NATIONAL CENTER FOR EQUINE FACILITATED THERAPY
 
NCEFT's 45th Anniversary 1917-2016
FEBRUARY 2016
IN THIS ISSUE
Eat for Good!
Year-End Campaign Thank You!
NCEFT Upcoming Calendar
Barn Notes: Umbrella Free Zone
Staff Spotlight - Marty Raynor
Spring Fling Riding Showcase April 10
Happy Trails Camp returns!

Eat for Good!



Treat yourself to a lunch or dinner away from the stove and dishwasher, and support NCEFT in the process. 
   
All day Feb 10th & 11th, dine at the Redwood City (490 El Camino Real) Pasta Pomodoro and NCEFT will receive 20% of your bill as a donation! This applies to all dine-in or take-out orders. 

NOTE: You must print and bring this flyer and present it to your server for NCEFT to receive credit. Sorry, can't be combined with any other Pasta Pomodoro coupons or discounts. 

Mark your calendars and eat for good!

Year-End Campaign a Success!

We want to give a huge shout-out to all those who supported NCEFT for our 2015 Year-end Campaign. We had an anonymous donor offer a challenge grant, matching every donation dollar-for-dollar up to $25,000 if we could raise that amount by December 15 th . So many of you answered the call to give that we made the grant goal and then some! Our generous donor wrote a check for $29,011! Thank you all for your gift of caring. It means so much to so many and ensures that NCEFT can continue its 45-year legacy well into the future. 

We would like to thank all our donors at every level:

Thoroughbred/Belgian Draft Cross Level  $5,000+
Woody
 
Anonymous
The Bear Gulch Foundation

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Selle Francais Level   $2,500+
Aladdin

Maggie & Tom Bedecarre
Scandling Family Foundation

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Quarter Horse Level   $1,000+
Cody

Shelly & Ed Begun
Michelle & Garrett Blake
Denise & Dick Boucher
Gary Friedman
Mr. & Mrs. Theodore Geballe/Eucalyptus Associates
Carol & Stan Goodstein/Spring Down Equestrian Center
Peg & Staff Grady
Marian Marra
Mounted Patrol of San Mateo County Foundation
Lawrence E. Pelzner & Associates
Holly & Scott Wittman
Charlotte Ziems

~~~~~~~~
 
Norwegian Fjord Level   $500+
Sebastian

Deborah Addicott
Gina & Duff Baldwin
Sybilla & Alex Balkanski
Lee & Peter Caraher
MJ & Drew Crousore
Suzanne Legallet
Susan Lang & Robert Levenson
Linley & Bradley Lyman
Nan & William Nagle
Adda Quinn
Roberts Market of Woodside
Mark & Maureen Sanders
Frances Santo Domingo
Kathleen Scutchfield
Peri Soyugenc
Bonnie & Andrew Sterngold
Ingrid Swenson
Jean Stevens Tali & Jessica Tali
Casey Terribilini
Village Square Veterinary Hospital
Sam Zucker & Jennifer Foster

~~~~~~~~
 
Welsh Pony Level   $250+
Valentine

Nancy Argo
Kathleen Dugan & Greg Bell
Elizabeth R. Finch
Anne & Harrison Frahn
Dan Francis
Bill & Lee Ann Gilbert/Pioneer Hotel Saloon
Randall Heath
Gina & Rich Kelley
Megan & Eric Leopold
Los Viajeros Riding Club
Terry & Beth Maas
Christopher & Daniele Maxcy
Michael T. McEnany
Jette & Bent Meier
Leslie & Thomas Norrie
Stephanie & Peter Oshman
Agostino Paoletti & Gayle Wilbert-Paoletti
Scott Seely
 
~~~~~~~~

American Miniature Horse Level  +$100
Roxy

Anonymous
Beverly Altschuler
Linda & Alvin Arata
Karen Arimoto-Peterson
Art & Ruth Barker
Diana Baroni/Penguin Random House
Janice Harrison/BMI Imaging Systems, Inc.
J.S. Brandenburger/Adam Foresight Co.
Carole Bridgeman
John M. Bryan Family Fund
Susan & Gerald Caraher
William R. Clark
Nancy W. Collins
Caroline Cooke
Maxine Doss
Thomas Frank
Stephanie Frost
Christina Fuji
Ronda Goldman/Sahara Farms LLC
Dennis Green & Heather de Valois-Green
Derrick Green
Kent & Laura Harker
Stephen Harker
Constance Hawkins
Karen Hyde/Hyde Consults, Inc.
Becka & Marshall Hydorn
Jacque & John Jarve
Mary & Glenn Johnson
Anthony King & Frieda McReynolds King
Robert Krensky & Lucy Reid-Krensky
Wendy Lee
Leslie Lian
Heidi & Bernard Magnussen
Carole Mendelsohn
Marilyn Miller
Patrick & Joyce Murphree
Charles & Nancy Murphy
Samuel Notowitz/Spiritclips LLC
Charles & Carol Ott
Lynda & Pete Paffrath
Lesley Pickford-Williams & Evan Williams
Anne Purnell
Patti & Greg Raleigh
Sheryl & Michael Reo
Anthony Richmond & Pilar Parducci
Marcy Rosenberg
Philip Sankar & Diem Trong
Sue Sartor
Beatriz & David Schott
Lois Sullivan
Diego Valderrama & Afra Afsharipour
Kristie & Edward Walthard
Edward Weaver
Carol Weisenstein
Robin & Phillip Whalen
Merle Wolfe

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Provence Donkey Level 
Up to $100
Willy & Wonka

Anonymous
Marlene Mado Abraham
Diana Andreatta
Rich Braun
Vivian Chou/Lotus Healing Acupuncture
Susie Fasanaro & Todd Tankersley
Susan Frankel & Brittany O'Leary
Cameron Fruehe
Karen Gregory
Janice & Allen Guillera
Kristine & Robert Hahn
Cherie & Tom Hammer
Elizabeth & John Hanneman
Jacqueline & Joseph Himes
Vanessa Hood
Chrystal & Jim Kafka
Pamela & Chris Kohlbry
Michael W. Malter
William V. Morris
Elizabeth O'Connor
Barry & Suzette Pangrle
C. Reichmuth
Stephen & Shirley Rexrode
Gusta Ruygers
Jim Sansoterra & Wendy Baum/Sansoterra Group, LLC
Laurie & Lee Strawn
Chris & Dave Swan
Isabelle & Clemens Tillier
Sharon Tiraschi
James & Gayle Travis
Janis Ulevich
Carleen Whittelsey
Elizabeth Williams
Donna Wonnacott
Bill & Leslie Wraith
Maureen Wilson
Chris & Suzanne Zaino

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Quarter Pony Level
(In-Kind and Service Donations)
Honey

Pete Caraher
 Masterworks Chorale
 St. Pius Catholic Church Men's Club
Woodside Fire Department
Kay Djordjevich
Kathy Dugan
Terri Williams
Taylor Cox
Maxine Doss

While experts predict 2016 will be a banner year for politics and weather, for NCEFT it is special because it is a major anniversary year. Founded in 1971, NCEFT is 45 years young. By all things Miss Manners, it is our Sapphire Anniversary, so we anticipate seeing a lot of sparkly blue this year!
 
Anniversaries always give pause for us to look back at history. While our work with people with disabilities began in the 70s, NCEFT found its real groove in the 80s under the direction of Barb Heine. An excellent horsewoman and physical therapist, Barb began volunteering at NCEFT, eventually becoming executive director, then board president. Throughout her tenure at NCEFT, she oversaw the program's growth from a handful of patients a week to almost 80 and established NCEFT as a nationally recognized therapy and educational center.
 
While I never had the pleasure of knowing Barb, I am confident she would be proud of the work NCEFT carries on to this day. Our hippotherapy program has grown to include occupational and speech therapy, our adaptive riding program flourishes, we see dozens of Veterans and special education classes each quarter, and we launched several new programs last year, Social Skills Group, the Spring Fling Riding Showcase, and Happy Trails Summer Camp. We are constantly looking for ways to expand the hope and healing that horses provide to children and adults with disabilities. Look for new, innovative programs as our Sapphire Year goes by.
 
Happy Sapphire Anniversary!

Cherie

Cherie Hammer
NCEFT Development Director
2016 NCEFT Calendar

FEB 10-11: Pasta Pomodoro Fundraiser

MAR 14-18: Session Break

APR 10: Spring Fling Rider Showcase

MAY 3: SV Gives Fundraiser

MAY 30-JUN 3: Session Break

AUG 1-5: Happy Trails Camp

AUG 1-12: Summer Session Break

Barn Notes
NCEFT is an "Umbrella Free" Zone!

I know, I know...it's the middle of El Niño and it's pouring rain so you naturally grab that umbrella as you leave the house. Unfortunately, umbrellas are a big no-no at a barn. Umbrellas might have been invented 2,000 years ago (the oldest reference to a collapsible umbrella dates to the year 21 AD in China), most horses still are not used to them! To a prey animal such as a horse, large, bulky objects that float and move around in the air are probably predators! Many horses will shy and spook if they suddenly see an umbrella out of the corner of their eye, even if the umbrella is across the property. At NCEFT, patient, staff and volunteer safety is of upmost importance, so we diligently try to eliminate any potential problem possible. So, please understand that we know it is a little inconvenient (not to mention soggy) to only use a hooded jacket or hat in the rain when you are on property. Realize we are doing this out of an abundance of caution to keep everyone - horses and humans alike - safe and secure.
Even Prince Harry's polo pony doesn't like umbrellas

Staff Spotlight: Marty Raynor
Welcome NCEFT's new Barn Manager
 
Marty & her new best friend, Elf

In January, NCEFT was thrilled to have Marty Raynor join our staff. Marty has been a horsewoman all her life. A New Jerseyite by birth (images of Bruce Springsteen singing Jersey Girl can't help but come to mind), she has lived in Woodside for many years. She managed the Woodside Junior Rider summer camp program for 10+ years and was deeply involved with the Woodside Pony Club, including serving as Joint District Commissioner. You might also recognize her from Carousel Saddlery. Marty is quickly getting to know all of NCEFT's horses and managing the barn staff and horse handlers. Please give her a big welcome. Here are some fun facts to help you know Marty better!

Cherie: Where were you born? Marty:  Cherry Hill, New Jersey
C: How long have you been with NCEFT? M: 3 weeks.
C: What's the most unique job you have ever had? M: This one!
C: Chocolate or Vanilla? M: Chocolate. Dark chocolate.
C: What's your favorite horse color? M: Dark Bay (which Cherie pointed out is just like dark chocolate!)
C: If you could visit any place in the world, where would you go? M: Australia
C: What is your favorite non-horse related activity? M: Family time - walking our dogs or horseback riding with my kids.
C: iPhone or Android? M: Android
C: What is the last book you read? M: Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans & Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown
C: Favorite cartoon character? M: Wile E. Coyote
Wile E. Coyote doing his best Marty Raynor impersonation
 
2016 Spring Fling Riding Showcase - April 10
Come see our patients and clients shine!


Mark your calendar for Sunday April 10, 2016! Back by popular demand, our annual Spring Fling Riding Showcase is a fun-filled day of riding, demonstrations, and smiles. Come see our patients and students show off their riding skills on their favorite NCEFT horses. 

Patients/Students: To participate, talk with your therapist or riding instructor then  fill out the Participation Form here and return to the NCEFT office.

Happy Trails Summer Camp
Save the date for ranch camp fun!



Save the date for 2016 Happy Trails Camp, the week of August 1 - 5. Open to NCEFT patients and their siblings!

Last year we had over 20 campers and their volunteer Buddy counterparts exploring every inch of our 12 acre property. We dressed up the donkeys, went on scavenger hunts, read stories to chickens and had a fun horseback ride on the last day of camp. 

Stay tuned for more information and sign-ups. Click on the photo below to see pictures from last year's camp!

Click for more pictures of last summer's Happy Trails Camp.

 
Shop and support NCEFT 
Please support NCEFT while you shop this upcoming holiday shopping season! Sign up for Escrip and AmazonSmile with NCEFT as your designated beneficiary! It's fast, free to you and a surprisingly great source of donations for us! Go to www.escrip.com and www.smile.amazon.com

 
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. 

We are a 501(c)3 public benefit organization (#94-2378104), top rated on  www.GreatNonProfits.org  and a bronze www.GuideStar.org  participant.