THE "NEIGH"-BORHOOD NEWS from Dream Catchers at the Cori Sikich Therapeutic Riding Center Volume 6, Issue 1 --May 18, 2010 In this issue: Bridles & Bow Ties - Event of the Year! Summer Camp Time Student Spotlight Bridles & Bow Ties Auction Packages Volunteer Spotlight Bridles & Bow Ties Raffle Upcoming Events Adopt-A-Horse Dream Drawing The Farm Tour ZEKE's FB Plea Stop and Shop Need a Grant? How to Help Summer Camp is just around the corner! It’s not too late to sign up for summer horse camp this summer at Dream Catchers! This year we are offering two different types of camp – Jr. Volunteer Horse Camp for future volunteers and horse lovers between the ages of 9 and 13, and Pony Pals Camp for our younger future equestrians between the ages of 6 and 8. At camp, young riders will learn about horse care, do crafts and play games, take a daily riding lesson, learn about therapeutic riding and how they can help our friends who ride at Dream Catchers, and make lasting friendships with other campers, our trained counselors, and our horses. Camps run Monday through Thursday from 10 – 2:30, and we have limited spaces available. If you are interested, please return a completed registration form (brochures are available on our website under “camps”) along with a $50 deposit made payable to Dream Catchers. The dates of camp are: Jr. Volunteer Camp – June 28-July 1, July 26 – 29, and August 9 – 12 Pony Pals – July 5 – 8 and July 12 – 15 Please call Melissa Conner at 757-566-1775 if you have any questions or please visit the CAMP PAGE[http://dreamcatcherswilliamsburg.org/index.php/programs/camps] on our website for more info and applications; GiddyUp! The Bridles & Bow Ties Auction Packages: ~History & Romance at Warner Hall ~Come Sail Away ~Summer Breeze in Nags Head ~The Qualifier ~Hope & Glory ~Pony Tales ~This is NO Fish Tale ~A Barbeque with Flair ~Orlando Getaway ~2010 US Open Pebble Beach ~Hunting with a Rod & Reel ~Take it Easy ~Silver Mines & Silver Streams ~Dove Hunting in Argentina ~Wonderful Williamsburg ~A Private Tasting View the PDF for more details![http://dreamcatcherswilliamsburg.org/index.php/bridles_and_bowties/auction_packages] Family Picnic and Volunteer Appreciation Lunch Thank you to all of our Volunteers! We are truly blessed to have you in our lives. We would not be here without you. THANKS!!!! Dream Drawing Dream Catchers is starting an ART program! Our first session of Dream Drawing will take place on June 5th, 2010. A variety of artistic mediums will be available for the students to explore and the opportunity to have the artwork incorporated into something that will last! For more information or to register, please send us an email at dreamcatchersdrawing@gmail.com[mailto:dreamcatchersdrawing@gmail.com] or check out the website. UPCOMING EVENTS Check out the website for more details[http://dreamcatcherswilliamsburg.org] May 21-22, 2010 • No Lessons (make ups in June) May 22, 2010 • Bridles and Bow Ties May 25, 2010 • Board Meeting, 5:30 pm May 31, 2010 • Memorial Day - Office Closed Jun 01, 2010 • Summer Registration begins Jun 05, 2010 • 4H Meeting, 3-5 pm Jun 06, 2010 • VA Horse Council Trail Ride at Carter’s Grove Jun 12, 2010 • New Volunteer Orientation, 2 - 3:30 pm Jun 12, 2010 • Summer Registration period ends Jun 19, 2010 • Grooming and Tacking Clinic, 2 - 4 pm Jun 19, 2010 • Last Day of Spring Session Jun 19, 2010 • 4H Meeting, 3-5 pm Jun 22-26, 2010 • No Regular Lessons/Make Ups only Jun 23, 2010 • Volunteer Committee Meeting,5:30–7:00p Jun 25, 2010 • Make up Lessons June 25-26 Jun 27, 2010 • Mathews Horse Show Jun 27, 2010 • Farm Tour Jun 28, 2010 • Jr Volunteer Day Camp, June 28th-July 1st Jun 29, 2010 • Board Meeting, 5:30 pm Jul 03, 2010 • Summer Session begins - 8 weeks Farm Tour This is a self-driving tour of three diverse farms in the Toano/Barhamsville area organized by JCC Extension Service. Master Gardeners will be on site with interactive educational displays. The purpose is to educate folks about the agricultural sites (aka "farms) in the local area. DC is fortunate to be chosen to participate in this event, and we expect several hundred folks to come visit and tour our facility. Come out and visit Sunday, June 27th, from 1pm-5pm. We will have board members and volunteers available for tours, merchandise for sale, student demonstrations, and refreshments. ADOPT-A-HORSE How You Can Help Dream Catchers at the Cori Sikich Therapeutic Riding Center is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization. Our riders pay only a portion of the real cost of lessons. The balance of our operating costs is generated through fundraising. Your gift enables Dream Catchers to maintain a safe and thriving equine facility -- happy, healthy horses; knowledgeable, nurturing instructors; and well-trained, conscientious volunteers. We depend on your financial gifts as well as your precious gift of time! We are always looking for volunteers, young and old, to support the dreams that our humble organization helps come true! If you would like to sponsor a horse, sponsor a child, or make a donation in honor of a loved one or friend, please send your donation to: Dream Catchers P.O. Box 1261 Williamsburg, VA 23187 or donate online at www.dreamcatcherswilliamsburg.org[http://www.dreamcatcherswilliamsburg.org/] Thank you for your continued support. Here's the latest . . . Dream Catchers' Event of the Year Bridles and Bow Ties 2010 is almost here! Riverside Health Systems is our highest sponsor, thank you! The committee has been working hard to make this gala event spectacular! Held on May 22 at Dream Catchers, Bridles and Bow Ties is the signature fundraiser of the year. Guests from all over the country step out in their jeans and cowboy hats to support the program. The auction packages are amazing this year—the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, dove hunting in Argentina, and local fun like Warner Hall and the Hope and Glory Inn are just some of the packages available. Nearly 300 guests are expected for the event. The evening starts at 5:30 with an open bar and then a riding demonstration choreographed by Debbie Hill and Gwen Zimmerman. Guests will then enter the indoor arena and enjoy a delicious meal catered by Todd Schneider, recently named Executive Chef to the governor of Virginia. Guests have an opportunity to support Dream Catchers through purchase of raffle tickets and auction packages or supporting the Dream Rider Fund. Dream Catchers at the Cori Sikich Therapeutic Riding Center depends on the success of Bridles and Bow Ties in order to provide therapeutic riding. While students are charged a fee, it is the investment that the community makes through sponsorships, attending the event and the auction that help each rider find freedom on the back of a horse. Tickets available on the website. See you there! Student Spotlight – Tori Bodett “She is our shining star” says her instructor, Debbie Hill, with no showiness or pride, but simply pure honesty. Victoria Bodett, who is better known as Tori, is only twelve years old and yet she has been riding at Dream Catchers for over five years. Tori is a student at Norge Elementary school and is the daughter of Bob & Karen Bodett. Tori’s parents are extremely supportive of Tori and give her every opportunity to experience life despite her limitations. Without a doubt, they are watching from the sidelines at every lesson, cheering her on. Tori’s disabilities confine her to a wheelchair and limited use of her left side when she sits on solid ground, but when she gets on her horse, Sassy, a Tennessee walker and one of the tallest horses in the barn, she needs no support from a chair or even much support from her side walkers and she is beginning to use her left hand to tell her horse to walk-on. When Tori first began riding at Dream Catchers, she could only ride for a short five minutes with a gate-belt and total support from her side-walkers. Sitting up was a serious challenge for her, not to mention balancing on a moving animal. But if you saw Tori riding today, it would be hard for you to image that. As Tori leaves her wheel-chair and gets lifted to her horse, the moment she is free from the lift, her facial expression changes. She is alert, excited and ready to ride. As the lesson begins her sense of humor shines through, as well as her stubbornness. If she wants her instructor and side walkers to laugh, she will do whatever it takes, but often reverts to picking her nose. If she wants her instructor to wait, she will hold out in stubborn contempt to do what she is asked. No matter what she is scheming, she has a freedom on the horse’s back and she knows it; she does not let a second of her lesson go to waste. Watch the amazing video[http://dreamcatcherswilliamsburg.org/index.php/video/video_embeds/tori_bodett/] of Tori, taken by Karen Dyer, as a testament to her success. Volunteer Spotlight - Mike Severin May Volunteer of the Month Mike has been volunteering at Dream Catchers for two and a half years, and has been one of our most dedicated and faithful volunteers during that time. He first learned about Dream Catchers at a Volunteer Day where he lives, and was quick to offer his help. Since then, he has become a valued member of our volunteer team. Mike is a regular with our school groups on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, but also helps with some private lessons. He is great with our kids – they look up to him as a trustworthy adult who makes them feel safe. We love to have Mike around the barn…not only is he great with our students but he is a talented handy-man who is quick to pitch in with repairs around the facility. He even has “gone the extra mile” by offering his time with special projects and events such as our phone party to update our database and bar tending at various fund-raisers. Whatever we do, Mike is quick to offer his help, and we are so grateful! When you see Mike around the barn this month, be sure to thank him for his dedicated service! Are you interested in volunteering? If so, please check out the volunteer page on our website to find our application and the schedule of orientations and trainings for 2010. ZEKE has his own FACEBOOK PAGE! Go to our website and BECOME A FAN[http://facebook.com/] or search Zeke Paschall and you'll find him! Look - He NEEDS friends :(! BRIDLES AND BOW TIES 2010 Friends & Family....... Dream Catchers at the Cori Sikich Therapeutic Riding Center has and AMAZING RAFFLE this year for our Bridles & Bow Ties Event - May 22, 2010 CHECK IT OUT....... First Place is a weeks stay in a GORGEOUS villa in BERMUDA go to www.Tuckerspoint.com[http://www.tuckerspoint.com/] to see for yourself!! Second Place is a four-course private dinner for six at the FAT CANARY (only the best restaurant in Williamsburg, maybe Virginia!!). Third Place is a $400 VISA GIFT CARD.....who couldn't use the cash these days?? Tickets are $10 each or a "book" of ten tickets for $80!! WHAT A DEAL!! There is a limited supply, which of course increases your chances.....SO DON"T PUT OFF THIS OPPORTUNITY!!!! Tickets are available online at www.dreamcatcherswilliamsburg.org[http://www.dreamcatcherswilliamsburg.org/] or call Dream Catchers at 757.566.1775. Thank you, in advance, for your support of our program, which "provides therapeutic riding and other horse-related activities for special needs individuals in a caring and safe environment". Dream Catchers on FACEBOOK! We want you! Click the Link and BECOME A FAN[http://facebook.com/] Stop & Shop Show your support for Dream Catchers with your purchase of t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, travel mugs, coffee mugs, water bottles and more. Stop by the Admin building to say hello and do a little shopping. Please send comments or questions about this newsletter to info@dreamcatcherswilliamsburg.org[mailto:info@dreamcatcherswilliamsburg.org] Need a printed copy, call us we'd be happy to oblige Need a Grant? Follow the link for the United Healthcare Children's Foundation[http://www.uhccf.org/apply.html] for more information! This Issue of The "Neigh"-Borhood News sponsored by: Riverside Health Systems 757-595-6363 www.riversideonline.com/[http://www.riversideonline.com/] Thank you for Supporting Dream Catchers! Dream Catchers at the Cori Sikich Therapeutic Riding Center, 10120 Fire Tower Road, Toano, VA 23168 www.dreamcatcherswilliamsburg.org[http://www.dreamcatcherswilliamsburg.org]