Volunteers of the Month
Sharon Montgomery June 2010 Volunteer of the Month
Sharon has been Volunteering with PHH since we started therapeutic riding in May 2009. She has been a huge asset to the organization from helping with lessons to office work.
Here is what Sharon had to say about volunteering.
I started volunteering at Equifriends in Snohomish at a very sad time in my life and when it closed I followed Laurie to Leg Up for Kids.
The horses, volunteers, Laurie and especially the students and their families have enriched my life and it has been a special and rewarding experience for me.
The riding program is so beneficial to so many students and hopefully we can continue with this wonderful program in the Fall.
I have received so much more than I give!
Vicki & Emily May 2010 Volunteer of the Month
Vicki & Emily have been Volunteering with PHH since January 2010. They are very dependable, hard workers that have a love for horses.
Here is what Vicki had to say about volunteering.
In January of this year, Emily came to me interested in horses. She has always had a lot of fun trail riding and riding on her cousins’ horses. Since we don’t own horses of our own, she thought it would be fun to start taking riding lessons. Knowing how much it takes to care for a horse, I had one condition. She needed to understand the work involved with horses, and the best learning is done by doing. I contacted PHH after seeing their website to inquire about volunteer opportunities, age requirements (since Emily was only 9 at the time), etc. and within a couple of weeks Emily and I started volunteering at the barn. We have done everything from cleaning the bathrooms to grooming the horses. We both have a lot of fun at the barn and have found that the 5 hours we volunteer each week to this amazing organization has not only been a great way to learn to care and interact with horses, but also quality mother-daughter time. Emily’s first month of riding lessons happened in May thru Leg Up For Kids as an able-body rider and she is so excited for the horses to come back from their much deserved vacation so that she can continue to work with Laurie and ride the horses she helps care for. Her thoughts on the entire experience – “It feels good to help and be with all of the horses. They can be so funny. I really like it.”
The best thing about volunteering for both of us has been the amazing stories that come with each horse that arrives at the barn. Each one has its own history, and unfortunately they are usually not good. The heaviness you feel when they first arrive because they are starving or have been injured is a feeling that can be hard to stomach at times, but there is hope that they will be ok. They are now in good hands with all of the people (the staff, the volunteers, the veterinarians, and everyone else) involved with PHH that are there to help rehabilitate them. The real reward is when they are scheduled for adoption and leave. It is at that point when we can look back, seeing all of the challenges the horses overcame and remember all of the hard work and dedication of everyone involved that it took to make it happen. It is truly a very special experience.
Brittany Bradley April 2010 Volunteer of the Month
Brittany has been volunteering for PHH for about a year and a half. She is dedicated, reliable, and always willing to help out when we need an extra hand. Brittany is a delight to be around and her compassionate heart for our rescues and Leg Up students is truly inspiring.
Here's what Brittany had to say about volunteering.
Since I was little, I have always loved horses. They are just very peaceful, beautiful animals. When I first began working for Meghan Valenti, the trainer for PHH, I worked with the rescues that she had in training. I found myself learning more and more from each individual one. I then decided to volunteer the rest of my time for PHH. The horses here teach you so much. It is life changing seeing how some person can treat an innocent horse so badly and watch that same horse blossom and be adopted. It is such a great feeling. Each horse that comes to PHH have had rough lives and knowing that I am making their life easier is heart warming. I look forward for every Monday to work with the rescues.
My sister was the first to start working for Leg Up for Kids when it first arrived. When I saw her volunteering in the lesson's and the smile across her face, I knew that I had to join, too. I love volunteering for this program because it is such a great program. I love kids and seeing the smile on the kid's faces when they see the horse waiting for them, brings a smile to my heart.
Sharman and John March 2010 Volunteers of the Month
Sharman began volunteering with us in August 2009 and her husband John caught the PHH bug and began soon after. Both have been a tremendous addition to our organization.
Sharman has generously given of her time and organizational skills by taking on large projects helping us to get ready for and promote Celebrate the Horse as well as organizing information for our database. She gives freely of her time and recently took an entire day out to help at our People Helping Horses booth in Monroe.
John started out his volunteering full force joining a group of other volunteers with carpentry projects, electrical problem solving and he also fixed our leaky kitchen sink in the volunteer lounge! John and Sharman are a great asset to the PHH volunteer team and we're grateful to have them supporting us.
Here's what Sharman had to say about volunteering:
"I started volunteering for PHH in the summer of 2009 and John came on board a few months later. He saw how much I enjoyed my time at the rescue and decided he wanted to give it a try. I think he realized he was missing out on a truly meaningful and rewarding experience!
John and I really enjoy the time we spend at the barn. Not only do we get to spend quality time with the horses and support the PHH mission, we also get to spend quality time together as a couple. It is a win-win situation.
Regardless of what kind of work I'm doing, I find being at PHH really peaceful and calming. I think it is a combination of being out in the country and being in the presence of horses. I feel truly lucky to be a part of the PHH organization."
Katie Karaffa February 2010 Volunteer of the Month
Katie Karaffa began volunteering with People Helping Horses in January and has been an absolute joy and enormous help since she set foot at the barn. Always smiling with a great attitude we are truly grateful to have Katie as part of our volunteer team. Here's more about Katie in her own words:
"I separated from the United States Navy in February. I was stationed on the LINCOLN in Everett, WA. I have always desired to own a horse, but have very limited experience with them. I found People Helping Horses’ website and attended an orientation for the Legs Up for Kids program shortly thereafter. I immediately became hooked and spend at least 3 days a week at the farm. I am learning so much and feel capable of caring for my own horse because of this experience.
I love seeing the changes in horses and people at the farm. Through the therapeutic riding program I have met many people whose lives are better and they are now more able bodied due to the horses. There are many rescue horses at the farm that have been nursed back to health and trained to allow people to ride them. It is amazing what a little bit of effort can do!
The flexibility and opportunities at the barn are endless. So far I have been able to help with getting horses ready for therapeutic riding, visiting all the horses in their stalls as I clean their water buckets, administratively helping with donation collections and best of yet I recently have graduated to grooming horses. And every day I am learning something new about these amazing creatures!"
Kiley Raff January 2010 Volunteer of the Month
January Volunteer of the Month: Kiley Raff
Kiley started volunteering in our barn and therapeutic riding volunteer programs in November 2009. Since the day she started she has been extremely generous wither her time and willing to help wherever she’s needed, and even at the last minute a few times!
Kiley has always been drawn to horses and enjoyed spending time around children. She feels a deep personal joy and satisfaction in helping others benefit from doing something she loves. Her favorite part of volunteering with therapeutic riding is seeing how the riders improve, how happy they are to ride, and the smile on their faces after their lesson. For barn volunteering she enjoys the fact that the barn itself, its employees, and the horses benefit from her work.