The High Hopes
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Inside this issue: Board Chairman & Executive Director Message
Winter 2006
Spotlight On Success
The constant voice is n1uted, the unseen enemy disappears
Learning to Stand at Hig h Hopes
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The Spirit of Giving What is that Thing?
Ways to Give From the Horse's Mouth Eandy-an d-the --High Hopes Driving Program
High Hopes Happenings Symphony in the Meadows 2006 tunes up! New Board Members Elected High Hopes Journa l In accorda nce with the Ame ricans wit h Disabilities Act, The High Hopes Rider is avai lab le in alterna t ive formats upon request. Please contact Judie Driscol I at Ext. 19.
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Therap eutic Riding, Inc. Phone : 860.434 .1974 Fax: 860.434 .3723 www.highhopestr.org
We focus on the here and now." That's how Deborah Brennan, Rehab Therapy Supervisor for the Psychiatric Division of Middletown's Connecticut Valley Hospital describes work with her sixteen patients who, in groups of three, make the 58 mile round trip twice weekly to High Hopes. The half hour sessions are opportunities for patients with significant impairments to gather their energies and focus on a single activity, free of debilitating delusions which often include imaginary voices and imagined enemies. The one focus they all share is the care, riding and love of the horse. The Connecticut Valley Hospital (CVH) serves those in the state who need the most. Only those in the Psychiatric Division who have stabilized, through treatment or medication, are eligible for the sessions at High Hopes. Of a Division population of 180, only 20, over the two years since the program began, have qualified. While at High Hopes, Deb Brennan's staff and the profe ssionals and volunteers at High Hopes seek to instill self-esteem, cognition, acceptable social behavior and a sense of personal boundaries in the patients. Brennan notes that High Hopes sessions are not direct services, nor treatment sessions but a step toward recovery and hugely valuable in the full range of therapies w hich can lead to the discharge of a patient.
Kathy Ferrero, a psychiatric nurse at CVH, noted that she had small expectations when the program first began. But, as a featured speaker at High Hopes' annual meeting in November, she recounted success stories which include impro ved behavior, renewed socialization skills and enhanced self-perception . Ever an issue at any state facility is the matter of funding. Bussesand gasoline are not large expenses but staffing costs can be . It is the protocol that sessions be partnered equall y by CVH professionals and those from High Hopes. For eve ry CVH staff nurse or supervisor engaged in service to Deb Brennan's patients at High Hopes, a substitute professional must be found in Middletown . In wor king with CVH patients , High Hopes staff and volunteers undergo specific training, much of it provided by CVH professionals but also by the High Hopes Volunteer Enrichment Series. " Mental Health Issues" was the topic of Deb Brennan's January 11 program . In it she shared 25 years' exper ience and strategies for working with peop le with mental health issues. For participants in the CVH program at High Hopes, some constant voices fall si lent and some unseen enemie s take flight .
essa SallyH. Aubrey JaneA. Bolles JohnM. catlett OulstopherM. Coyle ElizabethL David KatharineH. GIidersieeve LyndonHaviland PaulineC. Knoll JudithF. Ughtfoot HeatherLeighNorthrop MarieO'Connell A. RivesPotts JeffreyRidgway KelvinN. ~ler DavidE.Walker, MD Claudia T. Welcker LyttletonB. P.Gould, Jr. FrankHamilton,Jr. GraceHamilton Wayne0 . Southwick,MD
A new year
begins and we are reminded of the wonderful power of HOPE as the inspiration for our mission. It is also the theme for this year's Annual Appeal, Our Community of Hope, bringing together the many people and elements that give life to High Hopes' programs. The Annual Appeal provides all our fr iends with a yearly occasion to show their support of our mission in a tangible and important way. It is your main opportunity, therefore, to invest in Our Community of Hope. The total Annual campaign goal this year is $250,000. This will provide 30% of our operating funds for the year and will enable us to accept participants into our programs based on therapeutic need, regardless of financial means.
SherleyFurgueson BetsyHom
BarbaraKashansld
JudithF.Ughtfoot" A. RivesPotts* JeffreyRidgway* RogerM. Smith. KelvinN. lyl er*
Our Community of Hope grows stronger every year through the generosity of our donors. If you have not received your Annual Appeal mailing, and would l ike to participate, please e-mail Sara Qua, Director of Development, at squa@highhopestr .org or call her at (860) 434-1974 Ext. 22.
A particularly clear example of the meaning of hope and its significance to the High Hopes mission occurred at our Annual Membership meeting back in October. We had as our guest speaker Vittorio Ferrero, MD, the Principal Psychiatrist fo r Geriatrics at Connecticut Valley Hospital. After describing the profound relationship between High Hopes and some of the patients at the Connecticut Valley Hospita l, Dr. Ferrero ended his comments saying that those patients tend to suffer from an intense feel ing of hopelessness that comes with their mental illness, and that when they come to High Hopes they are "given hope". His words are remarkably reflective of the strong and positive impact High Hopes has on the many children and adults who come to us seeking help in overcoming their various physical and emotional disabilities . Thank you to our many volunteers and supporters for giving us hope for this new year.
t deceased •currentlyservingasa Trustee
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ot on1 Learning to Stand at High Hopes
er smile lit up the ring, " Look at me, I'm standing!" Only minutes before, this same young woman had adm itted her fear . And yet, she had faced it head on and determinedly brought her legs beneath her as she slowly rose t o a tentative stand, all while Latino walked slow ly along beneath her.
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Vaulting, or gymnastics on hor seback, is an activit y that can be used in the therapeutic riding setting for a variety of reasons. Vaulting allows the hor se and rider to develop an altogether different sort of bond than seen in th e traditional ho rse/rider relationship. The vaulter must learn body awa reness and balance to be able to move around atop a horse. The horse in turn must be absolut ely "bombproof" and accepting of people on his back in all posit ion s as well as on the ground all around him. This mutual bond of tr ust is very powerful. During this fall season, a group of young participants from Boys and Girls Village have been coming to Hig h Hopes fr om Milford each week. Much of the semester they worked on tradit ional riding skills, but during the last four weeks we brough t in ou r
t Success
vaulter extraord inaire - Mary, who helped demonstrate and train the group in t he compu lsory movements for vaulting . Mary, who had done competitive vaulti ng on the west coast, was thrilled to revisit her talents and share those skills with our riders. The group wo uld first warm up on the ground doing stretches, lunges, tumbles and running. They would then move to the vaulting barrel. (This is a carpet covered 55 gallon drum on legs with padded hand les.) This allows the vaulter to practice the movements on an inanimate object first , to avoid causing undue injur y to the horse and maximizi ng t he safety for t he rider . After practicing the moves on th e barrel, the riders then move to the horse. The horse of cho ice for this is one that is stoi c and calm with smoot h gaits . The hor se must also be large enough to comfortably accommodate the vaul ter( s) (sometimes more than one) on t heir back. The horse should longe
(lunge) at a consistent pace for extended periods of time . The horse that we used, Lat in o, met most of the criteria, although he was a bit of a chall enge t o keep moving on t he longe line. Latino is forgiving and kind . He helps his vaulters explore the environment of his broad, secure back as they develop balance and body awareness. He enjoys the gigg les and their proclamations of achievement! The joy s and successesof vaulting are many fold. Interactive vaulting is not competit ive. The individual is t he focus as we ll as the group working together . It enables the participant to work and accomplish tasks at his or her own pace. The instructor facilitates successand challenges according to the individual's strengths and weaknesses. The partic ipant is ab le to feel and follow the movement of the horse thus laying the ground work for a more relaxed future rider whi le increasing self concept and self esteem. Perhaps most important ly, VAULTING IS FUN!!
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What is that thing? If you've ever
visited High Hopes, you've probably seen a wooden horse standing in our viewing area and maybe you asked yourself "What is that thing?" Well, that "thing" is our teaching horse, lovingly named Mr. Ed. There is a very interesting story behind how Mr. Ed came to live at High Hopes. Back in the late 1980's a very kind and creative gentleman by the name of Seth A. Armen was volunteering at another therapeutic riding center as a sidewalker. He noticed that some of the riders he was w orking w ith were often distracted and not able to focus on the skills they were being asked to perform. He was also aware that some children were very afraid and resisted going near the horses, so they w ere unable to actually mount one and learn to ride. Mr. Arm en came up with a solution for thi s problem. He designed a station ary hor se that could be ridd en and used to t each stud ents the basics of riding a horse, such as how to steer, w hat it f eels li ke t o mount and di smount, and how t o use vo ice commands such as "wa lk on" and "whoa" . Mr. Ar men had som e help from his two sons, one of who m is an engi neer and a woodcarve r and took on the task of carving t he head. His other son was
managing a company that made office furniture and he crafted the parts for the "horse 's" mahogany legs. This stationary horse was named "Peggy ", the teaching horse. Since Peggy's creation, Mr. Armen has shipped 61, handcrafted teaching horses to therapeutic riding centers in Canada and the United States. About to turn 90, he still produces t w o to four Peggy's per year with help from his son who still does the woodcarving. Mr. Ed was given as a gift to High Hopes from Jonnie and Ashton Edwards in memory of their son, Ashton Edward s, Jr., who passed away on July 4, 1987. Jonnie and Ash requested that donations be made to High Hopes in his memory. When asked how they would like High Hopes to administer the donations, they took their time and ultimately decided on
purchasing a " Peggy" after hearing about the mechanical teaching h0 rse being built by Mr. Armen. High Hopes was one of the first recipients of a "Peggy" who was lov ingl y renamed "Mr. Ed" after Jonnie and Ash's son Ashton EDwards. Jonnie , w ho had been involved with High Hopes since 1978, felt that not only would Mr. Ed be a wonderful w ay to teach ride rs who had never ridden, how to sit and steer without causing undue stress to the hor se's mouth, but that it was much needed for use in prospective student evaluations . Just as important , Mr. Ed is a way for Jonnie to remember her son every time she comes to teach at High Hopes, for Mr. Ed w ill never ret ire and only needs the occasional new battery or some minor adjustments. In addition to use on site at High Hopes, Mr. Ed often travel s with staff and volunteer s to exhibitions and demonstrations to allo w the general publi c to have th eir first taste of t herapeuti c rid ing . He draws a crow d whe rever he goes and is a wo nde rfu l ambassador fo r High Ho pes! Walk on Mr. Ed and thank yo u Jonni e, Ash and Mr. Armen for your wonde rf ul spirits of giving. High Hope, lmtmctou111d s11jlporter. Jom1ie Edlw1rd.swith Mr. Ed. 011 r teaching hor1e.
High HopeSisabusy place, with a lot going on and consequently there are many needs and many ways to contribute to the activities. In the next few issues of the High Hopes Rider we will highlight a few of the ways to GIVE to High Hopes in an effort to draw attention to some of the ways in which you might consider being a part of this vital community of hope.
Volunteer time Individuals can volunteer personally, in groups or through their employer, who may give time off for volunteering at charitable organizations (contact your employer's Human Resources Department to find out if they participate in a program like this). An excellent example of a volunteer who has given an invaluable gift to High Hopes in her time and talent is Nancy Cusack, our 2005 Office Volunteer of the Year. Nancy, whose professional expertise is as a Senior Analyst at Bristol-Myers Squibb, has donated over 3000 hours assisting in the development of High Hopes'
integrated donor/volunteer/participant database. Her gift of time and knowledge has saved High Hopes thousands of dollars and is greatly appreciated. If you're interested in volunteering at High Hopes, contact Jeanna Pellino at 860-434-1974 Ext. 16 or jpellino@highhopestr.org
Employee Giving Campaigns Many employers nationwide provide the opportunity for their employees to have a portion of their wages deducted and automatically donated to the charitable organization of their choice. High Hopes is listed on many charitable organization registries including www.networkforgood .org , www.justgive.org and www.guidestar.org Many employers also offer a match to their employee's donation which increases the amount of benefit received by High Hopes. This is a great opportunity to maximize your gift even more!
Timeshare Donations The website www .donateforacause .org allows owners of timeshares to donate their timeshare and give the value of this property to the charitable organization of their choice.
In-Kind Donations High Hopes often is in need of farm equipment, saddles/tack/bridles and other horse supplies, arts & crafts supplies, helmets & boots for participant safety or general office operational equipment like computers and office supplies. We attempt to list specific items in the High Hopes Rider, but there are often ongoing needs between publications. If you have items you think may be of help to High Hopes, please contact Sara Qua at 860-434-1974 Ext. 22 or squa @highhopestr.org Items currently on the High Hopes Wish List are: • Backpack leaf blower •Chainsaw If you have one of these items that you'd like to donate to High Hopes, please contact Barn Manager, Holly Sundmacker at 860-434-1974 Ext. 27.
Cast Your Vote at Essex Savings Bank Customers of EssexSavings Bank have a unique way of supporting High Hopes. Between February 1 and March 15 you can cast your vote for "High Hopes Therapeutic Riding, Inc." in the Community Investment Program. Based on the number of votes received, EssexSavings Bank provides funding to the listed organizations. Last year High Hopes placed 5th in the balloting and received $2,155 which provided much needed scholarship funding for our participants. Please stop by your local branch office of Essex Savings Bank and cast your vote for High Hopes to help us raise even more scholarship funds for 2006! Thank you Essex Savings Bank for continuing this great traditi on of supporting your local community.
Vo/11 1t1eerNancy Cusackhard rJ/work 011the High Hopesdatabase
Down on the Farm for our Annual Meeting
H
orse lovers from throughout Connecticut fl ocked to t he
riverfront property of High Hopes supporter Jane Davison fo r two
igh Hopes' annu al meet ing is a mu ch anti cipated event w hic~ brin_gs t~ge~her our vo luntee rs, supp orters, part icipan t s and st aff for an evening high lighting our successes of the past year. Some of t he hono rees at th is year's meeting included: Thom as Weigand -Watk inson, w ho received t he Patri ck Moreno Sportsmanship Award, And rew Keef e named th e Paul Burk hart h Rider of t he Year, Jeff and Holly Ridgway w ho received the Sally Aub rey Awa rd for outst andin g voluntee r service to High Hopes and Am and a Stazick who received t he Jane Davison Youth Service Award .
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ur remarkable volunteers were feted at a reception in their honor on September 29t h. Thank s to the efforts of the Volunteer Committee a deli ciou s spread w as enjo yed and bartende rs extraordinai re Bob Nelson and Bob Knoll mad e sure th at th e w ine and cider f low ed smoothl y. Vo lunt eer Tia Smith and Board member and former rid er Mark O'Conn ell gave a mov ing , and hu mo rous ta lk on th e lessons given, and learned, by High Hopes vo lunt eers.
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cha lleng ing eq uine event s. On A ugust 27th over 50 ride rs t ested t heir horses ski lls in jumping and dressage during t he annual Lord Creek Farm Horse Trials and on Sept emb er 23rd over 100 t eams compet ed in t he Lor d Creek Farm Hunt er Pace. Bot h event s ben efi ted High Hopes and :J 1q .,,u, f ,,. \t. I _,,i I tne Connect icut Valley Pony Club. Thank yo u, Janie, for making yo ur spectacul ar property available for t hese two popu lar event s!
Mending Fences his fall High Hopes benefited from the manpower of two special work crews w ho assisted in some much needed fence and pasture maintenance. Dur ing the Unit ed Way's Day of Cari ng w e welcomed t he employees of CL&P w ho fou nd some t ime to enjoy a visit t o their adopted horse, Poncho. Later in the month , the hardwork ing Coast Guard Academy cadets took on the herculean ta sk of rep lacing all of the electrical cable throughout ou r paddocks. We thank both crew s for th eir handi w ork in tackling these necessary tasks.
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Fore!! On a gloriously sunny Oct ober day, 24 fo ursomes parti cipat ed in th e 2nd A nnu al High Hopes Golf Classic held at the chall enging Lake of Isles private South Course. With the help of our generou s corporate supporter s, including Plat inum Sponsor, Mortgage Lenders Netw ork USA and Gold Sponsor, pfizer Inc., High Hopes netted close to $32,000 in support of our programs. We look forward
to seeingall our golfing friends at next year'stournament,which will take placeat the Lakeof IslesNorth Courseon October
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High Hopes Board Men1ber honored at NARHA Conference As befitting
our status as a premier therapeutic riding center, High Hopes was well represented at the North Ame rican Riding fo r the Handicapped (NARHA) annual conference in Houston, Texas this past November. High Hopes' staff led many of the presentations, contributing their professional expertise and experience w hile gaining usefu l informat ion on new developments within the indust ry. The highlig ht for High Hopes was on the night of the conference's gala banquet when Board member, Cheryl Heffe rnan, was hono red as the NAHRA Region 1
NAR HA Region I RepresentativePatti Coyle with Cheryl Heffeman
Volunteer of the Year. Whether chairing an event or w ork ing in the ring as a horse leader, Cheryl has been ti reless in her suppo rt of High Hopes. Congratulations Cheryl on a well deserved ho nor !
Candy and the High Hopes Driving Program Written by High Hopes Instructor Mary Washburn
One of the
newest members of the High Hopes herd is Candy, a Clydesdale/Hackney cross mare. Candy is about ten years old, 15.2 hands high, and is a very dark bay with four white socks and a white blaze on her face. Although she can be ridden, High Hopes purchased her specifically for the purpose of helping to get the new High Hopes carriage driving program started. When you meet Candy, you might notice that she looks like a smaller version of the QO__[sesln the Budweiser hitches, pulli;g fli o se big wag ons. Who knows, she might be a distant cousin of some of those horses! Candy came to High Hopes this past summer, very fat and out of shape after having been unu sed and turned out to pasture for almost two years. She has had lots of driving experience, but relatively little riding experience. The first concern of the High Hopes staff was to put her on a diet and exercise regimen that would help her lose some of her fat and gain some healthy muscle tone. She also needed to gain more experience being ridden, since that will be part of her new job . Also, like any horse who is new to High Hopes, she has had to get used to strange things like basket ball hoops, foam noodles, and having plastic hoops and lacrosse sticks passed over her head - not the sorts of things to which the average horse has much exposure. Like most horses of her breed, Candy has been calm and sensible during this educational process.
My role in Candy's life is to get her ready for the new carriage driving program that will be in operation by the spring semester. In High Hopes' history, the people who were certified by NARHA to teach driving moved on and the program came to an end. Sis Gould, who founded High Hopes, was a great "whip" (as drivers of horses are often called) and was always eager for driving to be part of the High Hopes program. More recently, her daughter, Cyndie, started to work toward making her mother's wish a reality once again. In October, Cyndie and I fulfilled the requirements and became NARHA certified carriage driving instructors. Although she has since returned to England, where she lives for about half the year, Cyndie continues to assist me in sett ing up the new program.
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Next time you are at High Hopes, notice the weathervane on top of the cupola by the outdoor arena.
It features a horse hitched to a cart, being driven by a person in a wheelchair and was commissioned by Sis Gould. High Hopes owns a wheelchair accessible carriage, as well as two conventional carts and a mini cart, designed to be pulled by Aladdin (or "Big Al") the miniature horse. Driving is a great sport for almost anyone who enjoys horses. Most of the students in the therapeutic riding program would qualify to drive as well. Also, some w ho cannot ride wou ld be able to drive: such as some whose weight is too high to ride or those whose disability causes them to be unsafe astride ,a, horse. •If-you are ·~· interested in giving driving a try please contact Program Director, Kitty Stalsburg at 860-434-1974 ext. 13. Candy and I would love to share with you the wonderfu l experience of carriage driving at High Hopes!
Cyndit Go11/dwith Candya11dMary Washbw11 with Big Al.
, Symphony in the Meadows 2006 tunes up! ommittees are meeting, the orchestra is confirmed and selecting the music, invitations are being designed and food is being tasted .... Symphony in the Meado w s 2006 is in full swing!! High Hopes is thrilled to have the experience of Dick and Judy Lightfoot coupled with the talents of Tony and Sandy Thurston as the Co-Chairs for this years' event and together they have put together an incredible team working for the benefit of High Hopes. The New Haven Symphony Orchestra, under the musical leadership of Jung Ho Pak, will perform on Saturday, June 10th at the beautiful waterfront home of Mark
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and Dorinda Winkelman at Hayden's Point in Essex,Connecticut . Food Chairs, Susan Jewett and Ann Lane have selected Pasta Vita to once again provide gourmet bo xed suppers, while Cecil Lyon and Jonathan Jewett are in charge of the liquid portion of the evening's refreshments. Jackie Kangley has gathered together an enthusiastic band of volunteers for the Silent Auction and Jeb Embree is chairing an impressive Corporate Sponsorship Committee . As the saying goes, many hands make light work and Tony, Sandy, Dick and Judy have recruited many helping hands. With that being said though, there is always need for
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more help! If you are interested in volunteering for this important benefit, please contact Sara Qua, Director of Development , at High Hopes 860-434-1974 Ext. 22 or squa @highhopestr.org .
New Board members elected at the 32nd Annual Membership Meeting
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he Board of Trustees held its Annual Meeting on October 16, 2005. As is the case each year, the Annual Meeting is a bittersweet opportunity to bid farewell to board members whose terms have been completed and to welcome new board members.
At this meeting , we elected two new members: John M. Catlett and Lyndon Haviland . They succeeded Jane Davison and Dorinda Winkelman. John M . Catlett is retired as a partner with the global consulting firm , Accenture. As a member of Accenture 's Health and Life Science practice, John assisted clients in planning and executing large complex change initiatives to significantly improve performance . His focus within the practice w as the pharmaceutical industry specializing in Research & Development and Supply Chain . With Accenture he held a variety of positions including most recent ly Client Partner for two of Accenture's largest pharmaceutical clients. John holds an undergraduate degree from Drew University and an MBA
from Lehigh University. He resides in Lyme with his w ife Athana and t hree daughters. Lyndon Haviland holds a Master's and doctorate degree in public health from the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia -~ ? ·1·:~-~·._· .. ,, University and a certificate in Management ' -\ ,.,,,,,..,,ri ' from the Harvard Business School. Lyndon . . ~. is currently an Assistant Professor at the ~ University of New Me xico w here she teaches International Health and Social and Cultural Theor y. From 1999-2004, she helped to develop the Ameri can Legacy Foundation, the largest public health fo undat ion in the U.S. dedicated to the prevention of yout h tobacco initiation, w here she oversaw the aw ard winning trut h® campa ign. Lyndo n has also w orked interna ti onally for John Snow Inc., t he United Nations Development Program , t he Institute of International Education , and the International Medical Corps, w here she developed expertise in strategic pla nning, brand development, applied evaluation and pub lic healt h commu nicat ion s. A Connect icut nati ve, Lynd on and her husband Tom Neff split their time bet w een Lyme and Cerrill os, New Mex ico.
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Our High Hopes Juu1.nal hand picks up pen and puts it to paper. A simple white page with lines comes alive with each stroke. The strokes are mere letters combined to make words, but what brings words to life is the sentiment behind them. The memory, the moment, the people, the caring, the kindness ..... this is what brings meaning and life to written words. Words come to life from the moments captured in time on paper by YOU! participants, parents, family members, caregivers, volunteers, teachers, and staff.
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Our High Hopes Journal is for the purpose of recording the wo nderful stories that you experience and/ or observe at High Hopes. We enthusiastically invite you to help grow our High Hopes Journal by submitting your stories, no matter how brief. Wonderful things happen everyday, and we want to hear about those treasured moments , fun adventures, keen observations, the fulfillment of dreams, and more! We sincerely hope that you will consider contributing to our journal. If you need help recording your entry or wish to send it in via email, please contact Renya at rcraig@highhopestr.org or stop by her desk in the front reception area . Thanks for helping us treasure your thoughts and reflections .
Contributor s to th e
High HopesRider Winter 200 6 Photos & Articles: Renya Craig, Alison Zack Darrell, Judie Driscoll, John C. Evans, Kristin Mason, Heathe r Leigh Northrop , Landon Potts, Sara Qua, Kitty Stalsburg, Mary Washburn Editor: Heather Leigh Northrop Designer: Kelley Cahill
This newsletter is underwritten by
Non- Profit Org. U.S. Postage
PAID Old Lyme, CT Permit # 1
High Hopes Therapeutic Riding , Inc. Sis Gould Centerfor-TherapeuticRiding 36 Town Woods Road P.O. Box 254 Old Lyme, CT 06371-0254
Kitty Stalsburg & Rob Hageman Kathryn Hageman 430-1 Joshuatown Rd. Lyme, CT 06371
A Traditionof Excellence in Therapeutic Riding