WINTER 2004-2005 NEWSLETTER

 

Gauby Certified NARHA Instructor.

Terri Gauby, of Washington, has received her NARHA Registered Instructor’s Certification.  She has successfully completed an evaluation that exemplifies her instructional as well as riding skills, in the field of equine assisted activities.  She is to represent the industry in a professional manner and to continue to participate in NARHA activities and comply with the NARHA instructor code of Ethics.  Terri has been serving under Independence Farms’ first certified NAHRA instructor, Michelle Woerner of Linn. 

 

Attending and helping at the 2004 NARHA Conference & Annual Meeting. 

We are very proud to announce that we were able to send one person from our organization to the conference this year.  The conference was in Kansas City, Mo this year at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center.  It was very close to home this time so travel and accommodations weren’t much of a dilemma.  Melissa Ditmars, who is a founder, board member and our consulting Physical Therapist got to attend numerous seminars, forums and meetings that started Thursday, November 18th and ran through Saturday, November 20th.  It was also a great place to network and share what your center is doing and find out what other centers are doing.  She learned lots of new things that she brought home to share. 

 

We also had two people volunteer to help out at the Horse Fair on Saturday November the 20th.  Michelle Woerner, our Lead Certified NARHA Instructor, and Terri Gauby, a Board Member and Certified NARHA Instructor, helped with getting people transported to and from the Horse Fair and then by putting together and serving lunch for all those in attendance.  Of course they had to work, but they also got to attend a couple of seminars and learned a few things too. 

 

We here at Independence Farms believe that to have good staff and volunteers we need to keep everyone educated.  It’s important to keep up with what’s going on, what’s new and then to share what you’ve learned.

 

Fundraising:

We were very pleased with the great success we had at Santa’s Gifts & Goodies in December.  We sold out of all our baked goods and just about all of our college pliers.  We do still have some native birdhouse gourds for sale.  We came to the conclusion that our area is made up of KSU fans first, NU fans second and KU fans third.  Thanks everybody for your support.

 

We have purchased a colt and Stephanie Ohlde has again generously agreed to train it for us.  Stephanie has been working with it when the weather permits.  Watch for upcoming fundraising news in regards to when and where it will be available for sale.

 

Training 1: 

Independence Farms, Inc., School of Therapeutic Riding will be sponsoring a training for their volunteers and anyone else who wants to learn more about working with people with disabilities or working with horses.  Training will cover some basic sign language, wheelchair etiquette, how to transfer to and from a wheelchair and will touch on some different types of horse behaviors.  Training will be February 20th at the KSDS training building in Washington from 3 until 5 PM.  To attend just RSVP to Michelle Woerner by calling

785-348-5789 or e-mailing ifinstructor@bluevalley.net by February 13th.

 

Training 2: 

Our instructors, Michelle and Terri, will be attending the upcoming NARHA Region 7 Conference in Omaha, NE, March4-6.  Heartland Equine Therapeutic Riding Academy (HETRA) is hosting the conference.  They will attend various seminars for educational and administrative purposes for hours to be applied to their re-certification.  NARHA instructors are required to get 20 hours of continuing education a year.  Topics to be covered are: Finding the right horse for the job, how to execute a training day, how vision and posture are connected, marketing, driving and shoeing.  A local county resident, Phyllis Burdge, with her service dog, Justice, will share her experiences of living with disability at the banquet Saturday evening. What an honor for Phyllis, Justice and our community.

 

Riding Sessions: 

The scheduling for the upcoming sessions is in the works.  Please see the News, Events, Etc. page.  We’re getting excited about starting up again.  It’s been nice to have the last couple of months off, but we’re ready to see our fellow volunteers and our riders.

 

Next Board Meeting: 

Set for February 28, 2005 at KSDS at 7 PM.

Public Forum is set for the first fifteen minutes of each board meeting.  What is public forum??  It’s a chance for volunteers, riders, parents or just interested person, to come and talk to the board.  This is a time for the board to listen to you, intently, one on one.  The board just listens at the forum.  No action is taken. 

Why public forum?  We’re interested in what you have to say, your ideas, concerns or your suggestions.   At a riding session, it’s very hard to listen and remember things when you have so many other responsibilities.  It’s also better to hear your comments straight from you, not a third party.  If you plan on coming to a public forum, give the Pres. Terri Gauby a call, at 325-2719, to let her know your coming.  If meeting location or time gets changed at the last minute, she can notify you of the changes too.