Since many of our riders are non-verbal and unable to communicate with the spoken word, there are times we wonder if we are making any impact in the lives of those who participate in our ministry program. Do the hours we spend preparing lessons and the time we spend in prayer really matter? Not to mention the money and time we put into caring for the horses. Does equine therapy really benefit our riders, volunteers, and staff?
It's at those moments God shows his grace and we receive a treasured story from one of our caregivers that reassures us that our labor is “not in vain”. Shining Stars does make a difference in the lives of our families.
Eli has been riding here for several years. He is 9 years old and for the most part, non-verbal. His team of volunteers at the arena adore him and his family. They are not only supportive during his lesson but also reach out to him beyond the arena and have become a part of his life.
Recently we received a message from Eli’s Grandmother saying he just started using a “talker” (a communication board that combines words to create sentences) Eli was on the talker last week and being unprompted he wrote this sentence. ”Saying prayers with my friend”. Eli was talking to Jesus!
How beautiful to know that Eli is not just getting physical, cognitive, and social therapy at Shining Stars, he’s learning more about his Savior.
1Thessalonians 5:24 “The one who calls you by name is trustworthy and will thoroughly complete His work in you.”
Spring Classes Under Way
Back in Action!
After a 3 month break in between classes, it is so wonderful to be back in action. While the winter months still present us with plenty to do at the farm and in preparation for a new year, nothing compares to the joy in getting to reconnect with families and volunteer after a few months off. What a blessing it is to be back in the arena with students and volunteers and equines!
Coming Soon! Equine Connection Program
Shining Stars is excited to announce that we will be offering Equine Connection classes. Students in equine connections classes will have the opportunity to work with the horses on the ground to develop effective communication and leadership strategies. Students will learn safe and effective training techniques to lead their horse through a variety of activities. This promotes confidence and empowerment as students learn how to partner with and train their horses. Students get to enjoy the reward of developing a relationship with their horse. They will then apply what they learned with their horses to real life situations, creating powerful learning experiences. Our heart is for each participant to develop a trust relationship with their horse that will lead them to discover the faithful love of their heavenly father, who desires and is worthy of our faith.
But that's not all, students will also learn about:
Horse Care-grooming, feeding
Observing herd interaction
Horse behavior
Leadership and teamwork
Running for a Good Cause
One of Shining Stars long-time, faithful volunteers, Jeff Wolfe is doing a run in honor of Shining Stars. But this is not just any run, it is a 24 hour run in which he aims to cover 100 miles! Will you support Jeff and his goal to raise funds for Shining Stars? You can send a check to Shining Stars with Jeff's Run in the memo line, or give on our website here , just be sure to mark your gift for Jeff's run. Let's give him lots of motivation to keep going!
Gettysburg Horse Show!
Join us for the Gettysburg Horse Show to benefit Shining Stars on May 16. Come out to see what our Shining Stars riders have learned and cheer them on. For more information contact Brandy at sstrmail@gmail.com or 717-451-9509.
Sponsorship Opportunity!
2021 Calendar
March 15-May 14 – Spring Riding Session
May 16- Gettysburg Horse Show June 7-August 6 – Summer Riding Session
August 9-13 – Horse Camp
September 11 – Boots, Bolos, & Boogie
October 22 – Written in the Stars Silent Auction
November TBD- Giving Spree September 20-November 19 – Fall Riding Session
FOR MORE INFORMATION on
SHINING STARS THERAPEUTIC MINISTRIES CONTACT
Brandy Crago, Executive Director
717-451-9509
sstrmail@gmail.com www.shiningstarstr.com
SHINING STARS Therapeutic Learning Center/Indoor Arena is located at
3185 York Road, Gettysburg, PA 17325
Mailing/Farm Address: 3175 Old Harrisburg Road, Gettysburg, PA 17325
