The Therapeutic Equestrian Center will resume classes in October at our new location, Stockbridge Equestrian Center in Watervliet. Read below for more information.
*** VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION INFO ON NEWS TAB*****
***Information on New Forms for Riders and Volunteers can be found on the Forms tab to the left***
Pony Express August, 2008
Our September is jam packed with activities in preparation for lessons to resume in October. This provides plenty of opportunities for you to be involved. From helping with computer expertise, lessons, feeding horses, making phone calls, office help etc. there is an opportunity tailor-made just for you and the time you have to donate. TEC exists only because of your personal involvement. We have a great family of supporters and we are always ready to adopt new members! So bring your friends and family; you have enjoyed your experience - they will too!
TEC Rally Day - Wednesday, September 3, starting at 6:30 p.m. TEC is sponsoring this informational evening which is open to the public, riders, volunteers, or anyone who wants to be involved. Come celebrate TEC moving forward and be a part of the evolution! We want to tell you personally about our riding and volunteer opportunities, giving you the latest updates. At that time, our schedule will be firm and details regarding lessons, required volunteers and jobs that need attention will be available. Also, if you have a new cookie recipe you want to try we are looking for refreshments! See you at Blossomland Learning Center, 711 St. Joseph Avenue, Berrien Springs, Michigan, located across from the Baguette de France and next to the Berrien County fairgrounds, behind the Berrien RESA building. Please call Autumn if you can help. 471-0700.
A big part of our reorganization is the annual renewal of the Dreaded Paperwork. Nobody loves red tape, but NARHA standards are high and it is our goal to live up to them. For those of you receiving this notice via email, applications will be attached.
Riders: please fill out all of the forms that need to be renewed. There is a check list on the initial application form of everything you need. Every paper must be complete for you to ride.
Volunteers: If you are currently registered, you need only update the forms on file with a date and signature. Your forms will be at the Rally for your convenience. However, contact information changes and medical/insurance information must be current.
New Applicants: Please print the appropriate forms, fill them out and bring them with
you. If you are unable to attend, please send the updated forms to Therapeutic Equestrian Center, P.O. Box 1250, Niles, Michigan 49120. If you are receiving this via USPS mail, applications will be available the night of the TEC Rally. A copy of the TEC handbook will also be attached.
GREAT NEWS! Our new TEC home is Stockbridge Equestrian Center, owned by Leon and Debra Barber. The stable is located at 615 N. M 140, Watervliet, Michigan. We would like to thank Leon and Debra for their invaluable continued support. They have worked with us in the past and we are looking forward to a mutually beneficial partnership. Our future’s so bright, we gotta wear shades!
September 6 and 7 are designated TEC Clean-up Days at Stockbridge. Our hours will be from 10:00 am until 4:00 p.m. We need your assistance in making our new home “ours.” Can’t come for the entire time? We will welcome any help you can give us, even an hour or two. We are moving our horses - Missy, Bojack, Garth, Tori - into a barn with an indoor arena that has gone unused for some time so it requires some attention. The barn offers the benefit of an observation room which will be ideal for our rider families. But before we can resume lessons, the groundwork needs to be complete.
Move In Day - September 20: We need pickups, horse trailers and willing hands to haul all our equipment to our new Stockbridge home. On the 21st, the horses move in to the barn. We will meet Zick’s home at 10:00 a.m. The address is 5415 Lincoln Avenue, St. Joseph, Michigan. If you can't join us until for a full day then connect with us when you can at Stockbridge. Even an hour or two would Not all the work will require a strong back but many hands will be appreciated!
Sunday, September 14th is TEC FEST! This fundraiser will be held from 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. at the Sportsman Club (just off Old U.S. 31) 2985 E. Linco Road, Berrien Springs, Michigan. Wild Bill from Y Country 97.5 radio is our MC for the afternoon. We will be celebrating with a variety of live music throughout the afternoon, dinner, silent auction, games and activities but we especially want our riders, volunteers and their families to come and show the public how much you enjoy riding and rewarding your involvement is at TEC. Be sure to wear your TEC clothing and invite all your friends and family. A personal invitation goes so much farther than a notice in the paper!
TEC FEST volunteers are needed for setup starting at 10:30 as well as during the event itself. Shifts and assignments will be:
* 10:30 - set up
* 1:00-5:00 - supervision and staffing various events including children’s activities and
games, bounce house, grilling hot dogs, serving food, directing traffic, TEC booth, help
with the silent auction etc.
* 5:00 - take down and clean up
Personnel and food are our immediate focus. We need an organizer/head chef/planner and as always, people to help with activities and clean up detail. We are also looking for silent auction items, the donation of food items, baked goods and beverages. This community family day is designed specifically to help raise financial support and awareness for the Therapeutic Equestrian Center. More information is available at our TEC Rally Day and on our website. http://www.tecfarm.org Please call Judy Buck at (269) 684-6648 or email her at captbuck@netscape.com to offer assistance.
Did you register with iGive yet? http://www.iGive.com/TECfarm It is easy, quick and a great benefit when you do your online shopping.
Final Start-up Puzzle Piece: Orientation and training for new volunteers and refresher training for our current volunteers will be held the week of September 22nd. A firm location and time will be in place by our TEC Rally Day, September 3.
Volunteer Opportunities: TEC has made the transition to a 100% volunteer-run organization, which means that there are many more responsibilities that need attention. Here are just a few of the vital tasks and jobs that are available and necessary to keep us going:
*Fundraising events and special events for TEC
*Making phone calls
*Tracking volunteer hours/ recognition
*Computer skills, power point, access
*Entering data into computer
*Office help
*Barn work and horse chores, please share their experience with horses
*Volunteer recruitment, maintaining volunteer records, TEC greeter
*Public speaking
*PR/Marketing
“A horse is the projection of peoples' dreams about themselves - strong, powerful, beautiful - and it has the capability of giving us escape from our mundane existence.” Pam Brown
Our very own Corissa Clinard is off to college, but her photo, along with Bojack, was featured in South Bend Tribune, the Niles Leader and Herald Palladium. She has been an outstanding volunteer, fundraiser and representative of TEC. Thank you, Corissa, for your service, friendship and for helping make dreams come true. You have been an outstanding asset to our program and we wish you the very best!
Thank you each one in advance for your extra help and cooperation during this critical time of transition and reorganization. In order to get our riders back in the saddle in October, your involvement is essential. The future success of TEC rests in your hands. If we all work together, each one owning a small part of TEC, our goal of giving our riders “a dream and an escape from the mundane” is within reach. By volunteering you will continue to touch lives and make a difference for those in our own community. Help keep the dream alive!
See you and your friends at TEC Rally! Remember, Without YOU We Don’t Ride!
Joni King
Therapeutic Equestrian Center
P.O. Box 1250
Niles, Michigan 49120
