Volunteer of the Month ~ Rita QuinnWhy we love her: Rita is a dedicated leader who searches out opportunities to improve her horse handling skills. She is also a Barn Steward, helping to keep the barn, tack rooms, and crossties and tack clean and disinfected. She...
The Shea Center is proud to feature a LiteGait mobility device in our Inclusive Fitness Center (IFC). The LiteGait provides supported weight-bearing gait training for both pediatric and adult clients.Used over ground or over a treadmill, the LiteGait is utilized to...
About three years ago, five-year-old Sayler N. was feeling fine and went down for her afternoon nap. Later, she woke with a high fever and couldn’t speak. Eventually, she began talking with a stutter. This was very scary for both Sayler and her parents. They felt...
Drew G., age 12, has been a Shea Center rider for 3 ½ years. He began with two sidewalkers, a leader, and an instructor and now, he sometimes rides independently. Riding has improved Drew’s strength, posture, balance, and self-confidence.Drew’s mom, Heather, says...
Why we love her: Aleyna is a dependable leader and supportive sidewalker for our clients and assists the volunteer department with new volunteer trainings.Path to The Shea Center: Aleyna’s mom learned about the Center through Facebook: “Knowing I have a passion for...
Josie H. is a cute, fearless little girl learning to be cautious. Diagnosed with an extremely rare metabolic deficiency disorder with congenital cataracts and neutropenia, she has gross motor delay and depth perception issues. But those don’t slow Josie down! She is...
Our Shea Center facility dog, Emerson, recently retired from his job of daily interaction with our clients. Our new facility dog is Diamond who comes from Canine Companions for Independence. She is a Labrador born on July 12, 2018, and her handler is physical...
Why we love him: Preston volunteers as a leader and sidewalker in lessons and in the feed room, filling daily supplement bags for all the horses. He also finds time to help out the volunteer department with general office work. Path to the Shea Center: Preston was...
Why we love her: Marilou is a leader and sidewalker, and this session she added temperature check/check-in to her job duties. “I love being a sidewalker and leader, but have come to appreciate greeting our riders as they try to hold in their excitement and enthusiasm...
Alessandro P., age 7 and a Shea Center client for 4 ½ years, has Mowat-Wilson syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that causes global developmental delay. Alessandro’s physical therapist, Matt Mitchell, explains Alessandro’s therapy, “Alessandro benefits from a...