A community nonprofit foundation that helps children, teens and
adults with a variety of emotional, mental and behavioral issues is
celebrating its fifth anniversary as it also looks forward to
expanding its outreach.
San Martin – A community nonprofit foundation that helps children, teens and adults with a variety of emotional, mental and behavioral issues is celebrating its fifth anniversary as it also looks forward to expanding its outreach.
Many of the people DreamPower helps would seem to be the last people you would expect to see on horseback, but on the backs of these gentle animals, they relax.
DreamPower provides therapy through horsemanship, not only using time in the saddle but also teaching patients how to care for the horses, according to Director Martha McNiel.
Parent Diane Stafford said her 13-year-old daughter, Sharon, who has been in the program for about two years, has benefited greatly.
“Sharon enjoys riding, so she loves the program,” Stafford said. “I can see that her confidence has been built up, and her concentration has improved. It’s a wonderful program.”
The organization now has a new home, having moved into the California Stables on New Avenue in February, and McNiel said it will be branching out to DreamPower North in September, locating at stables south of San Francisco.
In 2007, she added, DreamPower will serve an estimated 125 clients.
“And we’re on track to do that,” she said Thursday.
Volunteers are always needed, either to clean stalls or to be “side walkers” during the lessons, she added.
“We have the most committed volunteers in the world,” she said of her crew.
On Sept. 16, DreamPower will celebrate its fifth anniversary with the assistance of the Morgan Hill Kiwanis Club, which will sponsor a spaghetti dinner at the Grange Hall on West Fifth Street in downtown Morgan Hill.
All proceeds will benefit DreamPower, McNiel said. Tickets are available at BookSmart or at the door, $20 for adults and $5 for children ages 10 and younger.
For more information about the dinner, DreamPower or to volunteer, call 686-0535. McNiel said anyone interested can also send an e-mail to
dr********************@ho*****.com
.
