2015 GALA SEP 26th
Imagine the Possibilities.
Imagine reaching beyond the boundaries of physical and cognitive challenges. Imagine enriching the physical and emotional abilities of children, adults and military Veterans. Imagine celebrating NCEFT's meaningful work and accomplishments. Imagine committing precious resources to turn hopes into realities. Imagine NCEFT.
NCEFT's biggest fundraiser of the year is held in our own covered arena, transformed into a wonderland of twinkly lights and surprise delights. Decorated donkeys, delectable eats, and warm heartfelt cheer greet guests upon arrival and carry through an elegant sit down dinner. The excitement then builds during our live auction, fund-a-need, and, back by popular demand, our Mystery Box drawing.
For a video look at the highlights of last year's Gala, click here.
 
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2015 Gala Sponsors & Underwriters
Thank you to our early patron donors!
Thank you to our 2015 Gala Sponsors & Underwriters.
These individuals and companies have shown their patronage and support to NCEFT and for that we are grateful.
DIAMOND LEVEL ($10,000+)
Dr. Douglas Boucher, DDS
Fast Response On-Site Testing & Terribilini Cattle Co./Casey Terribilini
Anne Van Camp and Peter Van Vlasselaer
JEWELS LEVEL ($5,000+)
Barulich Dugoni Law Group
Budd and Chalan Colby
Susan Lang and Robert Levenson
JEANS LEVEL ($2,500+)
Anonymous
Dr. Christopher and Martha Dunn
Cherie and Tom Hammer
Paul and Marianne Hoffman
Larry Pelzner
Dee and Laura Lou Tolles
Sarah and Dan Wernikoff
BOOTS LEVEL ($1,000+)
Karen Arimoto-Peterson
Lorna and Bruce Basso
Eve and Ross Jaffe
Vicki Juelsgaard
Brenda and Greg Munks
Sansoterra Group, LLC/Jim Sansoterra and Wendy Baum
Springdown Equestrian Center/Carol and Stan Goodstein
Village Square Veterinary Hospital/Dr. William St. Lawrence, DVM
W.L. Butler Construction/Frank York
SPURS LEVEL ($500+)
Dominika Allan
Ralph and Donna Briskin
Daniel and Katherine Chappelear
Darren McClung Estate Jewelry
Firehouse Bistro & Pioneer Saloon/Bill and Lee Ann Gilbert
Larry Franzella and Michael Dunlap
Betsy Glikbarg
Steven Goldenberg
Cynthia Jamplis
David Lucas
Moore Buick GMC/John Moore
Agostino Paletti and Gayle Wilbert-Paoletti
Sarah and Doug Rivers
Roberts Market/George Roberts
Adolph Rosekrans
Stanford Park Nannies/Daryl Camarillo
IN-KIND DONORS & SERVICE PROVIDERS
Bi Rite Foodservice Distributors
Donato Enoteca/Chef Donato
Bruce Fielding
ELLA Palo Alto
Erin Mac Jewelry
John Glines Central Coast Auctions
Kerns Fine Jewelry
Emily Joubert Home & Garden
Mary and Jeff Kroll
Ladera Garden Center
The Pomegranate Seeds
Recology San Mateo County
Adolph Rosekrans
Saier Services Audio & Visual
Stephen Silver Fine Jewelry/Christine Baur
Weir & Associates Catering and Events
Carleen Whittelsey
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2015 FALL CALENDAR
SEP 9: Social Skills Group sessions begin
SEP 26: Heroes and Horses, Jewels & Jeans Gala! 5p-10p
OCT 10: NCEFT at the Woodside Day of the Horse @ downtown Woodside
OCT 17-18: NCEFT at the Woodside Pumpkin Festival @ Mt. Patrol Grounds
OCT 19-23: Session Break
DEC 11: GivingTuesday
DEC 13: NCEFT Family Holiday Party
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About Us
For more than four decades, NCEFT has helped thousands of children and adults with special needs move beyond their boundaries through the healing powers of the horse and the expert skills of dedicated therapy professionals and volunteers. Internationally recognized as a leader in the field, NCEFT offers Hippotherapy, Adaptive Riding & Carriage Driving, Veterans programs and School programs at its beautiful,12-acre facility in Woodside, California.
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This year's Gala theme is "Imagine the Possibilities." Every day at NCEFT we imagine countless possibilities.
Our therapists imagine their patients reaching beyond the boundaries of physical and cognitive challenges every time they get on a horse for a therapy session. Our barn staff imagines expanding therapy options when they train a new horse.
Our program staff imagined two new programs this year - Social Skills Group and Happy Trails Camp - to expand our services to clients in new and unique ways.
I can only imagine the possibilities at our Gala of how generously donors and patrons will commit precious resources to support all of NCEFT's programs as well as our Veterans and Financial Aid Funds.
Every time we take a moment to imagine a possibility, the more bold and audacious the better, we create the opportunity for the unimaginable to happen: those possibilities become tangible realities.
You can take an active role today to turn NCEFT's imagined possibilities into realities by supporting our single biggest fundraiser of the year, the
Heroes and Horse, Jewels & Jeans Gala. This is our 7
th annual Gala, and we expect it to be our biggest and most successful one yet! Please join us the evening of September 26
th (or consider a donation if you can not be with us), and you too can imagine celebrating NCEFT's meaningful work and committing precious resources to turn hopes into realities.
Tickets on sale now!
Imagining along with you,
Cherie
NCEFT Development Director
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Social Skills Group
Social learning program starts up this fall
NCEFT's Social Skills Group program is for children in Pre-K to 3rd grade who could benefit from social learning, including children with high functioning autism, Asperger's, SPD, and other undiagnosed social communicative difficulties.
The group is tailored to address each child's individual needs and always includes lessons on flexibility, self regulation/sensory processing, emotional regulation, verbal negotiation, perspective taking, empathy, or confidence building. The SSG offers a unique combination of the
Sensitive Solutions children's book series with hands-on animal therapy, lead by NCEFT Occupational Therapist, Lexi Parker.
The group format consists of a circle time, art project, sensorimotor game, and animal interaction that all reinforce the social learning theme of the day in a fun, hands on, and motivating way. The fall session of Social Skills Group begins Wednesday September 9th and runs for 10 consecutive weeks.
Click here for more information and application forms.
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Staff Spotlight: Bonnie Sterngold
NCEFT's new fast thinking - and fast moving -Administrative Manager
Last February, NCEFT bid a bittersweet "happy retirement" to longtime Administrative Manager, Rosi Fordwood. At the time, contemplating her replacement immediately brought to mind the idiom 'Scotch mist' (used humorously to refer to something that is hard to find or doesn't exist - something only imagined).
Rosi's successor, Bonnie Sterngold, has proven to be a ray of sunshine that can burst through even the thickest mists or fog imagainable (Scottish or otherwise).
From Bonnie's first day with NCEFT, she has jumped right in and enthusiastically come up to speed on everything from physical therapy CPT codes to how to lead a horse. Accounting might be her vocation (she has 30+ years of experience) and she can add columns of numbers in her head pretty darn fast, but what makes Bonnie special is her avocation: going places fast! She is a triathlete, avid biker and runner. However, where she might put that speed to best use is keeping up with her beautiful new granddaughter (anyone with a toddler knows what I'm talking about). Bonnie's positive spirit and seemingly boundless energy is a wonderful gift to NCEFT, and we are thrilled to have her on our staff. Here are a few more facts about Bonnie:
Cherie: Where were you born?
Bonnie: UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles
C: How long have you been with NCEFT?
B: 7 months
C:
What's the strangest job you have ever had?
B: Are you kidding me? I'm a bookkeeper! Nothing really strange in my world!
C. Chocolate or Vanilla?
B: Chocolate
C: What's your favorite horse color?
B: Chestnut (though a certain Bay named Cowboy is pretty darn wonderful!)
C: If you could visit any place in the world, where would you go?
B: Japan
C: What is your favorite non-horse related activity:
B: Triathlons
C: iPhone or Android?
B: iPhone!
C: Last book your read?
B:
The Martian by Andy Weir (and I can't wait for the movie with Matt Damon!)
C: Favorite cartoon character?
B: Casper the Friendly Ghost
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Happy Trails Camp
A Happy Success!
During the first two weeks of August, over 20 campers found their "happy place" at NCEFT's first-ever Happy Trails Camp. NCEFT imagined the possibility of a unique summer camp, a camp where "abilities" did not matter - children with disabilities as well as their typically-developing siblings could all come and experience life at the barn. We laughed, played and explored a lot.
We sidewalk-chalked a lot. We art and crafted a lot. We interacted with animals (horses, donkeys, dogs and chickens) a lot. We tossed water balloons a lot.
Part of the Happy Trails magic was the "Buddy System." T
eenage
volunteers buddied up with each camper to do everything from blowing bubbles to eating snack, ATV rides to scavenger hunts together. And while the chalk drawings might have faded away, the smiles and the memories will linger - for both the campers and the buddies - for a long time to come. See pictures of Happy Trails Cam
p
Week 1 here
and
Week 2 here
.
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