Making Dreams A Reality
Jerri Massi loves horses and working with children. After volunteering at a therapeutic riding center in Old Lyme, she had a hunch she could start a similar program in the center of the state.
A New Britain resident, Massi boarded her own horse, Amanda, at the Wedgewood Stables in neighboring Berlin for 18 years. It made sense for her to start something there. Her hunch paid off when the owner of the stables agreed to lease Massi the use of the stables and riding rings.
In 1999, Manes & Motions Therapeutic Riding Center was incorporated as a nonprofit and Massi became president of the Board of Directors. That fall, the Riding Center put on its first program, an eight-week course for 12 physically-challenged children.
“We had no problem getting clients,” says Massi. Some children came from the Klingberg Family Centers in New Britain, others responded to an ad in Berlin’s local newspaper. Although clients were plentiful, money was tight. In her quest to secure funding, Massi remembered meeting a woman from the Community Foundation who she hoped might be receptive to her needs. She met with the Foundation’s program director to discuss the riding program and the grant application process. “They believed in us from the very beginning and helped us through the process,” says Massi.
The Foundation provided a three year grant, which allowed Manes & Motions to establish a quality program without the constant worry about meeting day-to-day expenses, like horseshoes and vet calls.
An additional grant from the Foundation enabled the Riding Center to purchase a special mounting ramp to accommodate physically challenged riders.
While the money was certainly appreciated, Massi was also impressed by the Foundation’s personal touch. “They sometimes call and say, ‘Hey, how are you doing?’”
Another personal touch was meeting Betty Livingston, the living donor who provided a portion of the grant. Livingston, the wife of a well-known surgeon and community servant, established the William T. Livingston Memorial Fund, a field of interest fund that supports organizations serving area youth with programs that encourage healthful and creative activities.
Massi says the program’s most pronounced impact has been on children with autism. “Most are nonverbal when they come and many end up communicating in some way. It’s not a cure, but it improves their quality of life.”
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