thousand words thursday...volunteer

farewell old friend

Deb with Lulu

It is with bittersweet emotions that we say goodbye to our Volunteer Coordinator Deb.  They say that all things happen for a reason, and we know that it was no coincidence that Deb ended up a Vinceremos.  As a girl who originally volunteered with a riding center in her home state of New Jersey, Deb was determined from a young age to become a riding instructor.  When the time came for college, she landed at Palm Beach Atlantic University.  Though she was excited to begin her studies in exceptional student education, she held out hope that she could one day marry her education and passion for horses to create a livelihood for herself.  Her first weekend as a freshman, she heard about Vinceremos, a place where children and adults with disabilities come to discover the "healing power of horses."  Deb skipped her freshman retreat to attend the volunteer orientation at VTRC that weekend.
After volunteering for several years and being named VTRC's Volunteer of the Year, Deb was appointed Volunteer Coordinator.  She used her connections at PBA to recruit many more volunteers and to spread the word about therapeutic horseback riding.  Because of Deb, PBA has become a consistent partner for special event and work day volunteers.
Last summer, Deb became a PATH certified therapeutic riding instructor and has been teaching on weekends.  The progress that her "kids" have made is very much a testament to the amount of time Deb spends tailoring her classes to her students abilities and goals.  We know that her riders will miss her just as much as her volunteers!
We would be remiss if not mentioning Lulu, Deb's favorite pony.  Actually, it's more likely that Deb is Lulu's favorite human.  Deb has schooled Lulu with patience and respect and all the love a girl could give to her equine BFF.  The rest, as they say, is history.
As we bid Deb farewell, we are excited for the many possibilities and adventures that await her.  Good luck and best wishes to you!

I have no experience with horses whatsoever. I mean, sure I’ve gone to the fair and had a pony ride, and I’ve ridden a couple of my friends’ horses (at a walk), but that doesn’t really count. I’ve always loved horses and dreamed of the opportunity to work with them. Then I heard about Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center. My reaction was, “Working with horses, getting community service for school, and helping with special needs children? Sign me up!”

So far I’ve worked for 30 hours at Vinceremos, and I’ve learned so much. It was surprising to me that I could even participate since I don’t have any horse experience to speak of, but they accepted me just as I am. I’ve worked with different riders and listened to their struggles. I’ve learned how to tack a horse, how to lead and sidewalk, and how to feed all the horses at the end of the day. I love all the horses at Vinceremos, and the people too. Everyone is so patient, kind, and helpful. I would not trade this volunteering experience for anything. Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center is my kind of place.