for short, during its first year and knew she had to become involved. “I instantly fell in love with the concept,” she said. “I’m a true humanitarian at heart and passionate about equestrian sports. The event was a fairytale come true.”
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september 2016 | wellington the magazine
Mark, Katherine and Paige Bellissimo with GCC Executive Director Anne Caroline Valtin. PHOTO BY JULIE UNGER
The evening allows passionate equestrians to foster change in the community. A lottery picks each year’s participating charities, and Mark Bellissimo’s company Equestrian Sport Productions covers all of the costs associated with the event, which allows all of the money raised to go directly back into the community. Currently, the GCC aims to distribute $1.5 million each year to dozens of Palm Beach County nonprofits. In 2017, the event surpassed the $10 million mark in total giving. Sponsors, and volunteers, are integral to the success of the event. “We are extremely lucky and grateful to have long-time sponsors by our side.
They believe in making Palm Beach County a better place, and are eager to support the event and the many wonderful causes represented every year,” Valtin said. “I believe that the way the GCC is set up makes it easier for individuals, families and businesses to give back. It can be very challenging to pick just one organization to help while not being sure which one is best.” The competition wouldn’t be possible without the horses and riders that fly through the relay course. Amateur and junior riders are teamed up with worldclass riders to form the three-person teams.