ROSWELL, NM (August, 2002) One horse from the Trail of Painted Ponies has ended up where its proceeds were supposed to be: at the non-profit organization that sponsors hoped to benefit. 'Jazz on a Hot Tin Roof' as the seven foot tall sculpture is named, has traveled from Roswell, NM to Dallas, TX looking for an owner, and ended up back at Roswell's Assurance home, a residence for abused and neglected kids.

Internationally renowned artist Kim Wiggins painted Jazz in 2001 as part of The Trail of Painted Ponies, a project begun by a group called HorsePower that says it offers charities, philanthropic institutions and not for profits an innovative and entrepreneurial way to raise new funds. Modeled on the Chicago Cow Program, ponies symbolic of the Southwest free spirit would be painted by local artists and with local themes then auctioned off, with most of the proceeds going to benefit the charities chosen by pony sponsors. Assurance Home Executive Director Ron Malone sought out Wiggins, as well as the sponsors needed to purchase the $5,000 pony mold, as a way of raising money for the home and its kids.

Wiggins, who has been commissioned for such projects as a mural at Los Angeles Sports Arena, The Staples Center, designed his pony with an eclectic blend of Southwest country and American urbanism. Jazz features a New Mexico landscape on one flank and a New York skyline complete with the Twin Towers on the other. When the ponies debuted in an opening reception at the Albuquerque Airport, viewers voted Jazz their favorite.

Ironically, the September 11 destruction of the Twin Towers by terrorists and the ensuing economic downturn hampered the auction, which had been scheduled for November of 2001. Many ponies were left unsold and some, including Jazz, ended up back in the control of their individual sponsors.

Malone and his staff transported the pony to displays around New Mexico and Texas trying to find him an owner. But the small New Mexican non-profit lacked the resources to effectively market to corporations and foundations, and the art-work was eventually brought back to the Assurance Home. Like the HomeÍs other residents, a homeless but well cared for Jazz remains there today, awaiting his chance to fulfill his potential and live up to the promise in which he was conceived.

The Assurance Home is a private non-profit organization that has served over 1000 children in its 23 years of operation by welcoming abused and neglected children, 14 at a time, into a beautiful home-like atmosphere in order to have a lasting impact on their lives. The Assurance Home is supported by a concerned community of caring people from across the country, who affirm that its mission of creating positive change in the lives of troubled youth through compassion, respect, opportunity and example is on target and somewhat rare.