Happy New Year to all!

2008 was a busy year as we head into the winter and holiday season. We enjoyed a great summer, followed by a fall full of change and growth. Our Summer camps served more than 70 children with varying disabilities. We also hosted many great groups such as Camp Red Leaf’s Spina Bifida Camp, GLASA, SRACLC, RIC and the Center for Enriched Living; just to name a few. Since our last publication, we held two major fund r a i s i ng events: the Connecting Fore Kids golf outing and Marty’s Barn Party, featuring Livingston Taylor. Both events were successful thanks to the generosity of many great donors and families. Our continued success at EC is dependent upon fundraising events such as these, the generousity of foundation grants and the continued support of our donors. Additionally, we have revamped our program format; now, participants will ride in 10 or 12 week sessions. This new format affords us the ability to properly schedule riders, monitor horse usage and properly maintain our facilities. Moving ahead into 2009, we look forward to continuing to refine our programming, develop new ideas and address our growth related needs. As our program continues to grow at such a fast rate, our operational and capital needs continue to expand exponentially. In order to address these expanding needs, we plan on launching a capital campaign to address needs such as additional stalls, a sensory g a r d e n , d r i v e w a y improvements and debt reduction. If you are aware of any foundations or individuals who can assist us in these undertakings, please contact D i a n a S c h n e l l a t info@equestrianconnection.org. Furthermore, we presently have 20 families that require financial assistance in order to stay a part in our program. Individuals such as these can be sponsored by organizations or through private donations. Rider sponsorship is a great way to a give to one in need. Later in this newsletter you will read about a sibling of one of our participants who is sponsoring a girl her age with the funds she raised from her summer lemonade stand. Stories such as this warm our hearts to know that someone so young can make such a difference in the life of another. In closing, thank you for trusting and believing in the work we do. We hope to continue to make you proud to be “connected” to EC and will always put our families first.

Equestrian Connection Goes to the Olympics!

Thanks to a grant from a private family foundation, Equestrian Connection took 10 riders to the Special Olympics State Meet in Decatur, IL on September 13. They rode Richie O’, Shiloh, Milky, and Ice. 7 different Illinois barns competed in this state show. All of our riders competed in either Jr. or Sr. English Equitation (which means the riders were judged on their body position and ability, not on the horse's gaits). 4 of our riders rode independently, and the others rode with support from our volunteers and teachers. In the 7 classes, we wound up with 5 first place (gold medals), 1 second (silver), 2 thirds (bronze), 1 fourth, and 1 fifth place medals. (everyone received a medal). A good time was had by all. All of the parents were extremely happy!!

Marty’s Barn Party and Concert

More than 500 people enjoyed a wonderful evening of entertainment and refreshment. In addition to being able to visit with world famous musician, Livingston Taylor, attendees also enjoyed Eagle tunes performed by “Heartache Tonight” and the music of acapella group, Five Play. A special thanks to the Domitrovich family who presented a $25,000 donation to EC from the M a r t i n D o m i t r o v ic h Memorial Fund. Martin passed away in October, 2007, was a member of the Board of Directors of Equestrian Connection, the founder of Marty’s Barn Party and sponsor of the Domitrovich Family Arena. He is greatly missed as his presence lives on at Equestrian Connection. We want to thank all those who donated and bid on silent auction items as well as those who made donations and purchased premium tables. Our budget relies on fund raising events such as this to help offset operating expenses and assist those who are in financial need.

Janus Charity Challenge

As part of the Louisville Ironman and Janus Foundation, Equestrian Connection received $10,000 from the Janus Foundation for its fund raising at the Louisville Ironman on August 30 of this year. All funds raised for the year count towards this competition where hundreds of athletes compete to finish an Ironman event while also raising money for their not-for-profit organization. Over $1 million was raised for charities through the course of this event.

EC IN THE NEWS

In recent months Equestrian Connection has been in the news. First it began with a visit from Ana Belaval from WGN’s Around Town Morning show. Our riders, families, staff and volunteers all had a great morning. Ana even rode a horse with therapist, Andrey Parvanov. The show aired in June and was on the WGN website. EC has copies of the production on hand if anyone is interested and will be showing it at major events. Last month EC was visited by Vernon Hills Cable Station a production on our capital needs and fund raising campaign. The show did a great job of capturing the beauty of our facility and site. This show will aired for one month and again copies are at the barn. Lastly, All About Animals is a local cable show that often features EC. Check your local cable guide for more information. If anyone has media contacts, please contact Diana Schnell at info@equestrianconnection.org. We enjoy spreading the word and educating the public as tto the values of the therapy services here at Equestrian Connection.

Lessons From Our Youth

A special thanks to Gabriella Cooperman for donating $1555.50 to sponsor a rider at Equestrian Connection for therapy sessions this year. Gabriella ran a lemonade stand this summer and raised money to donate to EC. At age ten, she is sponsoring a girl her same age who was born with a disability. In addition to her lemonade stand, Gabriella had her birthday party at EC to show her friends the wonderful place that her sister attends weekly. YOU ARE TRULY A SPECIAL PERSON, GABRIELLA AND EC IS HAPPY TO KNOW YOU!

Wish List
MANY OF YOU HAVE ASKED FOR A WISH LIST…..
HERE ARE SOME GREATLY APPRECIATED DONATIONS YOU COULD MAKE!
THANK YOU!

Sponsorships : Adopt A Horse $500/month or $6000 per year – plaque on stall door Adopt a Rider- $300/ month or $3600/ year Capital Equipment: Horse Trailor, Pickup truck, Electric Gate at Entrance, Additional Stalls in tractor area , Security Cameras, Alarm System, watering system, paved drive, sensory garden, furnace for house, new roof for house, bathroom renovations, microwave Therapy Equipment: Boardmaker software program, therapy horse, specialized tack from Freedom Rider, art and craft supplies, children’s cd’s and dvd’s, gym mats for floor Office Equipment: Conference Room Table and chairs; book shelves, two drawer locking file cabinets, paper goods, office supplies, big screen tv, cleaning supplies, flat screen computer monitors, storage bins Gift Certificates: Merritt and Assoc. – vet; Libertyville Saddle Shop, Gas Cards for Gator and Tractor Fuel, Ferrentino’s and WaPaGetti Pizza, Home Depot, Office Depot, Jewel for Camp supplies; Sam’s Club ; Starbucks; Panera, Einstein’s, North Shore Gas, Att, Menards, UPS Store, Libertyville, local hotel gift certicates and any cards we can give as appreciation gifts. Carly the Cat assists with typing the newsletter

Meet Richie ‘O!

Ritchie O’, named in honor of Richie O’Rourke, a friend of a friend, joined EC on July 4th of this year. He is a 12 year old Western pleasure quarter horse and now qualifies to work in the program as a therapy horse. Prior to working in our program, Richie went through training and passed a test to insure he is ready to work with therapists and instructors. In September, Richie O’ joined our riders at the Special Olympics State Meetin Decatur and helped bring back award winning brass. He seems to enjoy his buddy, Pepper and new pony, Thunder. We look forward to many great years with Richie O’ and hope you get a chance to meet him! A special thanks to Bob Tiernan and John McArdle, both of San Francisco, who donated the money for Richie O’. Bob is pictured with Diana Schnell after a recent visit to EC.

Adopt a Horse and Adopt a Rider Program Going Strong!

We are fortunate to have this wonderful site for our program. As the economy continues to challenge us, we continue to grow with demand. Many of the families who come to us need assistance because they are faced with insurance issues, multiple children with disabilities, and loss of employment. As you will read later in this newsletter, we reach out to local organizations and individuals to assist us in helping these participants. At the same time there are those who wish to help us with our horse care expenses; we all know healthy horses are imperative to the success of this program. Our Off to the Races Election is an opportunity to show your support for your favorite horse. Also, we work with local organizations to sponsor a horse, especially those that are retired yet deserve a quality end of life experience. So in this new year, think about adopting a horse or rider; forms are at the end of this newsletter.

Mark Your Calendars!

Session Dates: Session 1, 2009 begins Saturday, Jan. 3 and ends on Sunday, March 22. It is twelve weeks long. Those with up to date accounts can sign up for their current or a new time slot as early as Dec. 1. Please check the viewing room for signup forms and return as early as possible. Just a reminder there will be makeup days for those who have to miss an appointment based on illness or medical procedures. Other dates to mark on your 2009 calendar are: Mardi Gras Dinner: Feb. 22 Win a Cruise or $2000 EC Trail Races: Sun, May 3. 5mile, Half Marathon, or Marathon. Run or Volunteer! You can sign up for any of o u r e v e n t s a t www.signmeup.com. We will update you as we add more to our calendar! Hope to see you there!

Fall Fun Fair: A Day of Fun For All!

Over one hundred riders participated in this year’s Fall Fun Fair Horse Show, sponsored by a private family foundation. Kathy Houston, Chicago Police Woman and horse person, donated her time to judge the show while we were entertained by the horse trivia and humor of volunteer announcer, Pat Calhoun. Our riders and families were proud of their accomplishments and were awarded medals in the show. They were also able to express their creativity by making wish sticks with Art Therapist Julie Ludwick and Camp Director David Boland. Also working at the show was the Libertyville High School Hockey Team. They donated their time on Saturday to work the food booths, help with helmets, and in various other needed areas. We appreciate their time and support. A special thanks to all those who baked wonderful treats for our bake sale, those who sold and bought the famous Pony Poop Deeds, and those who participated in the raffle. It took our new pony, Thunder, a while to realize his duty in his poop contest debut but by 4pm we had a winner. We are proud of our riders and congratulate each and every one for a great performance and thank all of our therapists, instructors and volunteers who helped make the day a success!

The Elections may be over but we are still having one of our own!!
Vote for your favorite horse by helping pay for its care!

Jan 1 thru March 21 EC is “Off to the Races” with an election unlike any other! Cast your ballot for your favorite EC horse by donating to its care. The horse with the greatest donation amount will be named “Horse of the Year”! We will keep the race going and you will be able to monitor its progress on a chart in the viewing room. Ballots can be found in the viewing room or on our website at www.equestrianconnection.org. This is a fun and exciting way to help our horses while acknowledging their contribution to our program. Vote for you favorite “Horse of the Year”! Vote early and often and odds are your voice will be heard! Thank you in advance for supporting the horses of EC!

Art Therapy Program Update
Artists involved in art therapy program showcase work at
Pat’s Lambs Creative Connections 2008.

On June 29th, 2008 from 6-8 PM artists involved in the art therapy program at Equestrian Connection along with their friends and families attended Pat’s Lambs Creative Connections 2008 art show and opening night reception. This exhibit marks the second art exhibit at Equestrian Connection, the previous being in May 2007. This year we were fortunate to find a sponsor organization, Pat’s Lambs. Because of this, Pat’s Lambs Creative Connections will be a permanent, annually rotating art exhibit thus adding beauty and depth to the environment at Equestrian Connection. Ginger Cloonin, Director of Pat’s Lambs says, “Pat’s Lambs is a group of people dedicated to “making a change in the lives of children” whenever possible. We have raised and donated over $30,000 to local organizations and children since we began in 1991.“After meeting Diana and seeing what she has done, we are proud to be able to help Equestrian Connection.” Artists involved include Brooke Aldridge, Patrick Balthazar, Jacob Eisendrath, Sam Grisamore, Dean Grumhaus, Jonah Katz, Maxine Katz, Ari Loundy, Elan Loundy, Ronen Loundy, Emmett Maude, Jake McInerney, David Patratos, Paul Montgomery, Leah Rappaport, Rachel Rappaport, Jeremy Retsky, Mandi Saltiel, Chad Spinozza, Owen Spinozza, Oliver Reich, and Sam Reich. Julie Ludwick, art therapist, commented, “This art exhibit offers the artists an opportunity to share their artistic success while reflecting on their growth in the last year.” The exhibit is open for viewing during business hours through May 2009.

Group art project raises $2500 for Art Therapy Program

A group of artists including staff, volunteers, friends, family, and participants involved in the programs at Equestrian Connection created a mixed -media 4’x 2’ art piece for the Barn Party auction in September 2008. It is a rendering of the property here at Equestrian Connection. Participants were involved in two Friday evening sessions to complete the work. On September 6th, 2008, this piece was auctioned off in the live auction at Marty’s Barn Party and was sold for $2500. All proceeds went directly to the art therapy program. The art therapy program depends on sponsors and is looking for sponsors for 2009. Please contact Diana Schnell at the barn if you are interested or know a foundation that would support this great therapy!

theBoard Chairman & Executive Director