PAYING IT FORWARD...that's why I love this message board!

I couple of months ago I posted a message on this board asking for some help in setting up community service hours for my daughter at a non-profit organization...a number of people responded with suggestions and a few organizations offered to help by having her assist in their local facilities. (We sincerely appreciated all the suggestions and folks who contacted us as there was a terrific response to my plea for help!)

Fast forward to today...my daughter has been really happy to be volunteering at an organization that is not really well known yet, but that offers very valuable services to an important population of men, woman & children in our community ~~ that organization is called "HEALING HORSE THERAPY CENTER". They are located on C Road (just south of Okeechobee Blvd.) in Loxahatchee Groves and they have a beautiful and peaceful facility.

As a lesser known non-profit in our area, HHTC offers a Therapeutic Riding Program for individuals with physical and cognitive disabilities, but they also specialize in Horsemanship for Veterans and have a wonderful program for our country's Veterans as well as non-serving individuals which focuses on therapeutic healing for those suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). We have SO MANY "wounded warriors" returning from service and while their reception in society has been much more positive than some earlier veteran's received, they still need help in many areas due to the weak job market, limited funds for rehabilitation and in dealing with the after effects of their service traumas.

This is where I am hoping to "PAY IT FORWARD"! The very positive and motivated woman who runs this organization (Executive Director, Maurette Hanson) needs our horse community's help! We, as a group, are so generous and have so much to give and share with one another (as evidenced through this board), I am hoping that, as she helped me, I might help her by making this known to all of you. Please reach out and offer any assistance you can...these are her most immediate needs: (** All Donations are Tax Deductable**)

* wide tree English saddle (16.5-17 would be best)
* wide tree western saddle (not too heavy)
* horse size surcingle (preferably with handles)
* pony size surcingle (again, preferably with handles)
* 2 English bridles or dressage bridles (horse size)
* MOST IMPORTANTLY: Money to pay for their wheelchair accessable mounting ramp...(Maurette's long-time farrier, Alan Ford, has generously offered to build the ramp and has donated his labor and secured the steel that is needed to build this important tool for her wheelchair bound clients.

Healing Horse Therapy Center's goal is to raise $5,000.00 to cover the costs for this ramp and a few other essential items at the farm...if everyone reading this could make a donation of $5.00 and tell 2 other friends about HHTC, I am certain she would make great headway in achieving her goal and being able to assist even more of our veteran's who could desperately benefit from this type of assistance.

WE ALL KNOW HOW HEALING OUR EQUINE FRIENDS ARE AND JUST HOW MUCH THEY BRING JOY INTO OUR LIVES...LET'S HELP MAURETTE SHARE THAT INCREDIBLE FEELING OF ACCOMPLISHMENT BY HELPING HER TO SERVE THE NEEDS OF OUR NEIGHBORS, FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS...after all, I'll bet each one of us has a family member or friend who has served, has a child with special needs or a relative who could benefit from one of the services Maurette offers.

Please visit her website at : healinghorse.org or contact her to mail your donation and get for more information at 1752-C Rd., Loxahatchee, FL 33470
(561) 914-1718