You know the old saying, "Time flies when you're having fun!".  Well, I can't believe the last JoyRide Journal was sent out 5 months ago, but it is because we have been having so much fun!!!  We have more fun coming up, which you can read about here, along with some important announcements and general JoyRide news.

• All Client Paperwork  due in JoyRide office by Friday, July 29 in order to ride in fall semester.  The paperwork can be found on our website or through this link.

• Summer Semester ends:  Friday, July 29

• New Volunteer Training:  Tuesday, August 16, 9 am-noon.  Contact pkvello@joyridecenter.org

• Fall Semester begins week of August 29 .

• 2nd Annual Rider Cup Golf Tournament:  Monday, October 10, High Meadow Ranch Golf Club.  For more information, contact Roger Wagner at boardpresident@joyridecenter.org.

On May 21, we had another sell-out event, with 258 people attending the JoyRide Jamboree held this year at the Northwest Forest Conference Center.  Our joy cup runneth over as your generosity raised $108,305 for JoyRide at this event (almost double what we were hoping for)!  Huge thanks go to Jackie McDonald and Letty Berry and their great team that organized the event.  Also, joy hugs to Diane Payne Photography, Music by Melanie Kay, Cypress Creek Carriage Company, Airline Graphics, Kirby Clarke (for the fantastic video which you can now view on our website), all the generous sponsors and everyone who donated the wonderful live and silent auction items.  See all the photos on our website or through this link. 

       

16 JoyRiders raked in the medals at the Regional Equestrian Special Olympics held on May 7 at the Lone Star Expo Center in Conroe.  6 of these riders went on to the state competition in Bryan on June 18-19.  They competed in English and Western Equitation, Working Trail and Showmanship.  Our buttons were busting with pride to watch these special equestrians show off their skills!  Thank you so very much to the volunteers who gave up their weekends and made it possible for them to compete.

 

 

 

JoyRide is blessed to have many extraordinary volunteers.  Congratulations to the following that have been chosen as our Volunteers of the Month!

 

MARCH - Cindy Burkett:  Cindy joined the JoyRide volunteer team last fall.  She hit the ground running, and hasn’t slowed down yet, volunteering 2 days per week and helping with special events.  Cindy was especially helpful both preparing for, and at the (much abbreviated) Top Hands horse show in February.  Besides helping with bathing, hauling and set up, Cindy worked her magic on the horses’ manes and tails to get them show ready.  When something needs doing, Cindy jumps in and gets it done. 

 

APRIL - Amanda Weber:  Amanda has only been volunteering with us for two semesters but she seems like a seasoned veteran.  Her sunny personality, quiet sense of humor and ability to do just enough for her riders has made her a favorite with all the instructors.  Amanda works as a Sidewalker and Horse Handler 3 mornings a week and sometimes subs on additional days.  She is always ready to help anywhere she is needed!

 

 

 

MAY - Pam Lawson:  Pam began volunteering in the spring of 2010 and quickly became an indispensable part  of the Tuesday team assisting the hippotherapy riders who need a lot of physical and emotional support.  Her creative mind is always coming up with new ideas to make the riders more comfortable and their rides more productive. Pam also works hard outside the arena helping her husband, Chad, with construction projects such as the therapy mat table and the new rolling mirror.

 

JUNE - Ida Anderson:  Ida was one of our first JoyRide volunteers new to therapeutic riding.  She quickly became a mainstay, volunteering 2 days a week, subbing regularly and helping at special events.  She is always smiling, always willing to do more than she is asked, dependable, upbeat and fun to be around.  Unfortunately for us, Ida will be moving soon, leaving a very big hole in the volunteer team.  She will be missed by everyone!

 

 

  

Annie, a 14.3 hand,18 year old, "unpainted" Paint mare (yep, she is a solid sorrel color) is now an official member of the JoyRide herd.  Annie came to us very well trained and has been the perfect horse to help a rider learn to canter.  She is very sensitive to the riders' needs and seems to know how special they are. A huge joyful thanks goes to Gary Baker for donating her to JoyRide. 

We are looking for a few more special 4-footed friends, especially a small horse/large pony.  If you know of any, contact Equine Coordinator, Kassie, at kcollins@joyridecenter.org. 

JoyRide is now signed up with the Kroger Neighbor to Neighbor Donation Program and the Randalls Good Neighbor Program.  Randalls shoppers can fill out an application (available at the Courtesy Booth, at JoyRide or through this link) and link our Good Neighbor account number, 12620, to your Remarkable Card. 

 

If you shop at Kroger, print out the letter with a bar code (available on our website or through this link) and present it with your KrogerPlus card to your cashier at checkout.

The organization that has been setting the standards for therapeutic riding programs for the last 42 years, formerly known as NARHA, North American Riding for the Handicapped, has changed its name to Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship, International (PATH, International).  This name change will open doors to a myriad of inclusive possibilities and matches the growth of the equine-assisted activities and therapies (EAAT) industry.  JoyRide is a PATH International member center and we adhere to the strict standards and guidelines set forth by this organization.  Visit their website, www.pathintl.org to learn more.

For ways to help JoyRide, visit http://joyridecenter.org/donate