Give A Buck For Special Equestrians
Logo courtesy of Give A Buck.
MIAMI (Jan. 30, 2014) — The term “horsepower” is defined by Merriam-Webster Dictionary as “the power a horse exerts in pulling.” Yet for Give a Buck volunteers and its Young Ambassadors, horsepower is more than simply a unit of measurement, it is the extraordinary way horses and ponies are able to lift spirits, clear minds, exercise bodies, and offer a sense of well-being.
On February 1st, Give a Buck will launch its West Palm Beach chapter to benefit Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center, a 501c3 nonprofit founded in 1982 to provide recreational and therapeutic horseback riding to those with disabilities. Vinceremos, which means “to overcome” in Latin, has helped thousands of riders conquer the challenges associated with their disabilities, empowering them with a sense of pride, accomplishment and independence. Individuals suffering from developmental delays, cerebral palsy, cognitive impairments, autism, head injury, and stroke have all benefited from Vinceremos’ programs
Give a Buck for Special Equestrians—a grassroots, fundraising initiative founded in May 2013 by four women and a sixth-grade student in Vero Beach, Fla.—has expanded rapidly throughout the state, with a chapter in Miami-Dade, Broward, Collier and Indian River counties, and now Palm Beach County. A nonprofit organization registered in the state of Florida, Give a Buck accepts donations through its fiscal sponsor, The Coral Gables Community Foundation. All raised funds support therapeutic riding programs that benefit children and adults with physical, developmental and/or emotional disabilities.
“We are delighted to launch in Palm Beach County to support Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center,” said Give a Buck Founder Sissy DeMaria. “Give a Buck offers a simple way for the equine community to give back for all of the joy that horses have brought to our lives. Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center, with their gentle horses, expert staff and kind-hearted volunteers, is a model program and an inspiration to our organization”
As part of the partnership, Give a Buck volunteers and members of its Young Ambassador program (children and teen volunteers between the ages of 10 and 18) will visit Wellington area stables where they will ask horse owners to “give as little as a buck, or as much as they can” with their monthly stable rental payment to support Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center. The volunteers will hand out brochures that explain the program’s mission, as well as a self-addressed and stamped envelope made out to The Coral Gables Community Foundation and earmarked toward the Give a Buck for Special Equestrians Fund for Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center. In exchange for contributions, donors may receive a custom Give a Buck polo shirt, baseball cap or Give a Buck visor.
“Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center depends on many for its success,” said Susan Guinan, Director of Development for Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center. “Our horses and ponies are the foundation for every triumph, as their intuitive recognition of their equestrian partners’ needs and abilities is remarkable. And we are consistently inspired by our volunteers, who generously share their time and efforts, the riders who help us to recognize the capabilities that exist in all of us, and our generous donors, who help ensure that the joy of horsemanship is shared.”
Located at 13300 Sixth Court N in Loxahatchee, Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center serves a wide range of clients with disabilities. Children as young as two-years old, through adults in their 70’s, regularly participate in the program for ten-week sessions of recreational or therapeutic riding, regardless of their ability to pay. Each week, 165 riders come to Vinceremos for riding and over the course of a year; Vinceremos serves approximately 500 different individuals.
For more information about Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center, please visit www.vinceremos.org or call (561) 792-9900.
For more information about Give a Buck, call (305) 608-5350 or visit giveabuckeq.org. You can also like the organization on Facebook or become a follower on Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+.
