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Important Dates
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Session Break; No Arena Volunteers
January 9
Classes Resume
January 16
LB Closed in recognition of MLK Day
January 21
The 10th Annual Stinky Spoke
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| 2016 Volunteer Survey |
Our 2016 Volunteer Survey is now open!
If you volunteered with Little Bit in 2016, either at an event, on our Barn Team, in the arena, or in our offices, we'd love to hear from you.
We are looking forward to using these results to create a better volunteer experience for our community!
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Contact Information Update Needed
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As a PATH Intl. Member Center, Little Bit is required to update our volunteer records annually. Please take a moment to assist us in this process by updating your personal and emergency contact information in Volgistics.
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| Volunteer Appreciation Prizes |
We caught a total of 529 'snowballs' for Volunteer Appreciation Week.
Congratulations to volunteer
Karly
Ekren! With the closest guess at
465 snowballs, Karly won a
$50 gift card
courtesy of Anthony's Restaurants.
There's still three chances to win prizes!
Each and every time you sign up to substitute online, your name will be entered into a raffle for the first three weeks of Winter Session. The more shifts you pick up, the more chances your name has to be drawn!
Need help using Volgistics? Contact
Lindsay Shepard at 425-882-1554 or stop by the Front Desk.
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| Help Wanted: Barn Team Volunteers |
Barn Team volunteers are vital to Little Bit's success.
Little Bit is looking for individuals who can commit to a weekly Barn Team shift
from 11 AM - 1:30 PM. Currently, volunteers are urgently needed Monday-Thursday and on Saturdays.
Volunteers keep our horses happy and healthy by delivering lunch, re-filling water buckets, and mucking paddocks. Please keep in mind that Barn Team is a physical job and volunteers must be able to bend, squat, and walk on uneven ground.
Can you help? E
mail
Ariel Aman
to schedule a brief training!
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| Arena Volunteers |
Winter Session kicks off on Monday, January 9 and we still need your help!
Please
contact Dana LaRue at 425-882-1554 if you need to change your availability or if you are interested in signing up for a recurring volunt
eer shift.
Your Fall Session schedule remains the same unless otherwise noted.
***Little Bit relies heavily on substitute volunteers to cover shifts when a rider's regular volunteer cancels. Please c
ontact
Alison McCarthy
to join our sub list or update your availability to ensure our team is as efficient as possible when working to cover shifts.
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Horse Leader Trainings
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We could not run our program without Horse Leaders!
What is a Horse Leader?
Little
Bit Horse Leaders are
capable of safely controlling
their horse in a variety of scenarios.
Most of our riders requ
ire a volunteer leading the horse by a lead rope. It is the Horse Leader's job to pay close attention to the Instructor in order to help their horse
follow directions before, during, and after class.
Horse Leader Levels
Our horse leader trainings are an excellent opportunity to learn how to work better with our herd and expand upon horsemanship skills!
All Horse Leaders have been trained as sidewalkers and have passed Paddock Training to be able to safely catch and release horses from their paddocks. Leader levels are classified at a Level I, II, and III and may be used interchangeably as sidewalkers based on class and participant needs, as well as their personal preference.
How do I sign up?
New to Little Bit?
You'll first need to attend Paddock Training. Sign up in the Tack Barn or speak to an instructor about participating! Volunteers are encouraged to sidewalk in the arena for at least one month before taking the next step to become a horse leader.
Already Paddock Trained?
Contact
Lindsay Shepard or call 425-882-1554
to sign up for a Horse Leader training:
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Horse Leader Level I:
Fri, Jan 13,
6:30-8:30 pm
Fri, Jan 27, 6:30-8:30 pm
Wed, Feb 15, 6:30-8:30 pm
Sat, March 4, 4-7 pm**
Fri, March 17, 6:30-8:30 pm
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Horse Leader Level II:
Sat, Feb 11, 4-6 pm
Wed, April 5, 6:30-8:30pm
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**This date will include the Paddock prerequisite for those hoping to complete both trainings in one day.
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| 10th Annual Stinky Spoke: Riders Helping Riders |
The Stinky Spoke Poker Ride
is an annual bicycling event held on the statistically most-rotten-weather day of the year and all proceeds benefit Little Bit.
There will be a live band, prizes for the top fundraisers, and a beer garden!
Whether you want to volunteer at the event or want to brave the 18-mile course, Stinky Spoke always
guarantees fun.
With nearly $200,000 to Little Bit over the past nine years, we can't wait to see what the 10th anniversary has in store!
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Volunteer Spotlight: Sharon McEnerney
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What motivated you to volunteer at Little Bit?
I began volunteering at Little Bit after my little neighbor girl lost her battle with Leukemia. It made me want to do something hands on that made a difference. I think everyone who volunteers feels the same way - especially when you hear a remark about how much a student has grown and improved.
Which Little Bit horse is your favorite, and why?
I have fun at Little Bit because I get to let my inner cowgirl come out, especially around easy going Zorro!
Do you have a hobby you love to spend time on?
I love to garden and stay active with either a hike or urban walk with my family.
What's one piece of advice you'd give a new volunteer?
When you volunteer at Little Bit, it becomes your second family. Everyone is here for a good reason and no question is too small to ask as you'll get a warm reply and a helping hand from some darn wonderful people.
Sharon began her volunteerism with Little Bit in June 2013. Since then, she has served over 235 hours supporting riders as a sidewalker. Kali, the therapist Sharon works with every week, says "S
haron is SO outstanding! She is kind and willing to try anything and everything to engage children and help them be successful (singing, reading, tossing balls and even making silly faces if I need her to!) We are very fortunate to have her as a volunteer." We couldn't agree more. Thank you, Sharon, for making such a huge impact on our staff, herd, riders, and your fellow volunteers!
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Meet our Staff: Jessica McKenzie
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What do you do here and how long have you worked for Little Bit?
I am the Interim Adaptive Services Director, a PATH Intl Advanced Instructor, a PATH Interactive Vaulting Instructor, and a horse handler.
I have been here 11 years this January!
What do you love most about Little Bit?
I love the incredible sense of community at and surrounding Little Bit. Everyone has a place here, and everyone is welcome to be a part of our community in one way or another. I feel so passionately about this, particularly at a time when I hear daily about violence and hatred directed at people perceived as "different" . We are a place where everyone is valued, is seen as a human being first and foremost, and (far beyond being "tolerated") is celebrated and respected for our differences and what we can learn from each other. I am so proud to be a part of a place like this, where we can all leave our proverbial "baggage" in the parking lot. Young or old, short or tall, able to walk or needing assistance, conservative or liberal, it makes no difference at Little Bit; we all work together to serve the greater good.
Do you have a fun story to share about Little Bit?
My favorite funny story speaks to our incredible horses...once an instructor (who shall remain nameless!) was getting Zorro ready in the tack barn for a hippotherapy session. She long lined him out of the tack barn, behind the building, stopped for a volunteer to open the Murdock arena gate, took him for a few warm up laps around the arena, and then halted him for a tack check. Come to find out, she had forgotten to clip the long lines to Zorro's bridle; they were still clipped together over his withers! The amazing Zorro knew exactly what his job was and took himself for a warm up!
What kinds of hobbies do you have outside of work?
I have two young children (Kate is 7 and Ben is 3), so anything we can do together as a family is wonderful! I love camping, hiking, and generally being outdoors. I also really enjoy cooking, especially soup!
What one place or country would you like to visit?
I
'd love to do a whole US tour, national parks, etc.! So many amazing sites to see in our own backyard!
Do you have a favorite food or drink?
I'm a pretty low-key person, so anything casual!
Tell us something fun about yourself?
I learned to moonwalk by watching YouTube videos!
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2016 Archived Volunteer Bulletins
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Thanks for reading and thank you for your service!
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