I have been volunteering with the North Carolina Therapeutic Riding Center for the past 5 years and have found it to be the most rewarding experience that I have ever done. NCTRC is a nonprofit that offers horseback riding lessons, along with its many physical, cognitive and phychological benefits, to children, teens, and adults with a varitey of special needs.

Having been around horses most of my life, I had always known of the healing effect that these amazing animals can have on people. Now, I see this effect through the eyes and smiling faces of all the riders at NCTRC. Like the little girl with Cerebral Palsy who could not walk 2 years ago and now walks with a cane due to her hard work and hippotherapy classes. And then there is the young man who owned horses before a terrible accident and brain injury took away his ability to talk or walk with out support. When he is on his horse in class, you can almost see him time travel back to before his accident. He talks to the horse through the pressure of his legs, movement in the saddle, and the turning of his reins. He is not disabled when he is on a horse. He is free of his injury and truly "back in the saddle". I could go on and on with the stories of so many riders who have touched my heart. I hope that I have touched yours too.

I will be walking in the Great Human Race on March 27th in an effort to raise much needed funds for the care of our amazing therapy horses and beautiful 30 acre farm. I hope that you will consider sponsoring me by making a donation. This year, our fundraising will be doubled by a challenge grant offered by an anonymous donor. So each dollar you give from now until July 2010 will be matched up to $20,000. Please help me reach my goal of $500.00