Changing lives for over 20 years, Dream Catchers Therapeutic Riding Center in Toano offers equine assisted activities and therapies (EAAT) for special needs kids and adults. Averaging about 90 participants each week, with ages ranging from as young as four years to as old as, so far, 90, Dream Catchers offers six programs and numerous lessons that benefit a range of therapeutic needs. Riding Lessons, Equine Assisted Learning (EAL), even their newest program, Operation Mount Up!, a dedicated program geared towards active duty and military veterans.
The positive impacts of equine therapy are tremendous. From calming to confidence, these horses, specially chosen for Dream Catchers programing, have an intuitive sense and innate ability to connect with their riders.
Dream Catchers supports about 90 program participants each week thanks to a dedicated cadre of 200 volunteers working over 300 volunteer hours weekly and a herd of 18 horses. Volunteers are essential to Dream Catchers. For instance, the volunteer to participant ratio in riding lessons is three to one. One volunteer leads the horse and two volunteers walk along side the horse to provide rider support. Volunteers are also needed to perform facility maintenance and help with administrative tasks.
“At Dream Catchers our primary volunteer need is lessons,” says Kristin Grissman, Volunteer Coordinator. “We run many different equine-assisted programs and it’s our volunteers that make it all possible! They are the bridge that help us reach our participants directly and it’s amazing to be a part of such an uplifting community.” Dream Catchers is also actively recruiting Military volunteers to assist with Operation Mount Up!
Fundraising too is always a focus for Dream Catchers Therapeutic Riding Center as donations comprise about 65% of their gross annual operating revenue. Ensuring healthy, well adjusted horses is expensive. For example, Dream Catchers spends about $50,000 each year just in hay alone.
How can you help support Dream Catchers Therapeutic Riding programs? By volunteering your time with lessons, stables and facility maintenance. And, by donating, whether one-time or monthly gifts, IRA distributions, or even workplace giving campaigns.
Supporting Dream Catchers ensures a the continuation of a positive and supportive environment for their many hundreds of participants who, through this dedicated programming, can learn to thrive.
“Volunteers don’t need to have previous experience working with horses,” adds Grissman. “We’re happy to meet new volunteers where they are and give them the training they need to succeed.”
Volunteers make a positive difference at Dream Catchers Therapeutic Riding Center each and every day. And that positive difference is paid forward in spades.
Dream Catchers Therapeutic Riding Center
10120 Fire Tower Road, Toano, VA
Dream Catchers Therapeutic Riding Center