All Aboard!

Advocates of Lake County’s annual fundraising event, the Empowerment Express, is chugging down the track.

Join us on Saturday, June 1, for dinner, drinks, a silent auction, and a scenic ride through Lake County on the Leadville Railroad.

The Empowerment Express is one of ALC’s biggest sources of unrestricted funds to help us meet our clients’ urgent needs when other funding is unavailable or limited.

Purchase your tickets online today by clicking the ticket button! You’ll be taken to a new page where you can adjust the quantity for each ticket type. You’ll also have the option to specify any dietary restrictions (e.g., vegan, nut allergy) for your tickets if needed.

• Adults (21+) — $50, including admission, 1 adult meal, up to 2 alcoholic beverages, unlimited non-alcoholic beverages, and full access to entertainment and activities
• Youth (12-20) —  $35, including admission, 1 adult meal, unlimited NA beverages, entertainment, access to “Tween Twain” activities car for younger youth
• Child (0-11) — $0, including admission, 1 child meal (mac ‘n’ cheese and hot dog), unlimited NA beverages, free childcare and activities in Kids’ Caboose/”Tween Twain”
  Note: Parents with children 0-11 can opt to purchase an older-child ticket to get a full meal and still have access to childcare/activities.

It’s the cheapest date night in town, benefitting one of the best causes around!

In-person ticket sales (cash and check) will be available at the Leadville Railroad Depot (326 East 7th Street in Leadville, at the corner of East 7th and Hazel) beginning in May.

Additional details to follow regarding adult meals; we are still coordinating with our sponsors around the menu selection and will update all early ticket purchasers as soon as the menu is finalized!

Voted 2023 Best Nonprofit in Leadville/Twin Lakes, Advocates of Lake County has been providing services to survivors of violence and individuals experiencing housing insecurity for over 40 years.

The money we raise through our annual Empowerment Express fundraiser — including ticket sales, silent auction proceeds, donations, and sponsorships — provides critical support by replenishing our general operating budget. The bulk of ALC’s funding comes from government grants that are designated for specific uses and cannot be used in any other way.

Unrestricted funding is vital for a crisis response organization like ALC since expenses can arise for clients that cannot be planned for. The General Operating Budget allows ALC to immediately adapt to the needs of our clients and to cover expenses that cannot be covered by federal grants.

Silent Auction Donors Welcome!

We are currently accepting donations for the Empowerment Express Silent Auction. If you’d like to contribute an auction item to help us raise funds, please contact our team at operations@advocatesoflakecounty.com.

About the auction:

• Combined in-person and online format
• Opening Thursday 5/30 through midnight on Saturday 6/1
• Donors featured on website, social media, and event signage
• Advocates of Lake County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and your donation is tax deductible

Sponsors Welcome!

Private and corporate sponsors make the Empowerment Express possible. Your sponsorship in any amount $200-$1000+ helps us cover the cost of food, materials, promotion, and other expenses for our event — plus adds to our general operating fund!

Click the image for a full-size PDF.

Choose from 3 sponsorship tiers:

• Tier 1: Mount Sherman ($200-$499)
• Tier 2: Mount Massive ($500-999)
• Tier 3: Mount Elbert ($1000+)

Benefits for sponsors include event tickets, online and print promotion, and more! Download full 2024 sponsorship details.

We happily accept both financial donations and in-kind contributions specific to the event’s needs (e.g., a restaurant may provide some or all meals for the event as their sponsorship donation).

Please contact our team at operations@advocatesoflakecounty.org to discuss sponsorship! We’re so grateful for your support.