BITS & PIECES
SPRING 2020
TEMPORARY
OPERATING OVERVIEW As the risk of contracting the Coronavirus is growing within the U.S., JHTR’s first and foremost concern is about the health, safety, and well-being of our employees, volunteers, and participants and their families. With this priority in mind, we have implemented the following measures for the intial months of our 2020 season:
JHTR WELCOMES
REMOTE WORK
new program director
VIRTUAL ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM
JHTR is pleased to announce Adriene Henderson as its new Program Director. Adriene’s extensive equine background coupled with her history in the nonprofit sector makes her the ideal person for the position. In her past three years with the program, Adriene has achieved great things in the roles of Instructor and Outreach Officer. She is committed to building upon our proud legacy and working to ensure that individuals are empowered to thrive in their daily lives. Her strong organizational and communication skills will continue to be a substantial contributor as the organization grows. We look forward to Adriene helping JHTR reach new heights through the expansion of outreach efforts and the development of innovative program offerings.
office closure and remote work for all staff until May 1 SPRING SESSION
cancelled due to social distancing mandates SUMMER SESSION
tentatively scheduled to commence June 22 VOLUNTEER TRAINING
to go virtual in preparation for Summer Session!
to bridge the gap during closure STOMPING THE DIVOTS
currently in planning stages with updates to come
Henderson follows former Program Director, Nealy Angell, who dedicated 13 years to empowering, inspiring, and enriching lives through Equine Assisted Activities and Therapies. On behalf of the Board and JHTR family, we thank Nealy for her passion and many contributions to the program.
CONGRATULATIONS ON CERTIFICATION All of us at Jackson Hole Therapeutic Riding are overjoyed to congratulate Samantha Melton on earning the professional credential of “Certified Registered Instructor” through PATH Intl. Samantha’s certification comes after 21 months of dedicated preparation and hard work. To become certified, the instructor must know and demonstrate competency in equine management, horsemanship, riding instruction, teaching methodologies and disabilities. The rigorous, multifaceted test requires months—and most often years—of preparation. Ultimately, the credentials reflect the instructor’s commitment to instructional excellence, ethics, and safety, reinforcing the quality and effectiveness of the instruction they provide.
As a PATH Intl. Premier Accredited Center, JHTR is required to maintain no less than one Certified Registered Instructor. Our goal is to surpass industry standards to have all JHTR instructors achieve certification. Currently, five instructors boast these important credentials, with two other instructors in the process. By having all instructors certified, we ensure that each instructional session is guided by the highest level of adaptive riding knowledge and skill. It is through our exceptional, highly educated, and extensively trained team that we are able to impact lives and create tangible results for our clients. Congratulations, Samantha, on this well-deserved accomplishment! We look forward to watching you continue to empower ability and MAUREEN FLANAGAN enrich lives!
Board President
Congratulations!
CONTINUITY OF SERVICES
VIRTUAL ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM On March 15, the JHTR facility temporarily closed its doors in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Since that time, our staff continues to work diligently to produce virtual methods of engagement to keep our participants connected to JHTR, their 4-legged friends, and our incredible instructors during this period of social distancing. We have constructed the Virtual Engagement Program using the same guiding principles as all JHTR services, including an individualized approach to programming. Therefore, all topics integrate an assortment of activities, each designed to resonate with a unique audience. All materials are shared directly with participants and their families/caregivers on a bi-weekly basis via email, our website, and social media, at no cost to the participant. Each offering directly aligns with the fundamental goals of our traditional services, and is crafted by our knowledgeable and skilled team with a focus on the goal, the audience, and the optimal teaching modality. In school and in life, there is diversity in how we learn. Therefore, we have designed our equine-based curriculum to maximize learning through assorted offerings and approaches. Activities are comprised of multiple methods that involve either reading or educational videos, as well as interactive games that support the learning. We also incorporate physical components, such as guided core-building exercises to enhance posture while in the saddle. For many, this period of social distancing has had a profound impact on socialization. Isolation can often equate to extreme loneliness and despair. Through videos hosted by familiar faces, as well as interactive platforms with instructors, participants are given the opportunity to connect socially. Our goal continues to be to empower ability and maximize potential—for now, it just happens to look a little different.
FOLLOW ALONG WITH OUR JOURNEY
@jhtherapeuticriding
YOU CAN'T FURLOUGH A HORSE The current Covid-19 crisis has businesses across the country taking drastic measures to survive, including furloughing their employees and closing their doors. At JHTR, we have always applied strong fiduciary care in managing our funds while providing high-quality services to as many clients as possible. Though we have taken many steps to minimize our expenses further during this crisis, we face a unique dilemma when dealing with one aspect of our workforce…you can’t furlough a horse.
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We face a unique dilemma when dealing with one aspect of our workforce...you can't furlough a horse.
As the foundational medium for our work, our horses continue to need essential care and feeding, whether they are in therapy sessions or not. While we have cut costs in numerous ways, we still require the same level of expenditures for our horses. As a result, our needs for funding continue, even though our inperson sessions are temporarily on hold. Similarly, although our facility is not operating in its traditional sense, our participants continue to receive life-enhancing services through virtual methods. This is made possible by our instructors whose responsibilities have been temporarily
refocused on producing home-based learning materials via a remote setting. To increase accessibility, this program is being offered at no cost to the participant. Therefore, our need for funding is as important now as ever. We know that this crisis is impacting everyone in our community, our country, and our world. We appreciate any level of generosity during this difficult time, whether it be financial, or referring us to others who may be in a position to help as we work to empower, inspire, and enrich lives through Equine Assisted Activities and Therapies. We thank you for your support and send our hope that you and your loved ones stay safe, healthy, and hopeful during this difficult time. TO DONATE ONLINE:
www.jhtr.org/donate
PO Box 415 Teton Village, WY 83025
JHTR EARNS
SILVER BEST NONPROFIT The results are in for Best of JH 2020! With your help, Jackson Hole Therapeutic Riding will bear the title "Silver Best Nonprofit of Jackson Hole" for the second year in a row! This award is very meaningful to our program—not only because it demonstrates an appreciation for our mission, but because it reflects an increased recognition of the value and benefits of Equine Assisted Activities and Therapies. We would like to thank our many volunteers, supporters, participants, team members, and horses who have helped shape JHTR into an organization worthy of praise. Because of you, we will continue to empower, inspire, and enrich lives.
Congratulations to all the 2020 Best of JH Winners!
www.jhtr.org
empowering ability
307.733.1374