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Issue 36 October 2012

The Heartland Hoofbeat Heartland Equine Therapeutic Riding Academy

Mark Your Calendars!

New Volunteer Training October 12th, 2012

Valley 6-8pm

HETRA Hayrack Ride October 13, 2012

Tickets available at www.HETRA.org

St. Auggies Run To Benefit St. Auggies & HETRA

October 13, 2012

More info at www.HETRA.org

New Volunteer Training November 10th 2012

Omaha 9-11am

Valley 1-3pm

Omaha Winter Day Camp December 28th & 29th 2012

Contact Edye@hetra.org

Valley Winter Day Camp January 3rd & 4th 2013

Contact Edye@hetra.org

Check out the Events Calendar at

www.HETRA.org for more details!

“Drive To Ride” - Have You Picked Your Team?

Summer Camp: A Great Success!

The 5th annual “Drive To Ride” Campaign is currently underway! This campaign

allows our riders to pair up with volunteers and staff to raise money which supports the

HETRA Student Sponsorship Fund. Each of our Teams have selected a goal they would

like to reach before the end of the campaign, October 31st. Participating students are

given the opportunity to earn free sessions. For each $1,000 the student raises, they

receive one twelve week HETRA course for free! For more information about the

“Drive to Ride” campaign, to see a list of Teams, or to support one of the 18 teams

please visit us at www.hetra.org, click You Can Help, Drive To Ride Campaign.

Which Team will you be on?

We had lots of fun at summer camp this year. Every

day was full of horse related activities that were

educational, creative, and fun! Participants were able to

experience direct contact with horses at least one time

each day through activities such as riding, grooming,

bathing, and learning about horse parts while painting

Dynamite (our patient pony). Other activities included

crafts such as creating a personalized camp t-shirt,

“baking” horse treats, cleaning stalls and tack, and

rounding up a herd of horses (don’t worry they are three

inches tall and made of plastic). All of these activities

help students learn about horses and horse care such as

what they eat, colors and markings, and vocabulary

related to tack and horses. At the close of each week,

the happy campers participate in a horse show where

they receive a coveted HETRA trophy. This is the

highlight of the week for many campers and it is more

than evident in the smiles that light their faces. These camps could not function without our amazing volunteers that have taken the

time during their summer mornings to help facilitate a fun and safe environment.

You are ESSENTIAL to our program and we want to thank you for your dedication.

We could not do it without you!

A HETRA Day Camp Participant

Issue 36 October 2012

HETRA Volunteer, Maddie Jarosik was nominated by HETRA Staff for the 2012

PATH (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship) International

“Volunteer of the Year”. Maddie won the Region 7 award and is in the running for the

national award at the PATH International National Conference in Seattle, Washington

in November. Maddie is an amazing volunteer; always willing to jump in and help

wherever needed! Her enthusiasm for helping HETRA is evident in every task she

undertakes, from cleaning stalls and scrubbing water buckets, to helping in the arena as

an equipment assistant.

HETRA Volunteer Receives Regional Award

Change can be good and change can be hard. HETRA has seen many changes in HETRA herd this

year. We would like to welcome Scout and Sugar to our group. Both horses are working in Valley and

have proven themselves to be great additions to the program! Also, look for Cisco to join the herd soon!

We are saddened to say goodbye to one of our herd members. Kayla, an Arabian mare who worked at the

Omaha barn, passed away on Monday June 4, 2012 due to complications from colic. She was 25 years

old and had been with us for the past four years as a very valuable member of the HETRA team. She will

be missed by all. Thank you to everyone that helped take such wonderful care of her throughout her

years. We would also like to thank Rosie Leach, Kayla’s owner, for allowing HETRA to use Kayla in

our program. Kayla spent the last four years being loved by many students/families, volunteers, and staff!!!

HETRA Welcomes New Additions To The Herd And Says Goodbye To A Loved Member.

“Kayla”

BATTER UP!!! HETRA Volunteer Has A Great Pitch!!!

HETRA Volunteer Paul Murphy throws the first pitch at an Omaha Storm Chaser’s game. HETRA Staff Lori Bliss (left), Jodi Teal

(right), and volunteer Paul Murphy (middle) at

the Storm Chaser’s game.

On June 29, HETRA Volunteer Paul Murphy threw out the first pitch of the Omaha Storm Chaser Game! Paul has been a

volunteer at HETRA since 2006. Paul’s dedication and wonderful attitude make him a great volunteer, no matter what

position his is volunteering in. Paul started with sidewalking training and has taken the time to complete additional

training levels. Whether it is leading a horse or acting as barn lead, he does it with a smile. Paul often stays after sessions

to see where his hands can be put to good use. Paul has also volunteered at other HETRA fundraising events in the

community and is currently on a Team Jack for the “Drive to Ride” campaign. A HETRA parent recently stated – “He

displays great compassion for our children and is a true leader. His sense of humor and wit are contagious, we are

fortunate that he is a part of our daughter’s session.”

Thanks Paul for all you do at HETRA!

Issue 36 October 2012

Farm Credit Service Employees Help HETRA in Many Ways!

HETRA extends our gratitude to a group of 20 Farm Credit employees who

donated their time to help at the HETRA barns this summer. This group

of enthusiastic volunteers assisted with various tasks and activities at both our

Omaha and Valley facilities. These tasks included cleaning stalls, painting

fence, assisting in setting up outdoor sheds for storage, and preparing trophies

for the Little Britches Horse Show. Volunteers also assisted during our

Summer Camps as station volunteers. With the completion of the Farm Credit

Service Volunteer Team hours, HETRA was awarded $2,505 contribution!!

HETRA was awarded a $1,800 grant from eBay Foundation’s GIVE Team, which empowers employees to support their

communities through volunteerism and employee sponsored grants. “The eBay Foundation was established to reach beyond

the boundaries of eBay’s virtual village to develop strong communities that bring people together,” said Lauren Moore,

Executive Director of eBay Foundation. Funds will be used to fund one veteran’s participation in a twelve week course. In addition, HETRA would like to extend our thanks to the Mammel Foundation (Student Sponsorships), Merck Company

(Student Sponsorship), and Friends of Extension & 4-H Foundation (supporting Volunteer Trainings).

HETRA receives grant funding in 2012

A special thank you to the wonderful group of young adults from On With Life, a rehabilitation center for young adults

with traumatic brain injuries. This wonderful group came out to the Omaha barn with some very yummy treats for the

HETRA Horses. Rocky was more than willing to eat any extra treats after the first serving! To learn more about this great

group of people, please visit www.onwithlife.org

SPECIAL THANK YOU!!

“Jeans for Dreams”

A BIG thank you to the employees of Kiewit Construction for organizing a “Jeans for Dreams”

Day in which they collected everything from paper products, to reams of computer paper, to gift

cards in exchange for the opportunity to wear jeans at work. YOU made a DIFFERENCE!!! If

you are interested in coordinating something similar at your place of work, please contact

jodi@HETRA.org or call 402-359-8830.

Little Britches Horse Show a great success!

On August 18th HETRA hosted the 11th annual Little Britches Horse Show at

Skyline Ranches Arena. The Little Britches show gives exhibitors ages 12 years

and younger a chance to compete in the show ring. We also had many HETRA

students participate in the special needs classes. Although it was a little wet and

rainy we had a great turnout and raised over $7,500.00! Sam Bliss Photography

was generous enough to donate his time an took some beautiful pictures of the

exhibitors. You can purchase those photos at www.hetra.smugmug.com. We

would like to send out a HUGE thank you to Sherry Reeble for all her hard work

in helping to organize this year. In addition, we would like to thank the volunteers

and staff who helped to make this event a great success!!

Visit our web site at www.hetra.org

Heartland Equine Therapeutic Riding Academy

PO Box 260

Valley, NE 68064

HETRA Hayrack Ride

October 13th!

Order Tickets

www.HETRA.org

Sponsors Needed for 2013 Calendars

Do you want people to see your business card EVERY DAY for a month? HETRA is currently working on the

publication of the 2013 annual HETRA Calendar. For $150 your business is recognized in all of our media outlets

(HETRA website, Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, Blog, and Newsletter). Calendars will have alternating sponsor “business

card ads” posted on every month as well as a recap of all sponsors on the back page. All sponsors receive a complimentary

calendar with Thank You note attached so you can display your support. Please contact Jodi@hetra.org or call 402-359-8830 to place your order today!

HETRA’s Mission: To improve the quality of life both physically and emotionally of adults and children with

disabilities through equine assisted activities.

2012 Horse of the Year Announced at Blue Jeans!

Just under 400 guests attended the 12th Annual Blue Jeans and Dreams event on the evening of March 31, held at Five

Star Stables. Everyone was greeted by the Omaha Mounted Patrol, including former HETRA Horse, Bud. Once inside

everyone enjoyed a fabulous dinner and had the opportunity to bid on

some exciting silent auction items. Guests also enjoyed dancing to the

music of The Pat O Show. Blue Jeans and Dreams raised over $40,000.00

this year! All funds will be used to help support the student sponsorship

fund. One of the highlights of the evening was the announcement of the 2012

HETRA “Horse of the Year”. The honor this year was given to Smokey,

who raised $1,900.00 in votes! Smokey is an 18 year old Standardbred

who is quite successful in his third career. Smokey started out on the

Harness Racing tracks before becoming a Mounted Patrol Horse in

Omaha. Smokey is now a valuable asset to our program and his sense of

humor keeps everyone in good spirits. Smokey posing for the camera