50 People for 50 Years: Kathy Kamine, Board Member and Former Volunteer
Many times, new projects bring new people to an organization. And so, in 2005, then President of the Board, Gayle Conover, asked Kathy Kamine to help with the construction of the new barn at the new facility on 83 Old Turnpike Rd. (now Mane Stream). The additional ask to volunteer with therapy sessions would soon follow.
Kathy felt it was most rewarding to see the progress clients made in their therapy sessions all while sharing the love of the horse. “These horses have such great souls and seem to thrive in their partnerships with clients as much as any athletic partnership of horse and rider.”
An avid equestrian herself, having bred and trained some of the world’s best show jumpers over the past 25+ years, Kathy has developed bonds with many of the Mane Stream herd. She even took Axel, one of our hard-working Norwegian Fjord horses, home to her nearby farm when he was ready for retirement.
Kathy joined the Board in 2008 and has held a variety of positions including Assistant Secretary and Vice President during her tenure. A long-time supporter of Mane Stream’s fundraising events, Kathy’s enthusiasm for our mission rubbed off on her two sons, Matt and Justin, who have helped with our Boot Scootin’ BBQ. They did everything from helping with set-up to encouraging their friends to attend the event and learn more about our programs.
Kathy and her husband, Hal, have been extremely generous for years but undoubtedly one of their most generous acts, that has had the greatest impact on the organization and its riders, has been providing exclusive access to their indoor arena, stalls, and paddocks for 5 months out of the year since 2016. Jen Dermody, Equine Manager, and Head Instructor states, “The Kamines let us run our adaptive riding program at their farm as if it were our own. This makes the transfer between locations as seamless as possible and provides our participants with the consistency that they thrive on, allowing them to continue to build on their skills without months of interruption.”
Kathy’s hope for Mane Stream is, “To continue to serve the community with high standards of practice while continuing to adapt to the needs of every client.”
Thank you to Kathy and the whole Kamine Family!
