Thanks to the recommendation from Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home Inc. in Rockland, Freedom Riders received a $1,500 grant from the York Children’s Foundation.
The York Children’s Foundation was established in 1992 to disburse funds to non-profit organizations that work for the benefit of children. To qualify for funding, the organization’s activities must be primarily directed towards the welfare and benefit of US children.
Freedom Riders provides educational and therapeutic horseback riding programs to individuals with disabilities, and is the oldest horseback riding therapy program in Maine, serving clients from the Knox, Lincoln and Waldo county area. Freedom Riders is a community-based volunteer-driven organization with a small part time staff that improves the lives of dozens of individuals with physical, mental and emotional challenges. The majority of the riders are children under 15 years of age. Riding therapy improves the physical and mental skills of children, builds their self-confidence and thus enhances their school experience and performance. In addition, it improves critical health aspects such as balance, strength, coordination and motor control.
Burpee, Carpenter and Hutchins Funeral Home and the York Children’s Foundation are pleased to partner with Freedom Riders as it strives to carry on its long-standing commitment to riding therapy and improve the lives of children in the Midcoast area.
Freedom Riders will hold two seven-week sessions in 2009. The summer session begins the week of June 21 and the fall session begins the week of August 16. Volunteers are always welcome. All of the volunteers must attend a training, which will be held later in the spring. For more information on Freedom Riders visit the website www.freedomridersmaine.org, call 273-2282, or email freedomr@midcoast.com. The mailing address is 21 Limerock St., Ste. 203, Rockland, ME 04841 and the riding facility is located on Route 1 in Warren.
For more information about the York Children’s Foundation visit www.yorkgrp.com, or contact Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home, 110 Limerock Street, Rockland, 594-4212, www.bchfh.com.
