2009 (Winter) Newsletter

The High Hopes

• Winter

Inside this issue: Board Chairman & Executive Director Message Spotlight On Success The Gift of Hope

The Spirit of Giving

/VtuJerStlfl/ As we approachL r35th

29,000 Volunteer Hours

Ways to Give Giving Tree Wish List Sis's Trail of Hope

From the Horse 's Mouth Matches t o Make Therapeutic Magic

High Hopes Happenings Get into the Swing!

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilit ies Act, The High Hopes Rider is available in alternative formats upon request .

Please contact Wendy Knight at Ext. 19.

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Thera peutic Riding, Inc. Phone : 860.434 . 1974 Fax: 860.434 .3723 www.highhopestr

.org

Anniversary at High Hopes Therapeutic Riding, Inc., we are reminded of how far we have come. High Hopes founder, Sis Gould, had a vision to help others. In 1974, she started a program out of a barn in Deep River. It was a "catch as catch can" program run exclusively by volunteers. Thanks to the help of many, this humble beginning has evolved into an internationally renowned, fully operating center with over 500 volunteers and 22 horses serving a population of 220 riders. Although Sis is no longer with us, many of her volunteers still continue to give. This spirit of giving remains the backbone of our success here at High Hopes.

Although High Hopes has always been an effort of many, two individuals, in particular , come to mind who were instrumental in making Sis's dream a reality: Judy Lightfoot and Sally Aubrey. Judy and Sally were recruited by Sis for a variety of reasons.

Judy had been active in other non-profits and Sally was instrumental in the development of another Therapeutic Riding Center in Fairfield County named Pegasus.

Judy and Sally have been dedicated to the mission of our program as well as the continued development of the Therapeutic Riding industry. Sally has served on the High Hopes Board five terms in addition to her weekly volunteering in both the ring and the office. Judy, also a volunteer, is past Chairman

2009

of the Board of Trustees and a past president of NARHA. Over time , both have seen t he benef its therapeu t ic riding had on participan t s as well as their families and both have experienced many 'wo w ' mome nts. Sally shared a story of a 'nonverbal ' rider , who dismounted after six classesand said "horse."

For Judy that 'wow' moment happened during a chance meet ing with a neurologist from Texas. The woman shared w ith Judy that she had been referri ng cl ients to a neighbor ing Therapeutic Riding Center and was continuously impressed by the progress she observed in her clients. Judy fondly remembers what this moment meant to her: Therapeutic Riding was gaining respect and significance; Sis's dream was coming true.

In 1990, High Hopes had gained sufficient support and was able to comp lete construction of its own center. It was a huge turning point both for the organization and the Therapeutic Riding community. The new facility allowed High Hopes to operate on a larger scale and serve a greater population of riders; however, High Hopes had not finished dreaming yet. In 1995, High Hopes hosted the equestrian events in the Special Olympic Games resulting in national recognition and increased awareness of Therapeutic Riding.

A little over ten years later, we are still growing. As an educational center, High Hopes is dedicated not only to its participants, but also to our volunteers who make each day possible, and the members of the Therapeutic Riding Commu nity. When Sis founded High Hopes, she set a standard for continued growth and learning. She inspired us to see the potential in others, to be proactive, and to never stop dreaming. As we celebrate our 35th Anniversary we invite you to look to the future, dream big, continue learning, share with others, and always be thankful for each day.

Founder

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High Hopes Board of Trustees Officers

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Board Chairtn.an& Executive Director

from the

Trustees

D

o you remember t he events of 1974?

The Patty Hearst kidnapping led the

headlines; Hank Aaron hit his historic 715th home run, breaking Babe Ruth's record; Barbra Streisand had the #1 sing le hit with The Way We Were; first class postage was 8!(; and High Hopes Therapeutic Riding was founded by the late Sis Gould.

Honorary Trustees

This year High Hope s celebrates the 35'h anniversary of its founding, which began with a program for eight school children from EssexElementary, borrowed horses and a few vo lunteers. There was no professional staff and not even a facility, with lessons

Chairmen Emeriti

conducted at several properties around town. Revenues were virtually non-existent, and contributions from a few devotees were the only source of operating funds.

Advisory Members

~ccupied the Sis Gould Center for Therapeut ic Riding on Town Woods Road in Old Lyme in 1990, and hired its first Executive Director that same year.

High Hopes Staff

Today, in our 35'h year, we have a staff of 26 full and part-time professionals, our own herd of 22 horses, and an operating budget of $978,000. This budget sounds huge,

High Hopes operated in this grassroots manner for the next 15 years, when it built and

until you put it against our estimated expenses of $984,000. And the reality is that the $978,000 budget is not a sure thing; we need to find those funds.

In today's dicey economic climate, this wi ll not be easy. Corporate sponsors wi l l be tightening their belts; foundations, suffering severe losses in their investments, will have less grant money to award to non-profits. We worry about what lies ahead.

This is why, in our 35th year of operation, we need your contributions to our Annual Giving campaig n more than ever. The High Hopes staff and board of trustees are committed to maintaining the level and quality of services wh ich we provide to the disabled community. We want to continue underwriting 70% of all lesson costs, and provide additional scholarships to 40% of our participants.

We can turn the thermostat down this winter, and use fewer lights. But we can't cut down on feed for the herd, and we simply won't take shortcuts in serving our participants.

We are very sensitive to how this unce rtain economy is affecting you personally. But we hope you'll help us celebrate 35 highly successful years by giving as generously as you can afford to our 2008-09 Annual Campaign. The staff, your board, the horses, and especially the more than 220 participants in our programs, will thank you.

We w ;,h you all a healthy and happy 2009. t deceased

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•currently serving as a Trustee

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The Gift of Hope Typically

our "spotl ight on Success" is a story about a participant.

Highlighting progress made over time.

Today we are highlighting a very special person who has been an integral part of High Hopes for over 30 years. Carolyn Jagielski was recently awarded the 2009 NARHA Region I Instructor of the Year award in recognition of her dedication to this field. For most of the staff

"I have worked near or with Carolyn Jagielski since 1991. Watching her work with clients at High Hopes has been an experience that I will never forget. She epitomizes High Hopes. She gives people hope that they can improve their situation. She can't solve the whole problem, but she certa inl y can improve

distinct feeling that she would not let anything happen to her rider or her team. She even insists on curbing potentia l horse problems in the bud because she knows that the volunteers are not horse professio nals and taking a timely leade rship role solves future safety concerns.

Her modesty makes one forget how powerfu l her influence is on everyone she comes in contact with .

at High Hopes, she has helped to provide us with the foundation of

She was the one with the courage to tell a long time rider that it

knowledge that has allowed us to safely and effectively provide the service that we do.

was no longer possible to ride at High Hopes for safety reasons.

That was a very tough

As a Physical Therapist, Carolyn shares her extensive background with all of us, staff and voluntee rs alike. As a founding member of the

interview. But, Caroly n takes these moments as part of the job of keeping us honest at High Hopes.

She faces things square ly and in do ing

American Hippotherapy Association, she was one of the few people in the United States who first visited Germany to study hippotherapy techniques.

She has cont inu ed to share her passion and knowledge with every single instructor candidate that has come t hrough the NARHA Approved Instructor Training Course at High Hopes. Her incredible dedication to each and every rider wit h whom she works sets a standard of care throughout High Hopes. Tia Smith, a past Board member and long time volunteer has this to say . about Carolyn.

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it. Time and time again I have seen her do things like making a client more comfortable by just changing the angle of the leg on the saddle to relieve back pain or switching the riding location so that the client can concentrate better.

Her absolute insistence on safety changes a participatory gentle

that she instills confidence in her conside rabl e abilities to assessand contribute to the lives she touches.

I feel honored to have been around her and have seen her influence on all of us.

She sets a wonderful example. She gives us hope and there is a real "high" when you see the changes that she helps to bring out. In some ways, she really is, High Hopes."

leadership style into a very direct summons to attention. One gets the \Vi11tcr2009

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Sis Gould (top), Roger Smith & Emily Fischer (below)

First groupfrom Essex ElementarySchool

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Wimer

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with an early rider

SpecialOlympicsParticipantsand their Coaches

Winter

2009

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Walk&Ride-AThon 2008

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his fall, High Hopes created a new fundrais ing event in which everyone could take part . Rather than a one-day event, the Wa lk & Ride-a-Thon took place over the course of our fall, twelve week semester. Participants and volunteers were encouraged to tell fam ily and friends why High Hopes is important to them and then seek sponsors for every hour of riding, carriage dr iving, equine learn ing or volunteer ing t hey performed.

Prizes were awarded to those br ing ing in the highest do ll ar amo unt of pledges in two categories. Volunteers and riders cou ld seek sponsors on an individual basis, or team up with others or their favorite ho rse. Everyone had great fun and wo rked very hard for sponsors! The results we re amazing, with over $6800 being raised to support High Hopes Programs! High Hopes is very gr ateful fo r the efforts of everyone who took part, contri buted and sponsored th is fund raising event.

High Hopes hosts NARHA

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igh Hopes dressed up in its spookiest (or silli est !) ga rb t his past Halloween as we hosted over 100 NARHA prof essionals at our facilit y. Over th e summer as NARHA member s sent in t heir registrati on forms fo r th e nat ion al conferen ce in Hartford , w e repeatedly heard the refrain "Ar e we going t o have an opp ortunity to visit the High Hopes facilit y?" To accommodate the se requests High Hopes charter ed Holly Ridgway ''Happy Cw and several buses and held a pizza party Kitf)• Stalsburg ''Clown'' on Hallo w een. Once again the High f7'"u=:;;;;'iiiiiiiiiiiiirir=; = ::;, Hopes Board led the effort and contributed their time and talents to making this evening a success.

Special kudos 's to Jeff Ridgwa y and Chris Coyle for ligh t ing our sensory tra il (a big hit wit h our visitors), Penny Nelson for organ izing all the food and Holly Ridgwayfor coordinat ing this special evening.

Gro11p llaf/: Laura Broun. Holl;· Smulniadur.

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Prize Winners In the Rider category: • First place : Wa lmart g ift certificate to Emily C • Second place: Old Lyme Ice Cream gift certif icate t o Shrut i R • Third place : llli ano's Restaurant g ift certi fi cate to James E • Top Team: ll liano's Restaurant g ift certif icate to Team Scotella In the Volunt eer category :

Sundmacker,staff member Barbara

Smokey

H

igh Hopes has a new travelling amba ssador !

This past December our Delta certified Shetland pon y, Smokey, travelled to Essex Meado ws to spread some Christmas cheer and provide information on High Hopes and equine assisted therap y. Smokey w as accompanied on his visit by High Hopes Equine Operation s Direct or, Holly

Abrams and volunteer Alison Ritrovato .

While there , Smokey enjoyed having his picture ta ken with several Essex Meadows residents. Support fo r this wonderful new outreach program w as pro vided by th e Commu nity Foundation of Southeastern Connecti cut. For more information about havi ng Smokey come to visit your gro up or classroom , please contact Jeanna Pellino at 434-1974 x 16.

• First place : lll iano 's Restaurant gift cert ificate to Sharon T • Second pl ace: Fox Ledge Tack Shop gift certif icate to Kris P • Staff To p Tea m: Team Knight High Hopes Staff member Kristin Mason & Volu nteers Congratu lations to everyone and hats off for a terr ific job support ing High Hopes.

Stratton Barclay

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Winter

2009

Caleb Pen11i111a11

Barbara Gorham

A New Enrichment at High Hopes, The first time I entered the doors at High Hopes, I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but it didn't take long to realize that I had entered a world where magical things happen, spirits soar and hopes and dreams are fulfilled. The talented instructors and staff, the dedication of the volunteers, the wonderful horses and the proud, smiling faces of the riders and their families are a testament to this great organization, My volunteer experiences at High Hopes have been some of the most rewarding work I've ever done and at times I am moved beyond words when I see some of the riders' hard won accomplishments , I hope to be able to give back to this wonderful institution for years to come and witness many more riders become all they can be, So it is with great pride that I have included High Hopes in my will - I can't think of a more deserving entity that touches the lives of so many people in such a beneficial way, It is truly an honor to be a part of the High Hopes family and I'm happy to be able to support the Sis Gould Trail of Hope, I hope others join me,

Li11daRogen with Ponchoand A11d1·ew

n t he fa ll newsletter, High Hopes laun ched a meanin gf ul new gift giving opport unit y called Sis's Trail of Hope , Our go al w as t o encourage planned g ift s to High Hopes and th e immedi ate response was heart w armi ng as support ers made t heir int ent ion s know n and gave their reasons fo r doing so, The follo w ing is an excerpt from a very acti ve High Hopes vo lunt eer and sup po rter, Lind a Rogers, on her reasons for mak ing a commitm ent to Sis's Trail of Hope :

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When I said goodbye to corporate life and relocated to Madison, CT, I looked forward to using some of my newfound free time to give back to the community and was thrilled when I discovered the volunteer opportunities

Thank you Linda fo r your w·onde rfu l affir mat ion of High Hopes' mission,

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his fall , High Hopes was very fortunate to receive a generous grant from the Marion Moore Foundation to be used in support of the addition of a speech and language therapist to our interd isciplinar y team , as well as pro vide scholarship funding for our participants , It has long been an objective of our Strategic Plan to bui ld this much needed area of expertise into our staff as appro ximately 75% of our participants exper ience some degree of expressive or recepti ve language issues, A part t ime speech and language specialist wi ll work with out staff and volunt eers to provide additiona l services, consultation and training, Thei r professional knowledge w ill enable us to incorporate critical speech and language goals into our lesson planning , This w ill help create communicat ion techniques needed to improve receptive language for our participants , The Board and Staff of High Hopes are thri lled to be able to offer this area of expertise into our serv ices as w e continue to build the most effecti ve team for each partic ipant,

Open Barn Day his past October High Hopes held an Open Barn Day for its Adopt-A-Horse and A dop t-A n-A cre supporters and their families, It was a crisp fall day, perfect for carriage rides, wal king t he trai ls and visiting wit h one 's adopted equine part ner.

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Carriagi-Dri1•i11g with Caud) (left), (right) Agatha and Be.,trict t·isit J111oke)

S1eph,111ie RosJiof the Co1111,ctic111 Drmagt Auociatio11with Gnco and La11r,11 Fitzgerald

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noth er fall session has come t o a close and with t he beginni ng of the wi nt er semester, t he High Hopes staff is hard at work ! First, we dete rmine pa rti cipan t interest in t he six week semester, and t hen assign riders t o classesw hi ch w ill faci litate the ir progress as determined by t heir ind ividual goals. This may not seem too compl icated but when you consider coordinating over 220 participants, the instructors, volunteer support and everyone's schedules, the task is significant. Finally, throw twenty-two four legged equines into the mix and you have all the elements necessary to make a great winter semester!

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At High Hopes, it is the Equin e Program Coordinator's responsibility to be an advocate for the horses and to assure we will not cause them discomfort or affect the overall productivity of the herd. We begin matching horse to rider by considering the needs of the rider, including their disability and how it re lates to their goals for that semester. Is their muscle t one high or low; do they have balance challenges; do they need extra stimulation? These are the factors that go into selecting a narrow horse versus one with a broader base of support, or assigning a horse with a slow rhythmic pace instead of a short choppy one.

Though a herd of 22 horses may seem to provide multiple options for matching horse and rider, there are several additional considerations that must be made. First, is the overa ll size of the horse compatible to that of the rider? The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) recommends "t hat t he we ight of the rider does not

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Buddy, a broadbasedhorse exceed 20% of the we ight of the horse." This includes saddle and equipment. Other considerations include a horse's overall soundness, body condition, and age. Essentially, the horse is only as strong as his back.

Additional considerations affecting the ability of the horse to carry weight are; compromised balance, muscle tone and body proportion. A small pony is not suitable for an individual with long legs regardless of their actual weight. Riders with shorter legs may need a narrow horse so they have contact with the barrel of the horse.

Taking the horse's height into consideration is also importan t to ensure the rider receives appropriate assistance and support from their volunteers and instructor. There are also occasions when a rider and horse are just not well suited to each other.

It may simply be a result of rider balance or their behavior which affects the horse. Since we try to ensure a good match, adjustments between horse and rider combinations must be made until the best possible combinations are achieved.

We expect extraordinary things of our horses and the staff does everything possible to keep the horses happy and sound . High Hopes horses work an average of 10 to 12 hours a week, which varies from horse to horse

depend ing on their age and level of soundness. In addit ion to a regular schedule of health and hoof care, our veterinarian and equine chiropractor assesseach horse and help establ ish their maximum carrying capacity.

Horses are fitted to several saddles which helps to ensure proper fit and comfort. Multiple saddles for each horse are needed to fit the riders' size requirements.

In addition to considering the size of both the rider and the horse, we must consider that all horses have their own ind ividual personalities and preferences. For example; Geri, our Lipizzaner mare, is happiest when working w ith independent riders at the walk, trot , and cante r. Petra, our Norwegian Fjord, is so mello w we can be confident that whatever ride r works with her will benefit from her consistent and rhythmic movement.

The final piece to consider when pairing horses, riders, and volunteers is the ability of the volunteer to effectively lead the horse. Both leaders and horses are assessed independently and as a unit. Each horse is assigned a number that represents the level of skill requ ired to safely and effectively handle that horse. Trained volunteer horse leaders are assigned based on matching the needs of the horse and the volunteers ' level of skill. This creates a horse, volunteer and rider combination which will foster a safe riding atmosphere.

Combining all these factors is a challenging task. As always, the safety and well-being of the rider, horse, vo lunteers, and staff are paramount in any decisions made at High Hopes.

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ut on you r dan cing shoes and get ready fo r th e coole st , hipp est part y along t he shor elin e.

On Saturday, June 13th High Hopes is t hrilled to present The Sw ing Kings, a lively band fr om the West Coast , for an evening of great music, fa bu lou s foo d and enticing auct ion ite ms. A ll in support of our prog rams and part icipant s. This year's concert is chaired by Mic hael and Patty Ganey along with John and Dana Evans.

They have put together a hardworking t eam of Committee Chairs who are already busi ly at work ensuring that th is year 's event is a great success.For mo re information on the Swing Kings, visit their web site: www.swingkings.com . To be on our inv itat ion maili ng list contact Jennifer Piner-Wyman at 860-434-1974 x23 or email jwyman@high hopestr.org.

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in the Barn!

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New Railway Crossing

nveiled this fall on the High HopesSensoryTrail was an excit ing new station that replicates a railway crossing. It was designed by High Hopes Trustee Chris Coyle and Physical Therapist, Carolyn Jagelski. Built by Carolyn's son, Eagle Scout candidate, Alex Jagelski, the railw ay crossing t est s rider s' abilit y t o process differ ent sensory st imuli w hile helping them und erstand criti cal safety w arning signal s. Whil e th e trail was

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completed in the late summer, High Hopesstaff spent severalmonths desensitizingour horsesto this new feature along our trails. High Hopes would like to thank the Seraph Foundation for their generous support in making this project a reality.

If you are interested in learning more about the High Hopes Sensory tra i l pl ease cont act Progra m Direct or, Jeanna Pelli no 860-434-1974 x16 or email jp elli no@high hopestr .org.

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We Give Our Thanks to Some Very Special People everal years ago , David V. Winstead , Ph.D., the ow ner of Essex Printing Co. and Publisher of Events Maga zines w as invited to a demonstration and discussion conducted at High Hopes. In their ow n w ay, each rider w as abl e to articul ate the positi ve feeling s and satisfaction they received by being on a hor se.

There were comments

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Contributors to the High HopesRider Win ter 2009

brough t to te ars te lling him about t he change s in t heir child.

David said " I was hook ed." Thus began a relation shi p w it h High Hopes that has benef ited all involved. Essex Print ing has been able to deeply di scount many printing and adverti sing project s for High Hopes and once a year t hey donate th e entire cost fo r a

Events

about freedom, spirit, confidence,joy, interaction and personal accomplishment.

magaz1nes

Pho t os & Articles : Laura Brown, Sam Childs, Judie Driscoll, Lauren Fitzgerald, Pauline Knoll, Jeanna Pellino, Karen Pfeil, Sara Qua, Holly Ridgway , Jeff Ridgw ay, Linda Rogers, Tia Smith, Kitty Stalsburg , Tony Thurston Edito r: Sue Chodorov Design er: (Design, Kelley Cahill

major project or concert.

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Thi s newsletter is underwritten by

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