The High Hopes
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Inside this issue:
Thirty Years of New Days
what she like s most about riding, Sylvia replied "I feel in control." Through the years,
Board Chairman & Execut ive Director Message
Sylvia has been involved in competition and demonstrations at High Hope s and she is a regular participant in the annual High Hopes Horse Show. She enjoys the camaraderie of being part of a team and is not thwarted by
Spotlight On Success Me lissa's Rewards
her physical challenges. It is that combination of friendship and social adventure that led Sylvia to be chosen as the recipient of the
The Spirit of Giving Working Together at High Hopes
Ways to Give From the Horse 's Mouth Poncho: NA RHA Horse of the Year
High Hopes Happenings Occupationa l Therapy comes to High Hopes
In accordan ce with the Americans with Disabi lit ies Act, The High Hopes Rider is avai lab le in alternative formats upon req uest . • Please contact Judie Driscoll at Ext. 19.
Si nee
the days when High Hopes was called LCVERA (Lower Conne ctic ut Valley Equestrian Riding Academy) and operated out of the home of founder Sis Gould, Sylvia Lachapelle has been participating. From her first days riding her favorite hor se, Apple, to her current carriage driving wit h Aladdin (otherwise known as "Big Al"), Sylvia has
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H I G H -H 'O P E S Therapeutic Riding, Inc. Phone : 860.43 4 .1974 Fax: 860.434 .3723 www .highhopestr.org
2006 Patrick Moreno Sportsmanship Award. Patri ck, like Sylvia, discovered carriage driving after years of therapeutic riding whe n he found it increasingl y difficult to ride a mounted horse. Sylvia was honore d at the High Hopes Annual Meeting in October, in the company of her peers, instruc tors and supporters.
made coming to High Hope s and being w ith her friends - both the human and horse variety - a priority. Those who know Sylvia describe her as a very social person. She says " I love people!" In the 30+ years that Sylvia has been involved with High Hopes, she has worked with numerous volunteers and instructors but, in the end, they're all just friends. Many of them still drop by the facility when they kno w Sylvia w ill be there, just to say HI! Consequently, it's no surprise that
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Fall 2006
Sylvia has been described as the " light in many people's eyes." Supported by her mother, sister and other members of her family, Sylvia has used the services at High Hopes for equine assisted activities including therapeutic riding and, most recently, carriage driving. When asked
Sylvia continues to embrace each new day and High Hopes is proud to be by her side in facing t he challenges. We are ho nored to have had Sylvia's smile as part of this organization from the very beginning of our journey, and we look forward to many smiling days ahead. We thank Sylvia for teaching us to see each day as a new opportunity to give 100% of our best effort .
Editor's note : Be sure to check out the pho t o essay on the back cover, which provides a glimpse of High Hopes' history through Sylvia's part icipation in our programs.
essa
from the
Board Chairman& Executive Director Th is issue of the Rider focuses on all that
is new at High Hopes as we enter another new year - our 33rd since we started serving a few local elementary school students with special needs in 1974 in Sis Gould's backyard. Since tha t time, we have grown to become one of the leading therapeutic riding centers in the country, among more than 700 recognized by the North American Riding for the Hand icapped Association (NARHA). Last year, we enhanced the programs we offer with the addition of two part-time Occupational Therap ists, who are profil ed in t his issue (See page 7.) We also introdu ced a highly successful carriage driving program to provide another dimension for our participants to wor k in harmony wit h the horse and acquire an equine skill , step by step. Consequently, we added a part-time instructor to our staff, Mary Washburn, w ho is certified in carriage driv ing for people with disabi lities. Through the generosity of an anonymous donor, we were ab le to acquire a two acre parcel of land, w hich abuts our property on Town Woods Road. We also started talks with our good neighbors, Don and D Gonci, to arr ange for use of several acres of their bordering land for addit ional pasture. High Hopes now owns or has t he use of almost 150 acres of land. We are developing a brand new website, which w il l enhance our ability to share information about our mission and vision and highlight the exciting (and beautiful!) accomplishments that happen here throughout the year. We also produced a new High Hopes video, donated by EssexTelevision Group, for use in fund raising and cultivat ion of friends. The growth in services that we initiated this past year has, of course, come with a price tag. While our operating expenses have been carefully controlled and have not grown as fast as our productivity, we now find ourselves at a new level of operating costs as we provide new programs and services to meet the growing needs of our participants . This is why we are also looking for a new level of support for our Annual Appeal in 2007. Our goal is to raise $250,000 this year, and it is our fervent hope that you will join our trustees, volunteers and fr iends to help us meet that objective. We need your support now more than ever and invite you to contribute to our 2007 Annual Appeal. If you 've not received your appea l mailing along with your High Hopes calendar, please let us know. After more than nine years of faithful service, Board Chairman Jack Evans ended his governa nce term with High Hopes. We, Tony Thurston, Board Chairman, and Alison Zack Darrell, Executive Director, are the succession team and we are looking forward to a new year of serving the High Hopes mission.
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We thank you all for your continued support of High Hopes, and wish you and your
famHy peace, happiness and joy in the new
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*c urrently serving as a Trustee
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ot on1
t uccess
Melissa's Rewards Nifty and Petra. When she's not riding horses, Melissa marches w ith the Deep River Junior Fife and Drum Corps. She attended two musters this summer carrying her big bass drum (with her mother's hel p) and, this fall, trave led wit h the Corps to the site of the Battle of Yorktown to attend their 225th anniversary and what promised to be the biggest fireworks of the year. For Kris, the highlight of the summer was when she and Melissa had the opportunity to ride together at Lord Creek Farm in Lyme. She and Melissa, w ith Melissa's instructo r Jonnie, got to canter together on the beautiful trails of Lord Creek. Melissa rode Jane Davison's horse Nutmeg and fe lt that, with Nutmeg's smooth gaits and the wide open space of Lord Creek, she could canter all day long. 11
When I think of
Melissa, I think of faith, trust and courage" says Jonnie Edwards, Melissa's instructor. "Melissa had to develop faith in us...that what we were teaching her was safe and not going to hurt her. She had to trust that horses would become her friends and bring a very special joy into her life. And, finally, it took courage to believe in her instructor, volunteer and horse to trot and canter ........ She is truly amazing." When Melissa Carney was less than a year old she was diagnosed with Retinoblastoma (a rare childhood cancer in the retina of the eye.) She lost both of her eyes to cancer by the age of 2. Melissa's first visit to High Hopes was with CT Services for the Blind when she ¡ was only three years old. Over the past 5 years, Melissa has been one of High
Hopes more inspiring riders - riding independently with a volunteer giving verbal guidance, posting beautifully to the trot, learning how to feel contact on the bit and regulate her horse's pace and cantering on a lunge line. "Melissa is proud of her accomplishments, excited to go so fast and having a great time!" says her mother, Kris. " I am so proud of how well she's done at High Hopes. When I started vo lunte ering there, I watched a young girl canter around the indoor ring on the training video. I cried when I heard that she was legall y blind. I thought 'One day that will be Melissa'. A lthough she is still on a lunge line, I am sure she will be rid ing even more independently before long. I am so very proud of her. " Today, Melissa has toy horses at home named after her favorite High Hopes horses - Filly, Dolly, Doc, Periwinkle,
Melissa's volunteer, Cheryl Heffernan, describes the experience and wonder of being with someone who doesn't allow her disability to be a barrier limi t ing her ab ilit y to experience life: "Melissa has a quick mi nd and an amazing ability to perceive where she is in relation to everyt hing around her. That has made me a believer that she can do and be anything she sets her mind to." Instructo r Jonnie Edwards summed it up best when she said of Melissa, "When we see that beautiful smile that comes from deep within her sou l, it makes us feel that we are the luckiest people in the world to be part of her life ..... it's t he biggest reward a person could ever ask fo r."
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1v1n Working Together at High Hopes ''Morning Sara (or Judie or Kitty or Alison)!! Don't leave the Horse Farm today!!" This cheerful and energetic salutation traditionally greets our staff and volunteers every Friday morning. The speaker is Billy, a young member of a work crew from SARAH, Inc. of Old Saybrook that comes each week to perform a thorough cleaning of the office and public spaces at High Hopes. Through the collaboration of SARAH, Inc. and High Hopes, participants like Billy are learning basic life and work skills and fulfilling the American dream of earning a wage for work well done . The exposure to a workplace environment and knowledge that their contributions matter, are additional rewards. There are two work crews from SARAH, Inc. that currently participate in this program. One crew of 4-5 indi v iduals comes to High Hope s every Monday and Thursday, with a job coach, to clean the High Hopes paddock areas and the run-in sheds where our 22 horses live . Providing a clean and healthy environment for our wonderful therapy horses is extremely important to the well-being of our herd, and the individuals from SARAH provide a much needed service in that regard. They are not only learning the importance of pasture maintenance, but also how to work together as a team to accomp lish a task . In addition, this crew from SARAH works alongside a mother and her 4 teenage children, all of whom are home schooled. For this family, volunteering at High Hopes
alongside the individuals from SARAH provides a unique experience teaching tolerance and acceptance as well as effective communication. These teenagers are working as a team with people with disabilities and are seeing first-hand just how valuable the contributions of all people are to the successof an organization. The second work crew from SARAH, Inc. is a group of 3-4 individuals who come every Friday, w ith a job coach, to perform maintenance and cleaning of the interior of the High Hopes facility. Between volunteers, participants, caregivers and staff, there can be up to 200 people w ho visit and use our facility daily from Monday through Saturday. Whil e we maintain its cleanliness during the rest of the week through light cleaning, the Friday crew from SARAH performs a very thorough cleaning by dusting, washing all the windows and floors, and vacuuming as we ll as other general cleaning of all of
the common and office areas. While basic cleaning skills are the task at hand, work ing together and accomplishing goals are always high objectives for this team . As a community-centered organization that encourages collaborative efforts, High Hopes offers a nurturing environment and a variety of learni ng opportunities. Time has shown that this cooperative approach meets the needs of SARAH's participants as well as those of High Hopes and provides a strong collaboration between two organizations with shared visions and mutual responsibilities. It's clear that this partnership has brought benefits far exceeding what might have been accomplished by either entity ind ividuall y. We have learn ed fro m the examp le set by these crews that wor k ing together and valuing the efforts of everyone wil l always bring success.
s• A Special Holiday Gift The participants, volunteers and staff of High Hopes want to extend a very heartfelt thank you to Greg Jarrabeck for once again providing us with a special holiday gift. Each year Greg arrives after Thanksgiving and, having foraged in ou r woods for greenery and colorful berries, adds holida y color and spirit to our outdoor drive, parking area, window boxes and barn and facility entrances. We are gratef ul to Greg for his annual donation of time and floral talent.
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High Hopes welcomes it's new Board Members Penny Nelson A resident of East Haddam, Penny is a retired proprietor of the Bee and Thistle Inn in Old Lyme. She is a graduate of the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA where she was Editor-inChief of the College yearbook and President of Mortar Board, the senior women's honor society. She has served High Hopes as a volunteer in many capacities, and is currently an active Program Volunteer, Office Volunteer and a member of the Board Committee on Voluntee rs.
Jennifer Johnson -
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A resident of Noank, Jennifer came to the area as an I undergraduate in maritime . . -· studies and worked at Mystic If . Seaport Museum for many years in collect ions, exhibits and on their webs ite. She is now a research associate for Carney, Sandoe & Associates, a Head of School search firm in Boston. Jennifer is a High Hopes parent and Program Volunteer. She has one husband, two boy s and two Australian shepherds .
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Jane I. Davison -
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ith the new year comes a fe w needs for item s t o help us continue in ou r efforts. Currentl y w e need:
• A 100-cup coffee maker • Riding helmets NA RHA appr oved - check wi th Kitt y Sta lsburg (Ext. 16 or kstalsburg@highhopstr.org ) fo r qualif icati ons if yo u have qu estio ns.
•Anew
driving vehicle
(small wagonette) Ou r wis h list changes as needs arise, so keep checking issues of the High Hopes Rider or check wi th Directo r of Develop ment Sara Qua at Ext . 22 or squa@highho pestr.org , if y,0u Have somet hing you are interested in do nating.
A resident of Lyme, Janie is returning to serve on the High Hopes Board after having served from 1995 - 2004. 1 She is a ret ired mur sery & elementa r;yschool teacher , a gradu ate of Vassar College, and has a Master' s degree in Edueation from Western CT State College. She is an avid eque str ian and recreational enthusiast. She was the Chairman of volunteer recreation at the Howard Rusk Institute in NY and has served on numerous nonprofit boards including he Lyme Land Trust, Lord Cove Nature Conservancy and Lockland School for Retarded People in
Golf Tournalllent T
he weather was glorious and the golfers all played under par (well the first part is true!!) at the High Hopes Third Annual Golf Classic, which took place at Lake of Isles on the challenging North Course. Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors and individual players, over $45,000 net was raised in support of the High Hopes programs . Mark your calendar for September 19, 2007, the High Hopes Fourth Annual Golf Classic,to be played once again at Lake of Isles.
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deliciousgathering this past October. Rider and Volunteer Committee member, Jonathan Recor,spoke about the positive impact our program and volunteershave made in his life. Additionally, Instructor and PhysicalTherapistCarolynJagielski passionatelydiscussed the acceptan ce th at people w ith physical and emot io nal challenges f ind at High Hopes. Finally, new Board me mber and long ti me Volunteer, Penny Nelson, had everyone roaring with laughter with a tale taken from her volunteer experiences.
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Annual•
eet1n On October 16 th High Hopes welcomed participants, fam ily members, supporters and voluntee rs to its A nnua l Meeting and awards presentation. One of the evening 's highlights was the presentation of the Sally H. Aub rey Award to former Hig h Hopes Board Chairman , and current trustee , Rives Potts. High Hopes was also honored to have Paul Spiers, the current President of the North Ameri can Riding fo r the Handi capp ed Associati on (NARHA), as ou r guest speaker.
Graduation
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Day
his November High Hopes graduated four diverse and internationa l ind ividuals from its high ly regarde d Instructo r Training Course. For eigh t wee ks the candidate s attend ed lectures, assiste d in, and event ually t aught, gro up an d indi vidual classesand worked on dail y horse care and farm maintenance with the goal of becoming a NARHA certified therapeuti c riding instructo r. High Hopes w ill miss ou r fo ur gradua t es but we are sure the y w ill use thei r hard earned know ledge in ways tha t are as varie d as thei r geograp hic backgr oun ds. Our gradu ates w ere: Avshalom Rothman - Kibbutz Ein Hmifratz, Israel; Deanna Phoenicie - Irvine, Ca/iforn,a: Israel Cohen - Lehavtm, Israel; Lindsey Rizor - Smyrna, Tennessee
NARHA Recognition igh Hopes instru cto r Patt i Coyl e w as ho nored at t he recent NA RHA nat iona l conf erence in Indi anap olis as the recipie nt of its prest igious Presidents Award, given in recognition of her work on behalf of NARHA. In recent years, Patti has served on NARHA's instructor certification review committee , been a significant participant in NARHA's recent strategic planning process and served as the Region 1 representative to NARHA. In addition to her work at High Hopes, Patti is currently the acting Executive Director of Pegasus Therapeutic Riding in Stamford, CT.A well deserved accolade!!
H
Dear Friends:
I
was recently humbled to learn of my selection as NARHA "Horse of the Year." For us horses who have chosen therapeutic riding as our life's work this is a very, very big honor. The announcement was made at the National Conference in November, and my good friend, Kristin Mason, accepted the award on my behalf. I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the folks at High Hopes who nominated me - I know Kristin, Carolyn, Amy, Kitty and others all said kind words on my behalf. But I'd also like to thank all the many riders, volunteers and horses that I have had the good fortune to work with and learn from since I arrived at High
Hopes in 1995. Without all of you I would not have had the wonderful experiences I have had over the years. You all deserve to share in this award. Words seem so futile, so feeble. You are all such lovely, beautiful humans ... thank you all. As a horse of few words, I accept this award very gratefully. Sincerely, High HopesSpecialProgra/JJJ Coordi1Jato1; KriJtin Mason, acceptedPoncho'sawardfront Mike Witte, Indiana representative of P11ri11a Mills, the NARHA spo1JJ01¡ of the Hones of Honorprogram.
Poncho
High Hopes
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a __ en1ngs ( . Occupational Therapy comes to High Hopes research projects at High Hopes. She and Nicole both lecture for our Instructor Trainin g Courses. The add itio n of these skill ed professiona ls w ill affect our ability to meet the coll ective and individua l needs of our participants more fully. Through their expertise, staff and participants wi ll benefit from consulta t ion on indi vidu al and group needs leadi ng to increased participation overall. Suggestion s often includ e sensory activit ies, developmental skill s, sequencing and task mod ifi cation.
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igh Hopes has been very fortunate to have the skill and talents of two Occupational Therapists (OT's) join our staff over the past year. Nicole Cuomo, a horsewoman and Yoga instructor, began her association with High Hopes years ago as a volunteer. Donna Latella, a faculty member at Quinnipiac University, is also a NARHA Registered instructor and recent horse owner. Occupational therapy is defined as skilled treatment that helps individuals
achieve independence in all facets of their lives by the development of skills for daily living. Occupational therapists are skilled professionals whose education includes the study of human growth and development with specific emphasis on the social, emotional, and physiological effects of illness and injury.
Donna and Nicole help to enrich our programs in myriad ways. Nicole has worked w ith staff and volunteers to expand our repertoire of adaptive equipment, including handholds and rein modifications. She worked with several of our interns this summer to create a sequential videotape to help participants with lesson progression and expectations. Nicole will be team teaching with other staff as she finishes her practicum hours, on the road to achieving her NARHA instructor certification. This winter, Nicole will be working with staff and volunteers to incorporate Yoga activities into mounted work. Donna has been a frequent face on Saturdays, assisting other instructors with a variety of participants and classes. Donna is interested in pursuing research topics and is working with students at Quinnipiac University to develop
For in stance, when working w it h a group of chi ldren with aut ism, the OT might work one-on-one with an individual for a portion of the lesson on basic ridi ng skills, with focused reinforcement. The student can then be reintegrated with the group for a trai l ride or fun activity. Wit h this strategy, the individual is better able to focus on and retain some of the basic riding skills through repetition and lower stimulation. Brainstorming, problem solving and sharing information with volunteers, other staff, parents, teachers and participants has helped to improve the overa ll delivery of each therapeutic riding session as well as enhanci ng overall communication. Occupational therapy skil ls improve our communication and bring about more effective lessons, with better carry over into daily living ski lls. We we lcome and embrace this opportunity to further strengt hen the services we offer our participants.
A Hi gh Hopes
Participant's
History
This newsletter
is underwritten
by
Contributors to the High HopesRiderDecember 2006 Photos & Articles: Gary Borla, Connie Corbett, Alison Zack Darrell, Judie Driscoll, Michael Fanelli, Cheryl Heffernan , Poncho Q. Horse, Kristin Elliott Leas, Kaye Marks, Eric Northrop, Heather Leigh Northrop , Sara Qua, Kitty Stalsburg, Tony Thurston Editor: Heather Leigh Northrop
Designer: Kelley Cahill
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