The High Hopes
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Inside this issue: Board Chairman & Executive Director Message Spotlight On Success In Search of a Challenge
The Spirit of Giving Equine Care Fund
Ways to Give Fashionably Supportive, Wish List, Holiday Giving, Expressions Art Show & Sale
From the Horse's Mouth New Horses-How They Get Here
High Hopes Happenings New Board Member, Horse Show Days, SITM 2008
In accorda nce with the Americans with Disabilities Act, The High Hopes Rider is available in alternative formats upon request. Please contact Wendy Knight at Ext. 19.
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HIGH
--H O PES
Therapeutic Riding , Inc.
Phone: 860.434.1974 Fax: 860.434.3723 www.highhopestr
.org
Spring 2008
Volunteer Evolution Magic moments.
We are fortunate to experience these daily at High Hopes in the accomplishments of our participants, the kind eyes of our horses, and the extraordinary efforts of our volunteers. But beyond the wonderful things that can be said about High Hopes' volunteers, it has been noticed that they not only encourage change in High Hopes but changes happen in them. We call it Volunteer Evolution. Volunteer Evolution? A Darwinian theory? Not quite. Actually, more intriguing. What makes an individual come through our doors initially expressing an interest in giving an hour a week to help someone, and wind up spending so many hours and days participating in various aspects of our program? These dedicated volunteers have evolved over the course of time into an incredibly diverse and versatile team, capable of contributing to the organization in numerous and invaluable ways. In an effort to understand the "High Hopes Connection", we asked some of our more "evolved" volunteers if they would share some of their personal experiences with us. Current Board member Pauline Knoll came to High Hopes as a sidewalker fifteen years ago. She then went on to become Volunteer Coordinator, a horse leader and Volunteer Committee chair. As Pauline relates it, "I met Judy Lightfoot while volunteering at the Lyme Public Library and Judy would come in frequently with a particular glow. This, I learned, was the High Hopes aura gained by being part of this remarkable community. Well, I wanted what she was having, so I went to investigate." The rest, as we say, is history.
Kathi Corrigan began at High Hopes three years ago as a sidewalker and has evolved into a proficient horse leader, Team Captain, Vocational Coach and mo re! Here are some words from Kathi -- "Scanning the Penny Saver one day I noticed an ad seeking volunteers for High Hopes. Something clicked! I called that day and found myself attending the Orientation & Training session that evening. Being confident in the business world, I found the High Hopes experience to be very humbling. Everything was new and I felt like a little child again. But the kindness and hands-on training that I received from the High Hopes family has guided me into the volunteer that I am today. Volunteering at High Hopes has truly been a gift to me. " Another "evolved" volunteer, Bruce Smith, moved to the area with his wife Sandy, also a volunteer, several years ago. Bruce said "High Hopes helps volunteers redefine their later years so that they can remain an important part of their community. Work and famil y are too often the sole identity of the middle aged American . When work becomes memories and children achieve independence a very large void opens. Rather than become isolated, active volunteers discover a gigantic new world filled with needs that we are uniquely qualified to fill." Volunteer Donna Royston shared a statement many other volunteers have echoed. "The best thing I learned is that once you pull into the parking lot , any problems that you have, immediately leave your mind . .. I received th e Barn Volunteer of the Year Award for which I am so appreciative. But in reality the few hours a week that I volunteer are a small price for the boost in self confidence and elimination of problems I receive." So, what do you think? Is it the type of individual High Hopes attracts, or is it the organization itself that fosters the desire to evolve? Perhaps Ralph Waldo Emerson said it best: "It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself."
Founder
essa
High Hopes Board of Trustees Officers
from the
Board Chairman& Executive Director
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We eager ly watc h the early buds come to life with renewed vigor along the various trails. Our participants have returned for the spr ing semester of activities and summer plans are well underway. We have several new horses in our midst, new instructor candidates and several additions to our staff.
Honorary Trustees
Chairmen Emeriti
entle spring winds, longer days and warmer weather brings the shedding of heavy w inter coats for both horses and humans.
We are thrilled to wel come our very own Jeanna Pellino to the Program Director position. Jeanna has capab ly served High Hopes as the Volunteer Manager for over three years. A life-long horsewoman and graduate of the Instructor Training Course at High Hopes, Jeanna has been i·nvolved in several other therapeutic riding programs in various capacities and brings a wealt h of experience and great enthusiasm to her new role. We have also hired Laura Brown as Volunteer Manager. Laura, a certified NARHA
Advisory Members
instructor, is very familiar w ith High Hopes as a past volunteer and an intern while she was at Connecticut College. Jeanna will be wo rki ng closely w it h Laura to he lp her get
High Hopes Staff
to know all of our wonderful volunteers! High Hopes is actively engaged in thinking strategically about the future and we ll into the process of developing our next Strategic Plan. Our leader in this process, former Board member Cheryl Heffernan, is keeping the Strategic Planning Committee involved with frequent meetings and planning sessions. Many of you have already been asked to
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participate in the early information gathering phase. We will now be looking outside of our immediate "family", collecting input from all of our constituencies. The committee expects to present a new Strategic Plan to the Board by the end of the next fiscal year. The dream of a single person, our founder Sis Gould, shared with many, allowed us to blossom and grow into what we are today. The next Strategic Plan w i ll build on that vision for our future. On the fund raising front, we are work ing hard toward realizing our $250,000 goal for the 2007-2008 Annual Appeal. While we still have a ways to go, we are confident we wi ll achieve our goal through the generosity of our members and friends in t he community. Finally, we are in the midst of preparations for our major bi-annua l fundraising event, Symphony in the Meadows. The lovely grounds of Hayden Point on the Connecticut River in Essexwi ll once again be the setting for the sounds of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra on June 14th. We look forward to having you jo in us for a magical evening under the stars as we celebrate the beauty of the human/eq uine relationship working together to serve our participants.
t deceased
*currently serving as a Trustee
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t uccess
In Searchof a Challenge
In 1994,
Andrew Keefe came to High Hopes as a 4 1/2 year old who needed a form of exercise to help with trunk stabilization and overall muscle development. He required the support of a horse leader and two sidewalkers to get through those early lessons. By the time Andrew was 10 years old, he began riding independently with his faithfu l horse partner, Doc. In the years that followed, ¡his skills developed and he was able to represent his home state of Rhode Island in the Special Olympics as an Equestrian Participant. In 2002 Andrew experienced one of his prouder moments, competing in a regional Horse Show in Vermont. (See photo) Andrew describes his favorite aspect
of the High Hopes experience as "cha I lenge" ! Whether it's getting to know a new horse (as he is currently doing with Parker since longtime pal, Doc, retired) or learning an advanced skill like cantering (which he mastered a few years ago), Andrew loves the constant challenges he gets through his lessons at High Hopes under the direction of his devoted instructor, Jonni'e Edwards. He says his . partic ipation at High Hopes has been incredibly beneficial to his muscular strength as we ll as his confidence. In addition to his growth and excellence in the ring, Andrew has shown profic iency in public speaking. He was a key advocate fo r High Hopes' Adopt-an-
Acre Campaign in 2007 by being a participant demonstrator and speaker at several benefit receptions. "I like
interacting with people after they see me ride. Most people have never seen therapeutic riding before, so it's fun to explain it to them." Andrew will be graduat in g from Westerly High School in Westerly, RI this spring and is pursu ing a college education which he hopes wi ll include involvement in equine sports and competition. We wish Andrew the best of luck in his future endeavors and certain ly watch for the spotlight to continue to shine on this talented young man!
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1r1to 1v1n . Equt inbef_tc~;~ f ~ f Th Is spring a our ene 1 concer t , Symp h ony in· the Mea dows, H.19h Hopes ·11 b wI e Iaunc h.mg a en·t·1caI new · ·t·Iat·1ve,th e Equme · c a re Fund . m1 Donations to this fund will support
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dividual's ,espoosibilit y t o monito,
t he d eve Iopmen t o f our h er d Of · areas. t h erapy h orses ·in th ree main · · f h f First, a portion o t ese un d s w ·11 1 be used to help in the purchase of ·f·1c a therapy horse when necessary. Because of th e spec1 population we serve, each of our horses must possess
the usage and care of our horses and keep t hem in the . . best possible physical and mental cond1t1on. As a result, High Hopes is often cited as an example of superb ho rse management and responsibility . However, in .total, these . equine expenses account for the largest po~1on of High Hopes' annual operating expenses. . . Further, . in recent years we have experienced a dramatic increase in . the cost . of hay and we expect these expenses to continue to nse . . significantly in the coming years. The Equine _care Fund wi ll ensure that continue to be . the needs . of ourd horses d st st met at the highe possible an ar s.
special qualities that offer therapeutic benefits such as a smooth, rhythmic gait, the abi lit y to adapt to many different handlers and situations along with a consistently calm, even temperament . The perfect therapy horse is a unique and rare creature and, over the years, a number of our wonderfu l, highly suitable horses have come from individuals willing to donate or free lease them to High Hopes. However, on occasion it is necessary to seek out a horse of a particular size, temperament or gait, and these horses may only be available by purchase. This was the case a few years ago when High Hopes suddenly lo st one of its hard working horses due to colic. Jasmine was a large breed with a gentle and patient temperament used primari ly to serve our older and heavier participants. Her loss left a significant gap in our program that could not be filled by other horses in our herd. Fortunately for our participants, a beautiful ·Percheron draft horse, Buddy, came to High Hopes. Less fortunately for High Hopes, Buddy was not a donated or free lease horse and his purchase put a considerable strain on our operating budget . To safeguard against situations such as this, and to ensure that we always have the most suitable herd for all of our participants, High Hopes seeks to establish a fund that wou ld p_rovide for the purchase of a horse·when necessary.
Finally, the Equine Care Fund will be used to help provide for the retirement of the gentle members of our herd. The staff and Board of Trustees of High Hopes feel we have a moral and eth ical duty to provide the most supportive environment available once our dedicated equine partners reach retirement age. Each of our horses gives their all while at High Hopes and they deserve to continue to receive abundant love and attention once their work ing days are over. Upon retirement from our therapeutic riding program, many of these horses are sent to homes with caring fami li es where they can continue to provide a useful, if less demanding, service such as becoming a companion horse. However, some of our horses cannot make this transition due to chronic health or age related problems. An equine retirement farm, such as Mitchell Farm Equine Retirement Facility in nearby Salem, CT,can provide the perfect solution in those cases.The admittance fee for a horse to such a facility is $6,000 but , given the more frequent medical expenses incurred when caring for an older horse, this fee often covers only the cost of the first year of retirement and addit io nal regular donations are encouraged. In the next two years, High Hopes anticipates retiring at least three long serving members of our equine community. Funds from the Equin e Care Fund will ensure
Next, 'the Equine Care Fund will oe used to provide the best veterinary and equine care availab le. In order to mee: the needs of our participants, High Hopes current ly maintains a ' herd of 24 horses. We select these horses with great care and, md st ciften, they are ol.der, more e~perienced animals. ~The on-going · care that these mature horses require is a ".: i,:ontinuing con·cern and priority for High Hopes and the ~exp enses associated w ith this _care ·constityte a substantial p9rt ion of our program budget. The annua'I costs for hay, ,; speciar senior feed, shoes, veterinary f~es, suppl~ ments and ·:: m; dication tota l we ll over $5,000 per horse. In addition, . . l;l_ig .h Hopes has a full time Equine Pr9gram Coordinator on
that they can live out the remainder of their days in a loving and caring environment. All in all, the establishment of an Equine Care Fund will enable High Hopes to continue to provide our participants with the most sound, best suited herd of therapy horses whi le adhering to our commitment to provide the highest quality of care to our gentle equine partners throughout their lifetimes. If you are interested in learning more about the Equine Care Fund or wish to make a donation to the fund, please contact Sara Qua at 860-434-1974 x 22 or squa@highhopestr.org .
Fashionably Supportive n February 1", the Bee and Thistle Inn hosted a tasty and fashionable luncheon and trunk show in suppo rt of High Hopes. This "sold out" event introduced the new J. Louise Boutique on Lyme Street in Old Lyme and featured clot hing for all ages, including delightful children's apparel modeled by Sophie and Grace Arnold, along with fabulous jewelry designs from EFWaterme lon. High
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items are
• Stall mats • Commercial grade, energy efficient washer and dryer • Gift certificates at tack and feed stores • Helmets • Children's riding gloves or • • • •
knit winter gloves Toilet Paper Napkins Commercial grade vacuum FIie cablnet(s) • 2-4 drawers
Our wish list changes as needs arise, so please keep checking issues of the High ~opes Ridefi or, check with Director of Development, Sara Qua at Ext. 22 or squa@highhopestr.org, We also like to hear if y01,ihave something that you think could fue of use to our barn and program staff that y0u are interested in cfonating.
Holiday Giving Cont inues Beth Smith gave horse treats for Mercy and a saddle pad for Teddy Kathi Corrigan made a generous contribution toward the Holiday Wish List for whatever w as needed. Thank you to EVERYONEwho contributed to making the holidays so merry for our staff, volunteers, participants and horses! We treasure your gifts EVERYday of the year!
Hopes would like to thank Linnea Rufo of the Bee and Thistle Inn, along w ith Hannah Childs, Edie Freeman, Cathy Elliott and Jordon Skowron for their efforts in planning this successful and fun event. We would also like to tha nk our stunning models, Amy Arnold, Adrien Bloom, Anne Gaffey, Patty Ganey, Pam Greenho and Linda Picazio. Through everyone 's efforts, valuable funds were raised and new friends were made! There are plans to hold another luncheon and trunk show in early June, so watch the High Hopes website, www.highhopestr.org , for more information.
Art Sale to Benefit High Hopes Lyme-Old Lyme Junior Women's Club igh Hopes is thrilled to have is celebrating 42 years as a leading been chosen as one of the not-for-profit service organization in beneficiaries of this years' our community. The objective of this Lyme-Old Lyme Junior Women's Club dynamic club is to bring together Expressions Art Show and Benefit Sale. women interested in community Featuring original works of art by service, fellowship and cultural, talented painters, sculptors, educational and civic advancement. photographers and craftsmen from For more information about the throughout our region, proceeds sale visit the LOLJW web site, from the exhibit benefit three worthy www.expressions arts how.org or call non-profit agencies. In addition to Kathy Stephenson at (860) 434 -S058 . High Hopes, the other beneficiaries are the Connecticut Parent Advocacy Center, a statewide organization that Art Show & Benefit Sale supports parents of children with disabilities and the Friday Saturday* Sunday * ECHO Cancer Opening Art Show Foundation, Art Show & Sale Reception &Sa le a unique, non-profit 7-9pm 10am-6pm organization
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2008 April 25-27
Expressions
dedicated to providing hope, education and supportive care to those whose lives have been touched by cancer.
Fron1 the ,
orses
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Scene: The High Hopes Pastures after, the dinner feeding.
Nifty: Psssst... Latir:io.
Latino: What Nifty? Nifty: Did you hear anything about the new kid Sonic?
Latino: Just that he was a lesson horse over at UCONN but is here on a free lease.
Nifty: Free Lease? I am a free lease too. When I retired from my reining career my owner knew that I wo uld be unhappy if I didn't have a job, so she sent me to High Hopes to learn how to be a therap y horse. Hard to believe that was 6 years ago ... Gordy: Six years ... l've only been here six months!! Latino: What brought you to High Hopes Gordy? Gordy: I came from an Amish farm where I used to pull a cart. I tell you, I never heard of a chiropractor until I came to High Hopes!! And what about the mounting l:,lc,ck? Have you evE seen such a peculiar thing?
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Candy: Hey - c001!! I ~ull a cart to0!!
Gordy: Like the hula hoops!!
Gordy: I've mairaly been w0rking with the participants in the riding ~rogram. I was pmchased specifica lly because I am so big and strong.
Cody: Gr the noodles on the trail!!
Candy: Really? I was pur.chased in 2005 because High Hopes needed a foundation horse for the new driving program .
Cody: I think the only job I haven't had since I came to High Hopes is pulling a carriage!! My owner donated me to High. Hopes 18 years ago because she had her hands full with her two small children.
Nifty, Latino, and Gordy: Eighteen Years!?! Cody: High Hopes is a great place to live and work!! That is why so many people are excited to donate, sell, or free lease their horses to High Hopes.
Nifty: How true! ! Lots of horses come to High Hopes to try to become therapy horses but this job is not for everyone.
Latino: That is why there is a trial period for all prospective High Hopes horses. They come and live at High Hopes and get to try all sorts '1 of new activities. ( Some horses like the new experiences and others don't. One thing is for sure, you will see things 1 at High Hopes that you will not see on any ¡ other farm!
lihey sure take s0me getting used to!
Latino: That is why it is helpful if prospective horses are not too young. It helps for the horses to have some experience under their girth!!
Nifty: But it is also important that they be spry enough to handle the physical aspects of the job . Latino: One thing is for certain though, the job may be demanding sometimes, but the rewards are immeasurable.
Cody: And remember, we are imp ortant members of the team who bring the magic of therapeuti c riding to High Hopes!
Welcome Our New Board Member Jeb N. Embree Jeb grew up in Co nnecticut and is a graduate of Pomfret Schoo l and Hobart Co llege. He is a Financia l Adviso r w it h Essex Financial Services and, prior to moving to Lyme full-time in 2001, was with maj or fi rms in New York City, specializing in fixe d income secur it ies. Jeb is an avid sailor and is t he histor ian fo r t he Cruising Club of America and a member of t he New York Yacht Club, the Daunt less Club and the Royal Ocean Racing Clu b of Lond on. In his vo lunteer service for Hig h Hopes, he has served as 2006 Chair and 2008 Co-Chair of the Symphony in the Meadows Corpora t e Sponsorship Committee and as a me mber of the Ann ual Fund Committee . Jeb has also served on the boards of the Connecticut River M useum, Pomfret School and the Lyme Library Corporat ion and was recent ly elected to the Board of the Lyme Land Conservat ion Trust . Jeb and his w ife, Dianne, have two daughters and a gran d-daughter.
S zoosh ym l?,, ,211 y the
igh Hopes invit es yo u to att end its bi-annu al gala, Symp hony in the Meadows , on June 14t h. This evening of wo rld class music in a spectacul ar sett ing has become a premier event in South eastern Connect icut attr act ing over 700 supporte rs. This year's concert w ill once aga in take place at Hayden's Point , the waterfront estate of Mark and Dorinda Winke lman in Essex, Connecticut, and wi ll feature the New Haven Symphony Orchestra under the direction of its new music director, Willia m Brough t o n. One ¡ of the highlights of the event is the lively silent auct ion that takes place duri ng cockta ils and inte rmission. The great
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Horse Show Demonstration Days are coming to High Hopes lease be sur e to ma rk yo ur calenda r and jo in us in celebratio n from May 17-23rd as we w ill be host ing Horse Show Demonstratio n Days for all of our parti cipants du ring the last week of ou r Spring semest er. Durj ng t hese special demonst ratio n days we wil l be we lco min g V IP rib bon present ers, holding bake sales and raffles and recogni zi ng the successof each and every participa nt over t he past year!! The week-long event will be a hi ghlight for our st aff, volunteers and part icipant s! We look fo rwar d to seein g you there !
P
ite ms available th us fa r include a w ee k's
premie r Event Spo nsor and leading
stay at a private estate in Santa Fe, NM ,
corpor ate supporter of thi s year's
dinner at home w it h famed explorer,
concert. Symphony in t he Mead ow s is
Bob Ballard and backstage VI P ti ckets
High Hop es' most important annual f und raising event and it promises to be a memorable eve ning under the sta rs. If yo u are inter este d in att endin g or supporting this event as a corpo rat e sponsor, please conta ct Sara Qua at 860 -434-1974 x 22. The dead line fo r purchasing ticke t s is Jun e 6t h and t icket prices sta rt at $150 per person.
to t he Colbert Report. An excit ing new addition to th is year's concert is a privat e w ine t astin g on June 1st at the Old Lyme riverfront hom e of Robin and Philip Schonber ge r, fo r Patron and Benefa cto r t icket buyers. High Hopes wo uld like to t hank Essex Saving Bank and Essex Financial Services for j oining us as t he
NARHA in Hartford Fall 2008 NARHA
is coming to Hartford! 1 This years' North American Riding fort e Handicapped Association (NARHA) Con erence and Annual Meeting will be held in HaAf ord, CT from October 29 to November 1, 12008. The conference isthe largestnational event targeted at the ever growingfield of equine assistedactivitiesand therapiesand features an impressive array of educationalsessions
Contributors to the
High HopesRider
mira e lous accomplishments within our indus r?'f.Many High Hopes staff members and representatives from NARHA centers throughout the northeast region are involved in the planning for this years conference and they have chosen the theme Lengthening our Stride to highlight the growth and ongoing strategic planningbeing undertakenby all the participatingcenters. High Hopes would
presentedbyindustry r.==================:::;i experts.Highlights 2008 NARH ANat iona l~nference &Annual Meet ing include a day:long HorseExpo,wittt equine demonstrations at UCONN'sHorse B
like to invite and encouragemembers of our communityto attend any of the conferenceevents. For more information on the NARHA
Spring 2008 Photos & Articles: Judie Driscoll, Lauren Fitzgerald , Wendy Knig ht, Eric Nort hrop , Heathe r Leigh North ro p, Jeanna Pelli no, Sara Qua, Kitty Sta lsburg, Holly Sundmacke r, Tony Thur st on, Mark W inkelm an Editor: Heat her Leig h No rth rop Designer: ( Desig n
This newsletter is underwritten by
Editorial correction from Winter 2008 High HopesRider: Art icle subm itted by Petra Shearer who was employed by H igh Hopes from 1992-2006. Petra remains active as a volunteer in many capacit ies.
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