2000 (Fall) Newsletter

HIGH HOPESHAPPENINGS

VOLUME4, NUMBER4, NOVEMBER2000 Melissa Everett , Editor UP

Coming Events - Put these dates on yo ur ca lendar.

Thursday , November 2 - Voh.mteerWorkshop on Horse Handling, 5:00 PM Wednesday, November 15 - Faff Program Ends Thursday, November 23 - THANJ<SGlVING!OFFICEIS CLOSED Tuesday, December 5 - General Voh.mteer Orientation, 5:00 PM Saturday, December 9 - HIGH HOPES' ANNUALHOLIDAYPARTY! Monday , December 25 - CHRISTMAS!OFFICEIS CLOSED Monday, January1, 2001 - HAPPYNEW YEAR! OFFICEIS CLOSED Thursday, January 4 - lnstructor Training Course Begins Monday, January 8 - Wmter Program Begins Tuesday, January 9 - Tack 'n Talk 'n Tea - 11:oo AM Tuesday, January 16 - Tack 'n Talk 'n Tea - 11:oo AM Friday , January 19 - Wmter lecture Series - 6:oo PM Tuesday, January 23- Tack 'n Talk 'n Tea- 11:00AM Tuesday, January 30- Tack 'n Talk 'n Tea - 11:00AM Friday, February 2 - Wmter lecture Series - 6:oo PM Tuesday, February 6 - Tack 'n Talk 'n Tea - 11:oo AM Tuesday, February 13- Tack 'n Talk 'n Tea- 11:00AM Highlights in this issue : ♦

Capital Campaign News

♦

Our Holiday Wish List

♦

Family Day Report

♦

Parents Share Their Thoughts

♦

Bookstore Benefits High Hopes

♦

We Nab The NARHATriple Crown

HIGH HOPES THERAPE UTIC RIDING , INC. 36 TOWN WOODS ROAD, P. 0. BOX 254, OLD LYME, CT 06371-0254

HlGHHOPESBOARDAND STAFF Honorary Board Members Lyttleton B. P. Gould, Jr. Frank Hamilton, Jr. Grace Hamilton

Board of Directors Officers Roger Smith, President Jane BoDes, Vice President Jeffrey Ridgway, Vice President Elizabeth David, Vice President/Secretary Cheryl J<ellyHeffernan, Vice President for Development Charles TerreTI, Treasurer Directors Sally Aubrey Maureen 0. Augusciak Barbara Earle BaTiard Linda F. Bieme Jane I. Davison John C. Evans Geraldine U. Foster William D. Irving, M.D. Charles Kingsley Judith F. Lightfoot Rives Potts Ann Rice Wayne Southwick, M.D.

Staff

-

l<elvin N. Tyler

Alison Zack Darren, Executive Director Kitty Stalsburg, Program Director Petra Shearer, Business Manager Helene Fenger, Development Officer Kristin Elliott leas , Barn Manager Dawn Zornig, Program Associate Melissa Everett, Program Administrator Judie DriscoTI,Administrative Assistant Barbara Abrams, Instructor Ann Bailey, Instructor Patti Coyle, Instructor Jonnie Edwards, Instructor BillNelligan, Instructor Holly Ridgway, Instructor Carolyn Jagielski, Physical Therapist Carol Gilchrist, Barn Assistant Carol Brining, Barn Staff/Administrative Assistant Heather Rice, Barn Staff John DriscoTI,Caretaker

Gurdon B. Wattles

BEHIND THESCENESAT FAMllY DAY 2000

Old fashioned /emo"4de , anyone?

looks like Family Day 2000 has gone to his head!

ff'S EVERYBODY'SBUSINESS

by Alison Zack

PROGRAMNEWS

Darren

I will open my message to the High Hopes Family by saying "Thank You" for making Family Day 2000 a wonderful event for the community of Lyme and Old Lyme. It was a first for High Hopes and, having overheard many people enjoying the day, we made lots of new friends.

Approximately 200 families turned out on what was a rather dismal day, weatherwise, to join in the fun activities depictinf "Rural Life in Lyme and Old Lyme at the Turn of the 20 Century. " The event brought people to High Hopes who had never been here, and they were wonderfully welcomed with old fashioned games , hay wagon and fancy carriage rides , fishing, music , storytelling, farming and riding demonstrations , crafts, and nothing less than a good old fashioned pie eating contest!

Together with the Lymes ' Youth Service Bureau, High Hopes made a heartfelt gesture to give back to our families in the community by hosting Family Day 2000, and I think appreciation abounds on the part of both our organizations and our families for a wonderful day.

Sharing our facility always makes us proud, and I say that because we're about to become even prouder and more able to accommodate our community. As you read this, we are going to bid with our plans to expand the building. The expansion is a long time coming, as those of you know who use the facility on a regular basis. It was predicated by the growing demand for our services, and in order to uphold our outstanding reputation throughout the country as a "model " therapeutic center.

An important part of our reputation as a leader in the field of therapeutic riding comes from our adherence to industry standards set by the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA) . Since our beginnings , High Hopes has maintained our accreditation with NARHA .

Accreditation raises our standards of excellence , and requires us to operate our programs with utmost professionalism and

safety.

In 2001, we will again be applying to renew our accreditation .

This process is a voluntary one, and it involves a one-day site visit from two NARHA Accreditation Site Visitors who review all areas of the operating standards set forth in the accreditation manual for compliance . In preparation for this visit, we'll be going through all the standards in each area : Administration , Program, and Facility with a fine-toothed comb to ensure that we're up to speed. And because we work very hard every day to always maintain our professional standards , we do not anticipate our preparation to be anything more than just "fine tuning".

As always , let me assure one and all that as High Hopes evolves , we want to bring each and every one of you along with us - we are here because of you.

by Kitty Stalsburg Our Fall Session is well underwa y ! Classes are running smoothly , with the competent help of the Instructor Candidates in our training course . Many thanks to Linda Crabtree , Susan Lucia, Shari Wolf and Pat Wilson . They are a tremendous addition to our staff and we 'll be sorry to see them go.

We are pleased to welcome many new students from the Edgerton School in New London, and from other schools .

Welcome also to several new riders both after school and on Saturdays , and we're so pleased that they could join us.

Our teaching staff is working hard to ensure that the communication needs between instructors and volunteers are being met. Nearly all of the anticipated volunteer needs for our Fall program were met prior to the first class! Of course , it 's those last minute cancellations and unanticipated needs for volunteers that leave us scrambling . If you find yourself with a few extra hours, or know of someone interested in volunteering, please give us a call.

We offer monthly Volunteer Orientations and on-going training sessions to accommodate the needs of our volunteers.

As a program that incorporates training and education as part of our daily lives, we ask you to share your thoughts and ideas . Please let us know if there are any topics that you would like to see presented, or workshops that you would be interested in attending. Our Tack 'n Talk 'n Tea sessions will be held every Tuesday during our Winter Session. We invite you to join us for these informative gatherings.

We receive many inquiries about our NARHA Approved Instructor Training Course . The next offering will be in January 2001. This will be a concurrent course for both sixweek intensive students , and the four-month extended weekend students . We also look forward to hosting the NARHA Connecticut State Meeting later this Fall, as well as a NARHA Registered Instructor workshop . Many of our staff will be attending and presenting at the NARHA Annual Conference , November 6-11 , in Minneapolis , MN .

The next lesson series will be our Winter Session . This sixweek semester begins January 8, 2001 and runs through February 17. If you are interested in participating as either a rider or a volunteer , please sign up with your instructor as soon as possible .

Believe it or not, Summer camp registrations will be hitting your mailboxes by the first week in December . Space is limited, so register soon!

As we approach the end of the year with our programs running at a full gallop through the home stretch, we gratefully acknowledge the many helping hands (and hooves!) that have enabled High Hopes to Run (for the Roses) throughout the year . We thank each of you for your continuing support .

CAPITAL CAMPAIGN l/PDA TE $2 Mill/ON RAISED TO DA TE!!!

by Helene Fenger I hope you have had an opportwlity to take a look at the color rendering of the building expansion project, courtesy of ~nterbrook _Architects and Planners , that has been on display m ~e reception area of High Hopes . The drawing depicts the firushed look of our building, with the expansion blended in beautifully. In developing this design, we incorporated ideas from many sources including riders, famili~ , volunteers , staff, medical professionals , and members of our community. It is exciting to see the design come together , knowing that we will soon have a therapy room and classroom, along with a variety of other improvements for all of the people we serve.

Our fundraising momentum remained strong through the summer and early fall, and we hit the $2 million mark in October! We are grateful to the generous people who have supported our campaign so far, and if you would like to know how you can help, please call me here at High Hopes - I would be happy to talk with you about how you can play a role in our future.

ANNUALAPPFAL

by Helene Fenger The theme of this year 's annual appeal calendar is "A Day in the Life of High Hopes." The photographs tell the story of a typical day, from feeding the horses, to grooming, tacking, and riding to meeting a High Hopes horse for the first time . The pictures say more than we could ever express in words about what High Hopes means to our riders, and we hope you enjoy the calendar when it arrives in the mail this fall.

Yo~ ~s to the annual appeal help us purchase hay, grain, medicme , and tack, and they provide financial assistance to many of our riders. When you receive our calendar and leaf through the photographs , please remember the good things your contributions help us do every day, and give as generously as you can to our appeal . Thank you!

AND A VERY SPEC/Al THANKS TO: The Bodenwein Public Benevolent Foundation for a grant of $7,000 for LEARN and the Cohanzie School.

Essex Savings Bank for a grant of $2,500 to automate our newsletter and pay for a desktop publishing course.

The Chester W. Kitchings Foundation for a grant of $6,000 in scholarship funds for children from Nathan Hale School.

Pfizer , Inc ., employees for raising $800 for High Hopes at their company picnic on September 9th at Ocean Beach Parle in New London. These funds will be matched dollar for dollar by Pfizer! Note: Pfizer bas a special volunteer program that its employees may apply for that also can result in a gift to High Hopes . H you

work for Pfiur and volunteer for a specifted number of hours, PrizerwiU make a contribution to us! What a great way to help!

The Schering-Plough Foundation for a grant commitment of $10,000 for scholarships .

Three donors who wish to remain anonymous, for donating $3,000 for High Hopes to purchase "Buddy ," a Percheron-Thoroughbred gelding , for both our driving and therapeutic riding programs.

Susan Staniewicz McAlpine for donating "Leon deCoeur ," (better known as " Simba") , a registered Hanoverian gelding, for our therapeutic riding program .

All of the wonderful people who contributed to our brand new Hawk horse trailer: Barbara and Bob Ballard Thomas and Gloria Elliott Mr. and Mrs. Richard Gildersle eve Cheryl and Mitch Heffernan Mr. and Mrs. James Korst Judi and Richard McKnight Bill and Donna McNamara Mary Mille and Bill Doane Lee and Joseph Rhod es Toni and Harry Slifer Petra B. Shearer Sandy and Ton y Thurston

Linda and Peter Bierrie

Gerry Foster Donald and lyn Hanburg

Betsy and Robert Hunnewell Tom and Marguerite Moore and Plunkett Pfizer, Inc. (matching gift) Charles and JoAnne Park Connie Rogers John and Susan Senning Jane Steinke Kathy Fullerton and Gurdon

Wattles

HIGH HOPESSCORES THE NARHA TRIPLE CROWN/ We have done it this time! In what may very well be an unprecedented occurrence , High Hopes will walk away proudly with three top honors at the NARHA Annual Conference Awards Banquet.

Cody was selected as the 2000 NARHA Region I Therapy Horse of the Year! (Region I includes Connecticut Maine Massachusetts , New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Ne~ Hampshire , Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Rhode Island and Vermont, so you can see that he had a lot of competition). As a Regional Winner , Cody will receive a half-ton of food from Purina Mills , a horse blanket donated by BMB, and a framed, watercolor portrait by noted animal artist B.J. Lewis.

Tia Smith was chosen as the 2000 NARHA Region I Volunteer of the Year! Tia has been involved with High Hopes for a long time, in many capacities - Board Member volunteer , photograph~ ... you name it, Tia's been willing t~ lend a hand ~o help High Hopes. We can 't think of anyone more deservmg than she who , with her generous soul and champion smile, makes the lives of everyone at High Hopes just that much brighter.

And if that wasn't enough , Kathy BeUer has been selected as the 2000 NARHA Region I Adult Independent Rider of the

Year! Kathy, as you'll recall from our last newsletter, has been involved with High Hopes as both a volunteer and as a participant in our riding and driving programs . She is a true advocate for the benefits of therapeutic riding, and we couldn 't be happier for her success.

All three of our champions are eligible to win the 2000 National Award in their division, the winner of which will be announced at the banquet in Bloomington, Minnesota on November 12.

We wish them the best of luck.

Congratulations, one and all. You make us proud!

over his muzzle. Ever trusting, he always stands quietly and patiently while receiving therapy, but he needs this ex-pensive treatment several times a week.

Despite the fact that Dandy has been abused, he continues to trust us. We don 't want to have that trust betrayed again, but we need help from the High Hopes family. If you are interested in helping with Dandy's upkeep and his breathing treatments, please contact Alison Zack Darrell at 860-4341974. And thank you, in advance, for any help that you can give.

WH4TMAKESAN OLYMPICCHAMPION?

by Carolyn Jagielski

During the Olympics in Australia, it was noted that to be successful, the horse and rider must forge a bond of trust. The horse must do as the rider asks and have confidence in the rider 's judgement But what kind of horse can develop a bond with four different riders in three days?

In 1995, High Hopes hosted the Equestrian venue of the Special Olympics. The particular horse I'm referring to was used for the Prix Caprilli dressage course, which included jumps . The jumps in the course were the same height as the small fence surrounding the course. There were no leaders or sidewalkers in this event, just the horse and his rider. Because of this, many of the horses jumped out of the course during their competitive test. But one horse never did One horse stayed on course for all of his riders. He stayed calm even with hundreds of spectators waving and cheering. He earned blue ribbons for his riders and made coaches ecstatic. Who was this special horse?

This unique horse that placed such great trust in all of his riders was named Dandy Bar King. He came to High Hopes in 1993. In 1995, he served the world and came out a winner.

And in 1998, he retired at the age of 23. He went to a home where he could have individual attention and fewer daily demands; a place where he could teach small children how to ride and how to develop trust in their horse, for Dandy was always very careful with children. We thought that we had given this horse the wonderful retirement that he had earned But last winter, Kristin received an alarming telephone call.

One of High Hopes' most cherished horses had been abused and starved almost to death. Dandy was brought back to High Hopes that very day. He was dehydrated and could barely stand, was very thin and had open sores on his legs. He was having a great deal of difficulty breathing and the vet was not certain that he would live.

This horse always had a deep trust in Man, but Man had failed him. However, there was no way that Kristin and her great barn crew was going to let him down now. Dandy was put on a special diet to help restore his weight and strength, but his breathing problems continued. This problem is similar to the one humans face with asthma, and the treatment is somewhat the same. When his breathing becomes difficult, Dandy must have a treatment from his own horse-sized inhaler that fits

Dandy and his friendKm-en

INSPIRAllON FOR FAMILIES

by Denise Levasseur Waktra

On June 4, 1997, my husband and I were in the midst of signing a major record/producers contract to write and record my debut CD. We had both been involved in the music industry all of our lives (me as a singer/songwriter and Tony as a producer/manager/musician) and this was our big break, a chance at a dream. At the same time, we were waiting for our 18-month old daughter Nicole's DNA test to come back. We had convinced ourselves that she didn't have this rare, littleknown disorder. Much to our dismay, we discovered that our deepest fears were confirmed.

She did, indeed, have Angelman Syndrome.

We were devastated. Any of you who have received this sort of news will understand the feelings and torment that we went through in the following year. The child we'd thought we had was now someone else, and all our dreams were flushed away in a matter of minutes. We didn't know what to feel. We were so angry, hurt, shocked and confused; yet this was supposed to be one of the happiest times of our lives.

We slowly picked up the pieces and began to ride a roller coaster of highs and lows in both our personal and professional lives that lasted for at least a year. We worked when we could. Thankfully, we had help from our families and friends to care for Nicole when we were gone, trying to complete the project. Despite our efforts, we never completed the CD, and decided to break off the record deal - another major blow.

It was then that Tony took all he had learned from the company and put it to use by starting his own record label, unnamed as yet because he wanted it to mean something special . Tony decided to produce and manage the project. He hired a team of professionals and we began all over again from

scratch -- writing, producing and recording everything from square one , since we had lost all of the material we had with the previous label. This time, we vowed that it would be different and we would see the project through.

The one thought I constantly had in my mind was, "Can I do this and still be a good mother to Nicole? WilJ I crack up from guilt?" Tony and I were constantly on the ASF (Angelman Syndrome Foundation) news group, and it was the one thing we could count on for help and ideas. No one understood except the families in the group. We began to feel a ray of hope that we could do this and be attentive to Nicole 's needs. (She was about 3 1/2 by this time.)

The song writing became therapeutic, the words flowing onto paper and then to music scores. We agonized over every song.

We laughed, cried and persevered through every obstacle . We also began to watch and appreciate Nicole growing and developing, along with the CD. It was sort of a serendipitous evolution .

starting to make it up the charts , so we are now ready to contact the Angelman Syndrome Foundation . Once we begin making a profit, we will be able to help raise money for the Foundation in order to fund Angleman research and to give something back to the families that supported us when we needed it so desperately .

We also want to let all families know that when you are faced with the everyday challenges of a child with special needs, your life does not end there. There are many hurdles to overcome , and it's difficult with each passing day, but never lose hope. Hope is a powerful tool that we all need to keep us alive and sane! There are some things in life you cannot change, but you can make things better with some effort. Our lovely Nicole is doing great! We can 't imagine life without her. She is doing so well and we all have learned so much about life from her. She is our little buddy and we cherish every special moment we spend together. We wish that someday everyone will know what Angelman Syndrome is, and we are on the fast track to making that happen. When the CD goes national , then we hope to succeed.

The songs exuded a positive , upbeat nature. (You would think that they would be darlc and anguished, but they weren't). I could finally express myself in a productive way and it felt great! Musicians from all over New England came in and out of our studio at all hours. People believed in us and we began to believe in ourselves again . After another year came and went, the CD was finished!

(Editor 's Note: Nicole has been riding at High Hopes since 1998. To hear Denise's CD at no charge, go online to: www.mp3.com/denise/evasseur. If you want to purchase the CD, check out their website at: www.angelmanrecords.com.

For other information please contact: Ange/man Records, PO Box 302, New London, CT 06320. Phone: 860-442-6500.

The CD is mainly pop music featuring ballads and dance tunes (comparable to Celine Dion and Faith Hill). None of the songs are written specifically about Nicole, but one ("I'll Help You Find Your Way") is the inspirational one for us.

For information on the Ange/man Syndrome Foundation/: 414 Plaza Drive, Suite 209, Westmont, IL 60559. Phone: 1800-432-6435 or 630-734-9264. Fax: 630-655-0391. Email: www.angelman.org)

During this time, Tony 's son Vance moved in with us and came up with the name for the record label -- Angleman Records. That was perfect! Now the CD was becoming a vessel for awareness and possible help to the Foundation.

We had a vision for the CD to be launched, ideally wanting it to stand on it 's own before we raised awareness about our angel. We had a huge party for its release and over 1000 people attended!

The CD has received rave reviews in newspapers, on the Internet and radio. We 're getting featured on television and radio, in newspapers , and on various Internet sites, and our songs are being played on commercial radio stations localJy. In her review, Lisa A. Shiel of Indiespace.com said, "On her self-title album, Levasseur shows more range and depth than either {Mariah Carey and Celine Dion}, making this CD one of the five best pop albums I've heard in the last decade ...

Levasseur maintains a spirited and passionate mood. You 'II dance, sing along, snap your fingers, maybe even cry a little . .

I could compare Levasseur to {other) artists, but comparisons do her a disservice. Levasseur is unique uniquely talented, uniquely fun to listen to .. . In fact, I have only one complaint about this album: Nine songs is not enough! " We are beginning to enjoy the success of the CD. It is just

PARENTALPRAISE (Editor's Note: D11eto a wish for anonymity, names have been changed.)

"I want to thank )!OIi, Dawn, Amanda. and your whole staff. especially Petra and Apache, for giving Yvonne two incredible weeks of camp. She had a wonderful, wonderful time at High Hopes.

"Yvonne has tried many other organized activities in the past, like soccer, softball, swimming, Brownies, and piano. I have never seen her respond to any of these like she did to )IOllr camp. Yvonne blossomed at High Hopes. Nonnally a quiet and reserved child, Yvonne became animated, talkative, and troly excited about this experience. The camp ended a week ago, but I still see its effect. I think her personality has been changed. Her confidence level and self-esteem have never been higher.

"Yvonne had been working on breaking a life-long habit without success. Last winter she and I talked about High Hopes as a possible reward - a positive motivator to help her with this project. She agreed. She stroggled tremendously but didn 't falter once. High Hopes began as a rewardfor one achievement; it has become in itself a significant entity in her life.

"Thank you again. I wish you and High Hopes thriving longevity to continue this great work . "

February 6 - Why Riding Makes You Feel Good. Instructor Patti Coyle explores the various benefits that riders receive.

She will examine effective techniques for assisting our riders in accomplishing various goals. There will be a mounted component to this session, so please dress accordingly.

The horse I rode that night was the most intelligent and the best horse in the whole stable . I rode him every patrol I made th until I was transferred into the 5 Naval District Beach Patrol Office in Norwalk, Virginia.

HORSEMEMORIES February 13 - Cognitive Impairments.

Instructor Dawn Zornig discusses the various types of cognitive impairments that our participants experience.

Suggested strategies for working with these riders will be provided. Problem-solving will be available within a group discussion format.

WINTER EDUCA noNAl

SERIES RESUMES

January 19 - The Healthy Horse. Dr. Robert Baran of the Salem Valley Veterinary Clinic will discuss routine health care considerations for horses in the Northeast. Topics include vaccinations, worming and dental care. There will be an opportunity to determine the "normal" parameters for some of the High Hopes horses.

February 2 - Nutrition and Feeding. A representative from Blue Seal Feeds will discuss feeding andthe nutritional needs of the horse. Samples, feed comparison and special formulas will be explored. Bring your questions to this informative session.

Please Note: All W"urter Educatwnal lectures take place on Friday, and begin at 6:00 PM.

BEACHPATROl

by Bob Zimmerman The purpose of beach patrol was to keep Germans from coming ashore for sabotage and other war spying. Someone was on the beach 24 hours a day. A patrol consisted of two men on horseback, each with a handgun with three bullets.

Each pair of riders had a seven mile ride . Two rode south for seven miles and rode back to our station, making two round trips per watch.

The Currituck Beach Station was larger than any other in the 5th Naval District. It had two seven mile patrols north toward Virginia Beach. One pair of riders rode out seven miles, started their own seven mile patrol , twice, and then returned to the station.

One foggy night when we were nearly fourteen miles from home base, we came to an old bunch of cypress stumps in the surf. In the daytime , they were very unimpressive, but on a foggy night, they were moving around each other in the surf.

Boy, you talk about being scared! And my horse was scared, too. After a little planning, we decided that I would ride out among the stumps, while my partner stayed back at a reasonable distance. If I found people out among the stumps, I would fire my gun once and he would ride as fast as possible back to the station and send out a warning to the riot guards.

Well , my horse and I couldn 't find anyone among the stumps and I did search thoroughly. It took the fourteen mile ride back to the station at a walk to get our hearts back to a normal beat!

by BobZimmerman We had only one gray horse during my time at home. Queenie was somewhat sway-backed and was very comfortable to ride .

She was always on Dad's second team, so rather than have her standing in the barn, he turned her and her teammate out to pasture. Then, if he needed them, it was my job to get them in. She knew that my chasing her into the barn meant she would have to work, so as I tried to chase them in she would come part-way peacefully , and then run around me into the far comer of the pasture. So I would try again. After several tries, I would be exhausted, so then Dad and my brother would come and help.

After Dad bought Ginger, I learned to ride him barebacked.

The next time Dad wanted Queenie and her teammate brought in, I rode Ginger and started the team toward the barn. As was her habit, Queenie came peacefully about halfway, and then started to run around Ginger. Ginger had been trained to cut cattle and he was good at it. So I said, "Ginger, take them to the barn." He understood. He chased her harder than she had ever run before, and he kept her running toward the barn. She was one surprised Queenie! The next time Dad wanted her brought in, I rode Ginger out in the pasture to where Queenie was. She knew he could run faster, so to the barn we went. I practically worshipped Ginger for having that skill and using it against one of his fellow horses. Awhile after that, Queenie died. Ginger mourned for a whole week

(Editor's Note: Bob Zimmerman is the grandfather of High Hopes rider Seth Pellegrino. He was born on a family farm in Iowa in 1918, and attended school in the local one-room schoolhouse until B'ngrade . Although his faJher opposed any schooling beyond the B°'grade, Bob chose to attend high school, either walking or driving the team of horses to school every day (except at harvest time, when his father kept him home).

Bob enrolled at Iowa State University after graduation, but his studies were interrupted by service with the United States Coast Guard during World War II. After graduation.from Iowa State in 1946, Bob started the Western Iowa Experimental Station for the University. He was recently honored for his 50 years of service to this organization. For most of his career, Bob was the District Soil Conservationist for the US. Soil Conservation Service in Monona County, Iowa. He currently lives in Whiting, Iowa where he is working on his memoirs of farm life.)

OF HORSESAND SNIPES

by Wi.SamS. Neli<pn I am often asked how I got therapeutic riding. Horses have many years. As a child growing had several varieties on the farm plenty on neighboring spreads .

involved with horses and been a part of my life for up in the Maine woods , we my un cle owned, as well as

MEET THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Continuing with our introduction to High Hopes' Board of Directors ...

ELIZABETHDAVID Liz comes to us via the Green Mountain State. She always loved horses , but was never fortunate enough to have one of her own. "By the time I was 10, I'd probably read all of the horse books in our local library."

A graduate of Wellesley College, Liz spent more than twenty years in commercial banking and financial services. She is presently a Vice President at Salomon Smith Barney, where she operates as a resource for the financial consultants, advising them on available credit and lending services for their clients.

She covers twelve office in Connecticut and Westchester County, NY. Liz lives in Old Saybrook with her husband Henri and two black labs, Abby and Harley. She enjoys boating, golf, squash,skiing and (especially) horseback riding.

BARBARA EARLE BALLARD Barbara is one of those people who make the Energizer Bunny look like a wimp. She's always busy , always involved, and always smiling!

After receiving a BA in Political Science from Claremont Colleges in Pomona , CA, she moved to Washington , DC where she worked as a production associate at WRC/ NBC-TV . A year later , she was an associate producer at WDVM/CBS-TV, and then a producer at Press Brenner Communications in New York City. While in New York, she spent five years as a vice preside~t at G~ . Powell Productions, where she produced and directed telev1S1onand radio commercials for major political campaigns and commercial clients in the US and abroad She returned to Washington , DC in 1985 where she worked as an execu~ve vice president at Mainstreet, Inc., supervising the production staff of CAPITOL JOURNAL. She also spent two years as executive vice president at Arcadian Pictures , a television production company.

In 1988, Barbara became Director of Development and Special Projects for the National Geographic Society. In 1990 she and her husband started the Odyssey Corporation, of which she is President. The company is involved in television production , book production, lecturing and other ~lated multimedia projects . She continues to work closely wtth the

National Geographic Society, developing projects all over the world.

Prior volunteer activities include serving as a trustee of Citizens Bank of Cape Cod, and The Cape Cod Museum of Natural History . Barbara's current activities at High Hopes include Chairperson for the Public Affairs Committee, a seat on the Building Committee , and volunteering in weekly classes as a sidewalker or horse handler.

Barbara lives in Lyme with her husband Robert and two children, Benjamin and Emily Rose .

Cl/PPER SHIP BOOKSTORE TO BENEFIT HIGH HOPES The Clipper Ship Bookstore in Essex is running a program that benefits local nonprofits, with High Hopes among them.

Customers may identify any charity of their choice to receive 10% of the total value of their purchases when they have purchased a total of ten books. They can do this over time or all at once, and the Clipper Ship will send a check once the customer reaches the ten-book benchmark.

So, all you avid Winter (and Spring and Summer and Fall) readers, do yourself a favor and help out High Hopes and the Clipper Ship at the same time. There are a lot of wonderful books out there.

TACK 'N TALK 'N TEA RETllRNS! This very popular weekly series keeps our volunteers and friends coming to High Hopes (as ifwe could keep you away!) even during the cold of winter. Please join us on Tuesday mornings at 11:00 for the opportunity to talk, listen and learn.

These are informal sessions during which we will be helping to keep High Hopes ' tack sparkling clean, ~ dress appropriately. And bring a friend! The more, the memer!

January 9 - Maintenance of Tack and Special Equipme"!Volunteer Mary Mille will review various equipment used m Therapeutic Riding, and its associated care . There will be an opportunity to assist in routine maintenance , safety checks and cleaning.

January 16 - A Parent's Perspective. Rider parent Dana Dunne will help us explore the parenting issues associated with raising a child with special needs - in this case, Developmental Delay .

January 23 - Winter Horse Care. Barn Manager Kristin Elliott Leas focuses on the basic needs of our equine friends during the winter months. Issues such as feeding, exercise and turnout will be discussed January 30 - Sensory Integration and Riding. Janine Stone, O .T. will discuss the ways that sensory integration issues can be addressed during a riding session. Suggestions for working with a variety of participants will be provided.

f ·ding was first thrust upon me by dear old Dad .

1be idea ~ is well known for its abundanc e of spuds . It !'lorthe~ known efor its dairy herds , one of whi ch was owned by 15 lesse famil cousins from my father ' s side . (How you got the Rush f y, ur side was something my parents were never cousinsout o yo able to fully explain .) we were visiting these cousins , my dad ·d "h " w 11 One summer , when .e , decided it was time J learned how to n e Sa daoss. having watched John Wayne on many a un_ Y movie , 1 certainly didn't feel that lessons were s~mething I needed .

But then I heard stories related by my cousms a:;ou~ho~ m:; andornery the horse in question was . Alds~en y, h eyf '~Ct s critter out at night to roam the cow fie . ID searc o oweating Snipes!" To my seven y~ old mmhd, andryedshorseifmean enough to single-handedly dispatch un ' not thousands, of Snipes a night rni~t be betterMoff fa~tbyktwo , so I figured I'd take Dad along Just ID case o11y nus oo me fora Snipe.

I had seen Molly many times and I ~uld understand how she managed to do so well on the Smpe huntshi . mJiu seeM , mlly cousins farmed Holsteins, big black and w te ~rs. o Y (that name being shortened from the Greek warnor wo~ Mollinicus, who slew many a drago°: and t_Wo-headed sloth m herday) was a HUGE black and white Pam~! E~cept for the long tail and razor sharp hooves, she looked Just ~e the cows she was sworn to protect. I pictured her st~thily. movmg through the herd, perfectly disguised, ~d lea~g With great speed and agility upon the unsuspectm~ Smpes, her razor sharp shoes sending them bac~ int~ the ~ black depth~ of the irrigation pond to hide, shivering, terrified and starvmg.

(To this day, I don't swim in farm ponds for fear of Srupes!)

Molly was spending this warm summer day grazing qui~~ on the front lawn of the Big Barn. As we approached, I tJmJdly asked my Dad (not wanting to scare him with the wh~le Snipe story) if we should maybe approach from down-:wmd,_ that way catching her by surprise and therefore not ge~g kic~ed into the pond Well, Dads , being the warm , st:ns1tJve,_canng guys that they are in Northern Maine , have no tJme to hsten to such tales, and mine told me that I needed to stop reading comic books and pay attention to the important lesson at hand He hoisted me onto Molly's back (I just assumed that she was too wild to saddle since we were doing without) , where I clung to her withers and tried my best to let her know I was a friend. Wei~ what 's the best way to let someone know you think they are just the nicest person in the world and wouldn ' t dream of doing them any harm (let alone eating one of their cow friends)? You give them a big hug! Unfort_unately, the timing of my hug was a little misplaced. Dad (having watched the same John Wayne movies) had backed off about ten feet and then took a running leap up onto the ever-grazing Molly ' s back. Of course at that exact moment, I threw myself forward onto her neck, trying to deliver a warm and affectio~te hug as Dad sailed over Molly ' s back and down the other side! That in itself may have been funny (given the uproar from my everpresent cousins and siblings), had he not grabbed the back of my shirt, catapulting me off the back of this brave steed as well. Ever wonder how Jong it takes to get cow dung off your

clothes? Ask my Mom .

La ying on the ground looking up at this great steed wh o was reportedl y more ferociou s than Mr . McGillicudy ' s cat . I felt the need to protect my Dad (who seemed to be having a hard time catching his breath) . Curling up into a ball , I squeezed his neck as tight as I could and dug my heels into his chest , holding on so that when we landed in the middle of the pond (I was anticipating the kick at any moment) I would be able to drag him to safety . Well , the mighty kick never arrived, and Dad finally dislodged me from his windpipe . Not really understanding the story about how Molly was trying to throw us to the nasty monsters in the pond, he called to my cousins to make this nag move a little so we could get up out of the pile of stuff we had landed in . It was at this point that Molly looked at me with an amazingly clear eye that laughingly seemed to say, "Oh , hello . Look what you've done. Fallen in a pile of poop , I'd say. Well , cheerio and have a nice day!" as she meandered off in search of more clover .

So, the day my friend Joel came into my office and told me about a chance to volunteer at High Hopes , I readily agreed to join him (after verifying that the pond was duly guarded). A wonderful lady named Pauline greeted me that first orientation, and asked if I was raised with horses. Thinking of Molly , I quickly told her , "No, my brother was raised with the horses. I was raised with the pigs." But that's another story.

(Editor's note: For the uninitiated (are there any of you out there?) Bill Nelligan is one of our more ebullient and entertaining instructors, a veritable one-manfloor show.)

HIGH HOPES' HOLIDAY WISH LIST Hot Chocolate and Coffee Paper Goods Arts and Crafts Supplies Zimecterin Wormer (25)- $10 Saddle Pads - $22 each Brandy Surcingle - $350 Tools - loppers , plastic leaf rake , heavy duty post hole digger Aluminum Bleachers Brush Hog - 3 pt hitch driven 12' Aluminum Gates - $60 each Barn Sweeper Arena Bloks (5) - $26 each Stirrup Leathers - $60 New Screen Doors Halters for new horses Fold-down baby changing station Auto air freshener system for bathroom

Apples and Carrots Cleaning Supplies Office Supplies Feed Bags - $15 each Gel pads - $80 each Farrier Tools Brooms Plastic Storage Boxes CDs - kid stuff Shade trees Evergreen trees Dump Truck Dishwasher Bridles Stall Plates Name Plates

BOOKS: The Natural Rider - $16.95 Compass Pon y Guides series - $47 .60 Snaffles Henderson - $13.95 Allen Photographic Guides - $10.95 ea (set of 4)

VIDEOS: Dr. Deb Bennett's Secret of Confonnation - $39.95 Join Up with Monty Roberts - $39.95 PROJECTS IN NEED OF A SPONSOR: Raising arena rail in outdoor arena Turnout shed between purple and new paddock Automatic waterers for white field and paddocks Automatic fly control system for barn and sheds

SPOlllGHT ON . .. BULU Standing 16.2 hands , Bull is truly one of the gentle giants of High Hopes . He is a 30 year old, tri-colored Pinto gelding who was donated to our program in 1995 by Jack and Louise Wimpfheimer . Bull 's patience and kindn ess, steadiness and unflappability have made him an incredible asset to our program . In 1996, he was voted the High Hopes Horse of the Year, but he's awfully special to us every day of EVERY year!

"Equis~ge " intensive workshop. Karen is the first to stress that completion of this course does not give one the skill, knowledge or license to diagnose an ailment , merely to be able to tell where a horse is sore, and how to do something about it.

"When I first came back after being trained, I thought, how can I do this ? There 's so much I don 't know about horses .

Now ," Karen adds , " I know how gratifying this is. The horses respond so positively . There are so many horses out there whose needs are not being addressed. You don't need to go to school for a year to do this. If you have the desire , you can do it."

It takes Karen approximately one hour to do an adequate massage , though she readily admits that she usually takes longer so she can concentrate on the particularly sore spots .

"When I worked on Gopher , I did a tai-chi (an elbow into the shoulder massage) , and he leaned into me, curled around me, just loving it." Karen laughs. "When I did the same move on Buddy , he went from a relaxed standstill to being bolt upright and broke both his cross ties. Then he just stood there and looked at me as ifto say, "What'd you do that for?"

Karen is actively looking for horses to massage, and her rates are reasonable. If you' d like to have her work on your horse . please contact her at 860-73 9-7960.

Br.I wtth his gmfritmds,former ffC students Carolyn ff/1,ite, Heatlrer Rice, Rio WatanQbe and Erica Smc:hura

HELPINGHANDS Karen Johnson volunteers with us in many capacities , but her chief love has become equine massage. ¡ Trained as a nurse , Karen has a self-described "tendency to want to make things better. " For years, it seemed that every riding instructor she worked with said, of a horse who refused to perform, "Ifhe won 't do it, make him do it. Hit him." And thus ensued a struggle and fight. To Karen's mind, this was no way to ride . Looking at it objectively , she had to wonder if the horses weren ' t refusing because they didn ' t feel up to it, were tired, or were hurting. From that moment on, she began looking at the horse from the ground, rather than as a rider.

Many horses have chronic physical problems . And, believe it or not, working as a therapeutic mount can be very stressful.

The horses can become physically and emotionally "tired " of having people around them, the constant change of riders , and trying to anticipate each rider ' s different needs . Wanting to make the horses feel better , Karen thought that it was time she focused some therapeutic thought on the animals involved, rather than just on the riders .

Enter Mary Schrieber of Round Hill, VA Karen worked with Mary for a solid week, ten to twelve hours a day , in an

Karen at work on Buddy

''As I do my work wfthin the field I beqin to feel the Spirit of the Horse.

From his Spirit, my mind has finally healed No /onqer must I carry a torch.

- John Mo/ochko, Volunteer N

BARN VOLUNTEERSWANTED... to help with feeding, grooming, and pasture and barn work. If you 're interested in getting some behind-the-scenes experience , give Barn Manager Kristin Elliott Leas a call at 860-4 34-197 4.

MY EXPERIENCEAS A VOLUNTEERAT HIGH HOPES

by Gary Borla When asked to write about my experiences as a volwiteer at High Hopes, I had to think back to my very first experience and what "sold" me on initially volwiteering.

It was the

summer of 1990 and two of my co-workers were telling me of their adventures volunteering at High Hopes the previous semester. Their positive , enthusiastic stories of the riders , staff, horses and volunteers were quite appealing, and they encouraged me to visit High Hopes and check it out for myself.

When driving up the dirt driveway and seeing the new building and the fields andpond for the first time , I remember thinking to myself, "What a wonderful facility and setting - it feels good to be here." I walked in, introduced myself , and met Kitty and several of the staff, all of whom were warm, friendly people who impressed me with their willingness to stop what they were doing and talk about High Hopes. I knew then that I wanted to be involved with the people who made up this organiz.ation.

My horse experience would have generously been described as "limited." Basically, I could recall being on a pony ride at some time in my life. I realized that it would be a good thing if I developed a little comfort with the horses that I would be working with, andhave an appreciation for what a rider would experience. I arranged with Kitty to take some riding lessons over the summer and begin as a program volunteer in the fall.

I quickly learned that "riding lessons" the Kitty Way included grooming and tacking - something I had never thought about.

Didn't all horses just show up at the mounting area already groomed and tacked? My summer of lessons at High Hopes was an unplanned, delightfully educational and fun experience. Kitty's newborn daughter Kathryn quite often accompanied her mother. Fortunately, she was on Kitty's back in a "papoose" style baby carrier , and could not witness my well-intentioned but mostly inaccurate interpretation of Kitty's instructions on sitting straight, heels down, posting. etc. The one thing I easily learned was how physically demanding proper riding can be. The educated and quite patient member of my team was "Jake," a 17 year old, brown and white Appaloosa.

Jake taught me , from a rider's perspective, just how perceptive and forgiving the High Hopes herd canbe.

I did not realize it at the time, but I was also drawn by, and benefiting personally from, the therapeutic aspects of riding. I was fairly recently divorced at that time, and the emotional boost I received from my weekly riding lessons was a very important, positive factor for me at a very unsettled time in my life. I, like the riders I work with today , looked forward to my weekly hour at High Hopes in a way I had not previously experienced.

For roughly my first two and a half years as a program volunteer, I was a sidewalker with a young man named Stuart .

The volunteer team that worked with Stuart each Wednesday night was together for most of that period. We came to know and like each other quickly, and I think we all looked forward to Wednesday nights as much as Stuart did

Kitty was our instructor , and I was impressed then, as I am today , by her wonderful and unique talent of making each rider feel as if they are the only one in the arena . Kitty's constant attention to the details involved in making each

rider's lesson challenging. educational andfun, combined with her positive and encouraging personality , was something I had never experienced in this depth. These talents are obviously of tremendous benefit to the riders, but it is her inclusion of the volunteers as an extension of her role as the instructor that may be less obvious. I was reminded of this at the most recent High Hopes Horse Show where I was a sidewalker for several riders I had not met before. As I walked one of my riders up the mounting ramp, Kitty walked along with us and provided me with information and instructions that allowed me to be an active , positive asset to that rider, rather than a passive sidewalker.

While I've spoken so far only about my first few years as a High Hopes volunteer, I need at this point to say that, since that time, I've had the opportunity to work with many more riders, volunteers, staff and horses. Clearly, there are as many personalities as there are individuals, but there is one constant: everyone involved is here to contribute to the program and the people who participate.

I've had the privilege of meeting and watching Sis Gould, and learning that leadership and motivation can co-exist with grace, generosity and fun. I've had the fun of volunteering on Halloween in Holly's class, where she and I wore matching cow costumes. I've had the humbling experience of working with Dee unloading hay on a hot summer day, and being awed by the strength and graceful agility she displayed while I panted and rested. I've watched riders and their families, their facial expressions silently expressing their gratitude that High Hopes not only exists, but thrives.

I served as an Official at the 1999 Special Olympics World Summer Games in North Carolina, where the theme was "It's Ali About Attitude. " It was a wonderful week (as it was in 1995 when High Hopes was the host equestrian site), and it certainly was easy to get "up" for the event with all the celebrities, ceremonies, banners, bands and team-building events. At. High Hopes, it's also "All About Attitude" - the positive, encouraging. loving attitude that just continues to be present, every day . No bands or banners needed.

WELCOMENEW VOLUNTEERS! Please join us in welcoming these new members of the High Hopes volunteer family : Kyle Alger, Emily Bazzano , Hilary Bazzano , Matt Bradbury , Melanie Chasse , Janet Conary , Mary Ann Conary , R.J. Congdon, Stephen Connolly , John Covello , Nicole Cuomo , Stacy Dallas , Jennifer Datum , Karen Davidovich , Barbara DiRoberts , Laura DiRoberts , Theresa Domen , Jeremy DuFour , Rennette DuFour , Jennifer Dupuis , Kristy Faircloth, Joann Flynn , Logan Forsey, Linda Garnelis , Leslie Green, Carolyn Greene , Bonni e Haase-Beaupre , Don Rassman, Ellen Hector , Katie Hurley , George James , Derron Lepoutre , Maxence Mangin, Doree Mann, Jonte Manning, Susann Matera, Marc Monis , Penny Nelson , Juanita Paris , Melanie Payne , Ashley Pelletier , Heidi Perrone Kristin Portz , Edith Quigley , Shannon Rabel , Rebecca Randall, Kristen Rayner , Diane Richards , Jessie Roberts, Paul Robertson, Addison Saffioti, Jenny Schlaman, Sharon Sicafuse , Nancy Siekierski , Trina Sirico, Sandy Smyth, Alexandra Storm, Maeve Tollefsen, Kathy Trupin, Matt Tulinski , Erin Weedon , Patricia Wilding, Susan Wilding, Teresa Wilding and James Zynsky.

. . . to rider Olivia Denison who , with the help of her mom Christina, made some wonderful glycerine soaps (with little horses inside!) to sell as a f\md-raiser for High Hopes.

CONGRATUIA noNS . .. ♦

to instructor Jonnie Edwards and her horse Foxy for placing First AGAIN(!! ) at the Millbrook Horse Trials .

♦

to volunteer Frances Moppett and her horse Wellington (better known as "Duke ") for placing as Reserved Champion in the Adult Division at the Mystic Valley Summer Festival.

♦

to former Instructor Training student Davorka Suvak of Croatia , for receiving her NARHA certification . And double congrats to Dada, because one of her students is riding in Sydney , Australia! Dada writes: "Boris

Zm1anjac is 20 years old He mountedfor the first time six years ago (he was among my first riders). He is in Grade II (JPEC categorization system). He has Cerebral Palsy, with spasms in both legs and hands. He has very poor balance and asymetical posture, but he walks alone and a smile is always on his face . On a horse, he has a good sense for balance, less in rhythm, but he tries hard He is a very nice young man with a great spirit. He has a big heart and the courage for riding any horse. He even did the gallop in his test (free style with music), and we all hope just to show in Sydney himself as he is. I know that there are a lot of better riders in the world (I saw them in Denmark), and I do not even dream about winning, but I will be proud of him just because he will be there with all of them."

(If you're a new volunteer, and your name has been inadvertently left off the list (or misspelled) , PLEASE LET USKNOW!)

CONDOLENCES. .. .. . to rider Mark O ' Connell and his family on the death of his grandmother Marion Wilson . Many of Mrs. Wilson's friends and loved ones have chosen to honor her memory with a donation to High Hopes , and we extend our heartfelt thanks.

IWANYTHANKS. ..

♦

to another former Instructor Training student, Teri Furr and her husband Rusty Reynolds on the birth of their first child, Anita Elizabeth Reynolds ("Annie")! Annie arrived on September 8 at 3: 17 am, weighing in at 7 lbs., 8 oz and 19 inches long. She's a RED-head with blue eyes .

♦

to Ben LaPolla, who won the Lyme-Old Lyme Chamber of Commerce 's $l000 Scholarship Award Ben is the son of volunteer Elaine LaPolla .

... to the folks from AIC who helped with our hay delivery : Stacey Bailey , Matt Lehe~ Terra Carlson, John Peterson , Dorothy Lyons , Michael Walden, Adam Herntan, and "coaches" Ken and Pat. . . . to the students from Wesleyan University who worked to beautify our facility: Sara Bright , Kosin Chantikul , Enrico Encarnacia , Emily Gallop , Alicia Gayle, Molly Graham , Eve Harrison, Savina Kim , Elisabeth Mitchell , Betsy Narrvaez , James Panczykouski , Meredith Pensak, Phudorji , Samantha Pickard, Cristin Quealy , Victoria Reppe~ Esther Schlegel , Joe Steinberg, Emma Tamini , and Amanda Westlake . . . . to the group from Youth and Family Services who painted gates and washed stalls : Emily Ayers , Christopher Conboy , Lucy Domenie , Andrew Gibas , Michael Joseph, Todd Neely, Brenda Partyka, and Sara Schiavone . ... to another group from Y-0uth and Family Services who painted animal pens , and purchased and planted perennials in our Memorial Garden: Jan Brisco , Maeve Tollefsen , Jonte Manning , Melanie Payne , Trina Sirico, Matt Tulinski , Stacy Dallas , Melanie Chasse and Logan Forsey . ... to the employees at A & P and their customers , who raised $400 for High Hopes selling hotdog.s and soda during their sidewalk sale .

THANKYOUSARE DUE TO . .. ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ►

►

Maria McGowan for riding boots.

Jessie Roberts for hand-made walking sticks .

Denise Donofrio for riding apparel .

Erin Cain for fixing the offside mounting block.

Petra Shearer for office supplies , lumber , and chicken wire .

Pro-Formula Lab in Ft. Lauderdale , FL for containers of Equi-Flex , Enflmx, Winners Daily and Imups.

Suzie Birks for buckets of Source.

Trudi Bird for a fly mask Joan Lucason for craft supplies .

Beth Ehlers for Flex-free , groom comb and curry, and two Repel-X. Patti Coyle for dry and wet cat food (Cappy sez "THANKS! ") Susan McAlpine for 8 bags of Horse Hage , a turnout sheet, a blanket, a flash bridle , and a fly sheet.

► ► ► ►

► ► ►

► ► ►

►

Kristi Goncarous for a Bamsby saddle .

John and Emma Driscoll for many flowering plants to beautify our grounds .

Jean Jerbert for boots , whip , fly spray , brushes , pad, girth cover , and bell boots.

Bill Nelligan for bookshelves, coffee , film, a bike rack, and for refreshing our window boxes with mums .

Dick and Judy MacDonald and Phyl Graglia for purchasing a dehumidifier for the tackroom.

Shari Wolf for a Crosby Sovereign 16 1/2 saddle .

George James for a pair of men's jodphurs.

John and Judie Driscoll for soda.

Linda Brogan for a bucket of hoof dressing, whips , and a gel saddle cushion.

Universal Coop Animal Health in St. Joseph , Maryland for Equine Fly Spray.

Pati Acampora of LEARN for horse teaching books

with tape. ► ►

An anonymous donation of two office chairs for the business office volunteers.

Pld Lyme Day Care & Joe Migliaccio for building a sandbox for Family 2000, and then donating it to High Hopes.

NOTEWORTHYNEWS (with thanks to Winslow Therapeutic ruding Unlimited) •

Help NARHA (the North American ruding Handicapped Association) by using their Amazon.com.

NARHA receives a percentage purchase. Just go to www .narha.org - select Click on Amazon.

for the link to of your Links -

•

SafeTech, a division of Troxel, has started a new equestrian helmet program. You can order the Troxel Trainer helmet for ONLY $10 (plus a minimal shipping fee)! To find out more , call SafeTech at 1-800-270-2526 .

•

National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities (NICHCY) (www .nichcy.org) provides information on disability-related issues for families and professionals.

•

ABLEDATA (www.abledata .com) has a data base of 24,000 disability-related products from nearly 3,000 domestic and international manufacturers and distributors .

There ' s a classified section where you can buy or sell used special-needs equipment.

•

National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) (www.nordrdb .com) provides information and networking for persons with any type of rare disorder .

Literature , information and referrals are available.

Networks persons or families with the same disorder for support.

•

For general information on www .medlineplus.nlm.nih .gov.

•

To ex-plore an online medical www.medlineplus .adam .com .

disabilities,

dictionary ,

•

Winners on Wheels (WOW) is a club for children who use wheelchairs . WOW 's goal is "to help children in wheelchairs be all they can be. and to show them that there are no limits to what they can do .'' To find out more about their Circles , Kids Club , Pen Pal Program, Mentor Program , their nearest location or how to start a Circle in your area contact: The WOW Connection, Winners on Wheels , 2842 Business Parle Avenue , Fresno , CA 93727 .

Or call 800-969-8255 .

Their homepage is : http ://www .wowusa.com and their e-mail is : wowtalk@earthlink.net

HELPOUT HIGH HOPES Heroes of Pets.commitment is a program that celebrates and supports the important role that animals and people play in each other ' s lives . Their mission is to provide more than $1 million annually to organiz.ations in which people help animals and/or animals help people . Submit a story about your volunteer experience and qualify High Hopes to be considered for a special Heroes of Pets.commitment award.

Each month, Heroes of Pets.commitment will feature stories about volunteers and the organiz.ation where they volunteer.

Story submissions also help determine the grant award recipients at the end of the year. Visit their web site at www.pets .com and click on the Pets .commitment link to learn more. You can also email them at heroes@pets.com or call 800-948-3130 .

EVERYBODYHASA STORY Share yours with the folks at ImpactOnline , a nonprofit organization whose mission is to use the power of the Internet to help people reach each other . VolunteerMatch, its online service, is dedicated to matching volunteers with nonprofit organizations around the country.

They ' re looking for inspirational or motivational volunteer stories. Please email your experiences to jwillett@impactonline.org.

contact

contact

High Hopes Executive Director Alison Zack /Jarrell and Board member Dr. ml1Nlm lrvmg sport their finest at Family Day 2 000

.

Nan-Pro& Orp:wman

U.S. Pomze PAID Old L,--.

CT 06371

PermitNo. l

High Hopes Therapeutic Riding, Inc. 36 Town Woods Road P.O. Box 254 Old Lyme, CT 06371

HlGH HOPES' ANNUALHOUDAYBASH!

Saturday, December 9, 1:00

- :5:00

PM

Save the date!!!

2000