East Bay Equestrian Update: SonRise Equestrian Foundation Changing Kids Lives!
June 2, 2010 by Jim Walberg · 1 Comment
If you love horses can you imagine the impact a horse could make in the life a child at risk or who is disabled in some way? Well, that dream is coming true every day for some very special kids in the East Bay everyday! Melanie Buerke had this idea several years ago and the dream is now a realty – SonRise Equestrian Foundation at Charles Wilhelm’s horse training center on Crow Canyon Road. Here is their mission statement:
“SonRise Equestrian Foundation is a non-profit organization making a positive difference for children and youth living with social, emotional, or physical challenges including terminal illness. Participating children develop confidence, integrity and responsibility through mentoring and peer relationships centered around the care and enjoyment of horses.”
I first met Melanie at our Rotary Club’s Tuesday morning weekly breakfast meeting. She was our presenter that morning and all of us were moved by her story and what the results her program is getting. That morning we learned that causes of the struggles in some cases of these kids are organic and in others environmental. Regardless of the cause they are helping these kids to transform their lives and to become productive citizens within our community. All of their services to kids is free and funded by donations from people who share their commitment to address the needs of these special kids. Our Rotary Club is now part of their funding team.
At SonRise we believe that strong, loving relationships are a necessary ingredient of a contented heart. We see time and time again, children thrive simply by receiving the unconditional love of a concerned mentor and a special horse. We believe in the necessity of belonging to a nurturing community.
SonRise Equestrian Foundation offers four distinct programs:
- In the Saddle—a one-on-one horseback riding program that teams up one child, one mentor, and one horse 100% of the time. This ensures no hurting child gets lost in a crowd, and keeps our program extremely safe.
- Team Rehab—a working ranch program where children work in teams doing ranch chores and caring for horses in need of rehabilitation.
- Traveling Tails—a miniature horse hospice program which brings minis to children’s hospice care homes to visit children who are near the end of life.
- HorsePlay Day— they offer HorsePlay Days quarterly, where children from their program and those on the waiting list are invited to the ranch for a day of group fun. In these four hours children participate in horse related games, crafts and activities ranging from roping to bareback riding to red/light green/light on horseback.
SonRise also has a program for unwanted or abused horse. When one of these horses is taken in the SonRise staff immediately begins a careful rehabilitation process, which addresses the physical, emotional, and psychological needs of their equine companions. During the rehabilitation period which can last from as little as one month to as long as a year or more, each horse is tested to see if their temperament will allow them to become an “equine angel” that joins the SonRise team as a partner for the in-need and at-risk children enrolled in the horsemanship program.
Finally, SonRise Equestrian Foundation believes that the joy and the love of horses shouldn’t just be for children who can afford them. All children should have the privilege of the healing love that comes from horses. CONTACT ME for more information on this important project in our East Bay Community.
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