MELANIE Dominko-Richards
MS, CCC-SLP, HPCS

• I love Mane Stream because… it is a place that feels like home. The horses, staff, volunteers, and participants that I have grown to know and love are more like a family to me. The familiarity of the barn, the fields, and the trails have brought me a sense of calm over the years whether I was mending a broken heart in middle school, grieving the loss of a family member, or celebrating life's victories, Mane Stream has always been there.

• I have been part of the Mane Stream family for… 25 years this summer! What started as my parents sending their horse obsessed daughter to Camp Cold Brook, turned into volunteering 6 days a week, to working in the barn taking care of the horses (insert a quick break to get my bachelor’s degree), and then being hired as a camp counselor, getting my PATH Intl. Instructor Certification, living on the property, and currently the Director of Therapy Services. I've done it all in my SHHRC/Mane Stream tenure!

• My favorite horse at Mane Stream is… all of them!! But there are those over the years who have pulled at my heartstrings more than others. From the original Dart (with the heart) to Hat (the Texan Quarter Horse), from Beyra (my Queen B) to Dart (2.0), and most recently my baking partner Mel the Pony, they've all left hoofprints on my heart! I am in the market for my next favorite...
  Minnie is making her way to the top of the list :)

• My favorite Mane Stream memory is… all of it. Through the good, the bad, the great, and the not so great, Mane Stream and the people that I have met and worked with have helped shape me into the person that I am today. I will forever be thankful for the lessons, friendships, experiences, and memories that SHHRC/Mane Stream has given me over the past 25 years!

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