6825 Rollingview Drive Tobaccoville, North Carolina 27050 www.riverwoodtrc.org (336) 922-6426 August 2009 Volume No. 34

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Riverwood Rider

Summer 2009 ProgramThe 7-week summer program has reached new heights of success this year. Our Summer Working Student Program was filled and had a waiting list within two weeks of announcing that we were accepting participants. These students are not only taking part in riding lessons but they are also learning all the aspects of running a farm, horse care, therapeutic riding lesson planning and procedure, and the many other parts of keeping a horse business up and running on a daily basis. They have been willing and helpful with every job given to them! The rest of our session is filled with some of our year round riders and many new riders from the community. We have a group of typical adults who are as horse crazy as they were in their teens and several new groups of children who are finding the wonder that can only come from the back of a horse. Next year’s summer program will begin the week of June 16, 2010 and it’s never too early to sign up for it! For more information, please contact us at rtrc@windstream.net or 336-922-6426.

Time to Show Off! This spring was a busy one for our riders at Riverwood. We had two horse shows in which over 30 riders participated. On May 16th, we held our annual show at the Riverwood farm and had a record 22 riders participating. They showed off their skills by riding in equitation classes, pole bending races and egg and spoon relays. The day was beautiful! We were lucky to have Angie Redding as our judge, the Brookstown United Methodist Youth Group as assistants and awesome hot dog grillers, Benita VanWinkle as our photographer and over 20 dedicated Riverwood volunteers and staff members on hand to help the entire day run smoothly. Thanks to everyone for a job well done and to our riders

who really showed off their skills and talents!

On June 6th, our advanced group of riders visited TTC farm in Mocksville for the Triad First in Families Benefit Horse Show. Participating were: Tennessee Wright, Austin Holloway, Jenna Smith, Kayla Vickland, Liz Baldwin and Moriah Shore. These riders have been working on their riding skills throughout the year, specifically trotting, cantering and dressage tests. This show gave them the opportunity to enter classes that were filled with other typical riders from the community. Each rider was responsible for helping with their own horse, cleaning tack, preparing ahead of time for the show day and attending mandatory practice sessions. All of the riders did a terrific job and really did their best! Congratulations!

Calendar of Events: August 24: Classes begin this week for after-school riders (8/24-10/23 Fall Term)

August 31: Children’s Center Classes begin

September 7: Labor Day ALL CLASSES CONTINUE ON SCHEDULE

September 19: Annual Riverwood Bluegrass Bash 5:00 PM

October 26-30: Fall Break, No Classes

Please go to www.riverwoodtrc.org to see our full calendar.

Riverwood Rider

Centered Riding SuccessThe weekend of June 20 and 21 was one filled with learning and plenty of “aha” moments for 18 people from around NC, SC and VA. We all came together at Riverwood farm to learn from Robin Brueckmann about the concepts and applications of Centered Riding, a program developed over 60 years ago to create harmony and consistency in a rider’s body in order to achieve a balanced position on the horse, no matter what the discipline. Think about a combination of yoga, breathing, self awareness and self discipline and you’ve got a picture of centered riding.

Robin lives in Summerfield, NC but has traveled the globe teaching this program as well as competing on her horses in international and Olympic venues. She brought some of her videos of her riding one of her Olympic level horses, David, with neither stirrups nor bridle while performing the highest level dressage test. As we all watched in wonder, there was not a dry eye in the room. It was a beautiful demo of true partnership between horse and rider. Although no one ended up riding bridle-less during the weekend, there was obvious harmony and clarity reached between the rider participants and their horses. Thanks go to everyone in attendance and to Robin who helped make this a truly fantastic event!

Congratulations Graduates!

We’d like to recognize the following volunteers who will be leaving our program because they have graduated high school or college:

Amy Snyder will be attending Gardner Webb on academic scholarship

Meaghan Kearns will be attending Western Carolina University to pursue her Master’s Degree

Justine Bouzon will be leaving her foreign exchange family in Winston-Salem to return to her home in France

Riverwood welcomes our newest volunteers!

Elise BorrellDana Cannin-MulhearnLori ChurchAddison CollinsCarl CrossAlyssa DeAngelisAmy DillonDonna DiPaolaRobby and Michael HinesTori IrvinHannah JesterShelby JohnsonChrissy JoyceAshland KittrellMcKenzie MillicanLeigh OliverHank PhillipsKellner PruettBailey and Jan TaylorKathy TaylorBlake Young

Giving to Riverwood – A Valuable Lesson

Andrea Bostic’s 5th grade students at Old Richmond Elementary School haven’t let the economy impact their ongoing support for Riverwood Thera-

peutic Riding Center. As her class did in 2008, Andrea incorporated giving and learning into a year-long project. The students ap-plied math skills to work with the money they raised and learned how to write thank you letters to their donors. They learned that, as a team, they could work together to help others.

These seventy students donated their allowances,

washed cars, did odd jobs for neighbors and family, placed collection bottles in local restaurants and sold chili orders to raise money for Riverwood. One student even donated all of the money her parents awarded her for her grades - $60 she earned went to support Riverwood.

On June 9th, these students recognized Riverwood board member, Hilary Kosloske, for her help with their efforts by making her an honorary sponsor of Gator, an American Paint horse.

Thank you all....We hope we haven’t missed anyone. Your continued support is appreciated.

Riverwood ContributorsSince April 2009

Anne Faulkner

Ashley and Cecilia Balman

Billy Joe and Kathryne Ireland

Bob and Sally Kenny

Broocks and Scott Foster

C. Elliot and Company

Cabell Fowler

Charles and Ann Williams

Cherie and David Ratcliffe

Christopher and Katherine Frantz

Cleo Hubbard

Colette and Bruce Griffin

Donna Blackwelder

Doreen Hughes

Eddie and Sandra Day

Elizabeth Oakley

Gabriela Lee

Gail Arnette

Gamma Nu of ADK

Alison Stoltz in honor of Andrea Bostic

Barbara Rich in honor of Andrea Bostic

Brian and Kathy McCarthy in honor of Andrea Bostic

Charlotte Alford in honor of Andrea Bostic

Cheryl Cochran in honor of Andrea Bostic

Christine Puckett in honor of Andrea Bostic

David and Carolyn Petersen in honor of Andrea Bostic

Donald and Sharon Smith in honor of Andrea Bostic

Dr. Steve Hubbard by Broocks Foster

Ernestine and Coy Conrad in honor of Andrea Bostic

Hilary Kosloske in honor of Andrea Bostic

Greg, Cindy and Hannah Hiatt

Harold and Laura Beaty

Home Moravian Women’s Fellowship

Jim and Deanna Hines

JT Petty

Kathryn Parham

Keith Duffy and Rebecca Harris

Kim and John Urquhart

Knights of Columbus

Leigh Stone

Margaret Harper and Don Lendle

Marjorie Ostrove

Melanie and Richard Harkey

Melanie Harkey

Mike and Carolyn Rush

Mike and Meredith Fisher

Mrs. Ann Hutchens

Myra Miller

Pat Baker

Robert Gayle

Sharon and Donald Smith

Steve and Kelley Kirkman

Steven and Sherry Caldwell

Susan Peatross

Terry and Dolores Brennan

The Fowler Family

Tim and Beth O’Connell

W. Wake Clinard, Clinard Insurance

JT Petty in honor of Kyle Petty

Karen Calloway in honor of Andrea Bostic

Len and Cindy Needham in honor of Andrea Bostic

Marcia Maynard in honor of Flash

Nancy Pratt in honor of Andrea Bostic

Olivia Choplin, Judy Smith and Jeanne MacManus in honor of Martha Key

Pat Baker in honor of Andrea Bostic

Peter and Joan Robie in honor of Andrea Bostic

Richard and Nancy Fowler in honor of Andrea Bostic

Riley and Penny Lynch of Andrea Bostic

Steve and Jo Ellen Conrad in honor of Andrea Bostic

Wayne and Donna Moore in honor of Andrea Bostic

In Memory Of Barbara Mowery in memory of her husband, Lewis K. Mowery, Sr.

Henry and Kathryn Ebert in memory of Lois Lockett Ragsdale

Mary Ann and Megan Rogers in memory of Del Rey

Sammie and Russell Goodwin in memory of CJ Sharling

Stephen and Louise Monroe in memory of Tom and Lavonda Glass’s “Biskit”

In Honor Of

Riverwood Rider

Student SponsorsStudent sponsorships are $1000 a year and supplement costs that are not covered by tuition, including scholarships.

Teresa Dampier

Chris and Danny Herko

Horse SponsorsHorse sponsorships are $1000 a year and help with cost of care and keep-ing of our loyal partners.

Fits - Jane Marvin

King - The Barksdale Family

Ibby - The Hines Family

Buddy - Mr. and Mrs. R.N. Key

Pet - Lovell’s Little Bits

Tony - Mr. and Mrs. Alan Kirby

Tony - Courtney Czarnecki in Honor of Beb McIntyre

Flash - Kerri Crater

Angel - The Hubbard Family

Angel - Piedmont Kiwanis Club

Gator - Andrea Bostic’s 5th Graders at Old Richmond Elementary School in honor of Hilary Kosloske

Blaze - Kyle and Marie Petty

As the cost of keeping our horses increases, we hope to have at least two sponsors for each horse. Please consider sponsoring a horse.

Gifts in KindAnne and Greg Epting – hot dogs and buns for horse show

Anne Gould – tack

Bailey Taylor - riding boots

Becky Forest – paper products

Benita vanWinkle and Brookstown UMC – horse show help

Bill Adams at The Golden Apple – sponsoring Buckets & Bowls

Dick Gordon at Freedom Beverage – sponsoring Buckets & Bowls

Bruce Holiday – filming horse show

Cooper Padgett – riding pants

Cynthia and Mike Walker – 45 bales of hay

Deni and Will McIntrye – tack

Esther Sloyer – tack

Gary Overfelt – UPS Store – 500 copies

Harry Dawson and Dawson Tree Service – tree service and removal

Wish List • Legends12pellets (Southern States Feed)

• Actiflex4000joint supplement

• Printer/CopierPaper • PostageStamps

• PaperTowels

• ToiletTissue

• LiquidHandSoap

• 12”-16”(high)cones

• AbsorbineSuperGreen Flyspray

• Equi-SpotleaveonFly Repellent

• EquiminMineralBlock

(Southern States)

• EquineShampoo

Hilary Kosloske – tack

Jane Marvin – horse books

John and Beth McCashin – 359 bales of fescue hay

Lucy Boyd Taylor – tack

Mrs. Eula Speas – paper products

Mt. Tabor UMC – A Great Day of Service

Rafael Grillo of Troop #918 – created picnic area off ABC trail

Sam Calloway – saddles

Scott Foster – office supplies

Susan Appt – Western saddle

Tack on Wheels – donated and discounted helmets to replace expired ones

Tess Barringer – cleaning and organizing tack room

Tom Bryan - printing support at Sharpe Images and pressure washing at the farm

Board MembersJennifer Barksdale - Jenifer Fowler Nancy Hancock - Deanna HinesSusan Hubbard - Hilary Kosloske

Karen Lineberger - Keith TartVictoria E. Newell, DVM

Charlie Williams

NON-PROFITUS POSTAGE PAIDPERMIT 21LEWISVILLE, NC

Riverwood Therapeutic Riding Center6825 Rollingview DriveTobaccoville, NC 27050

6825 Rollingview Drive Tobaccoville, North Carolina 27050 www.riverwoodtrc.org (336) 922-6426

From the Director

Dear Friends,

I am often asked to explain why Riverwood might be a necessary activity in the life of an individual with special needs. I guess the difficulty for some in understanding the value in therapeutic riding is because so many of the benefits are not as tangible as, for example, the homeless having a place to live and those without a meal being fed. There are, however, many benefits that are measurable as evidenced by the goals that are met each day on the farm. For the student without insurance to cover physical therapy or one who is given only 20-30 visits/year, therapeutic riding is a necessary means to help loosen stiff muscles. As one adult with MS told me, “This keeps me walking.” A young woman with severe depression states, “As soon as I started riding I began thinking of opportunities, and new doors began to open for me.” A child with autism puts his first phrase together. A young girl can sequence 6 obstacles on a horse when it was determined that she would never be able to sequence more than 4. Two individuals with learning disabilities have found such self-esteem and motivation in working with the horses that they are now valued Riverwood employees. Is Riverwood necessary? If you ask our students and our families, they will tell you YES! Non-profits are struggling. I am sure that is not news to anyone. Riverwood is no exception. Most of us in the business of directing charitable organizations are finding an increase in requests for service and a decrease in charitable contributions, both corporate and individual. There is some grant money available , but that seems to be targeted to basic human needs. I am asking for your continued support this year. Riverwood will hold its annual fundraiser September 19th here at the farm. It will be an evening with great food, music and dancing as well as an opportunity to visit with the staff, see our facility and meet some of our students. These events along with our annual campaign in November and our chili sale in February make up 70% of our annual budget with tuition making up the remaining 30%. Children and adults with disabilities have many needs beyond those of the typical population. Your support will allow us to continue to meet those needs and make a difference in the lives of our students.

Susan