The Giant Jigsaw Puzzle of Constantly Changing Pieces

50 People for 50 Years: Carol Ferris, former Volunteer, Instructor, and 1st Volunteer Coordinator

 Carol Ferris first began at SHHRC (now Mane Stream) as a volunteer when the program was housed at Octavia Brown’s (our founder) farm. With a lifelong love of horses and an educational background in Speech Pathology, Audiology, and a M.S. in Education of the Hearing Impaired, this volunteer opportunity was “the perfect blend of my lifelong love of horses and my experience with & interest in working with individuals with disabilities.”

 At that time there were no formal training sessions for volunteers, so training was “on the job”, which proved a bit daunting for Carol at first. She remembers, “Although I had some experience with horses, I never had the opportunity to learn how to tack up, and remember the first time putting the halter on upside down under Octavia ‘s watchful eye.” Of course, Octavia set Carol straight, and before long Carol caught on to things and quickly fell in love with volunteering. “I was thrilled to be a part of improving riders’ confidence in themselves and loved the fact that increasing their strength & dexterity through riding carried over into their daily lives. And being responsible for someone’s safety was a responsibility I took very seriously. I loved being around the horses and was really pleased that the volunteers were encouraged to take riding lessons from Octavia. She felt that this helped us to get to know the horses on a deeper level, enabling us to work more effectively with them.”

As sometimes happens in growing non-profit organizations, Carol was asked to help out in the office for a few hours twice a week. From there, as Octavia had done with others, she encouraged Carol to become an instructor. She took classes at Centenary College under the direction of Octavia and achieved the goal all while watching her daughters play sports, and studying between games. Carol always felt that being an important member of the team, consisted of the horse, rider, instructor, and volunteer in equal parts. The more knowledge and experience the team had, the better.

This concept and model helped Carol to create Mane Stream’s volunteer program as the first Volunteer Coordinator (eventually becoming a full-time employee). Carol knew how important it was to put a good team together in order to provide the safest and most beneficial environment for the riders. “I felt it was vital to develop a more structured and comprehensive volunteer orientation and training program, stressing the importance of safety, the responsibilities of being a volunteer, combined with the knowledge and support a new volunteer needed in order to become a confident member of the team.”

Carol remembers a spook incident while she was volunteering. “As the rider slid off towards me, the only thing I could think of to do was to break her fall, so I managed to position myself underneath her & down we both went. Luckily, she was just fine, and as we both got over our shock, we began laughing hysterically and it was several minutes before we managed to untangle ourselves, and retrieve her prosthetic leg (which was still attached to the horse) & get off the ground.”  These types of learning experiences resulted in the creation of a training video (created in partnership with HRH (Health and Recreation Through Horses of New Jersey) which is still being used at some NJ affiliates today. (take a peek at Carol’s “cell phone” at 2:50min and guess who makes an appearance at 22:06 and 22:18?)

When asked what was the most challenging parts of being our Volunteer Coordinator, she replied, “Putting together a schedule that had volunteers with the necessary experience and skill level to fill the right spots. I always felt like I was working a giant jigsaw puzzle with constantly changing puzzle pieces.”

In the following years, Carol valued ALL of her volunteers and celebrated their efforts by hosting an annual Volunteer Appreciation Party with a different creative theme each year. “It was so much fun to see how pleased the volunteers were to receive their little plastic trophies, ribbons, certificates, and sashes and to have their photos taken on the podium.” 

Being a part of the Mane Stream team for so many years was a very special time in Carol’s life. Each of her daughters volunteered as well as her husband helped with special events. Carol reflects, “Life-long friends were made and everyone shared the common goal of helping individuals who faced challenges in their daily lives. It made all of us realize how fortunate we are.”

We honor Carol’s many years of service this week on National Volunteer Appreciation Week 2022. The processes put in place years ago are the bedrock of what is used today at Mane Stream. Thank you, Carol!

Any Worries, Fade into the Background When I’m Volunteering

50 People for 50 Years: Barbara Burke, Volunteer

Volunteer Barbara Burke sidewalking for a PT Session with her favorite pony, Ian the Fjord.

Wow, it’s almost 18 years since I started volunteering! When I left AT&T after 24 years I was too young to stop working but I knew I wanted to incorporate regular volunteering into my life. Thanks to a search for “working with animals” and “working with people” on Volunteer Match the opportunity came up with Somerset Hills Handicapped Riding Center (now Mane Stream). I’m so glad I did!

I love horses and used to ride as a child, so it’s fun to be around our horses and ponies, and to help care for them and prepare them for their important work with clients. I love their different personalities and quirks. That part, I expected to love, and I do.

What I didn’t realize, was how much I would love working with our clients! It is SO rewarding I have seen children get stronger, calmer, more outgoing, and more verbally proficient. I’ve seen adults who light up when they get on that horse. Working with the same clients for an extended time enables me to see their growth and form relationships with them, which have been really special. I watched one client grow over the years into a beautiful young woman with skills I never could have imagined. One of my favorite clients is a young man named Charlie. One freezing day I was sidewalking with him, and his pant leg rode up exposing his bare leg. So, I said, “Charlie, you need to wear nice warm socks! Ones that come up farther!” Well, ever since then, it became a standing joke with us that he would show me his socks every single week and say “Check out my socks, Barb!” Little moments like that warm my heart.

From the start, I was, and continue to be, impressed with the professionalism of what we do at Mane Stream. Staff are fully credentialed and absolutely know their stuff. They are always willing to explain what we are doing and why (we’ve had interesting continuing education over the years too.)  I know that the instructors keep up with the very latest in the field, and it shows. It’s great to work with an organization that is known for its excellence and results. I would say in the earlier years it felt a bit more “homey” because things were smaller but as the organization grows and changes you know you are always making a difference!

As for the volunteers…they are fantastic. Everyone is upbeat and friendly. I’ve become friends with many over the years. For a period of time about 10 years ago, we had a group called Team Friday: Anika, Jay and me as therapy volunteers; Angela Rodrigues as speech therapist; and Jen Dermody as instructor. That was the “dream team” and we had so much fun every week. Anika made us all Team Friday T-shirts. I still have mine! Those same bonds that are formed can be hard if a client or instructor moves on, or I switch sessions, or a horse is retired – I really miss them! But there is always someone new to get to know.

Speaking of horses, I have to give a shout out to my favorite horse, Ian, who is a Norwegian Fjord who was retired a few years ago. He was a sweet, fuzzy teddy bear of a horse who I still miss. Prince, a pony with more personality than some of the people I know, and the Fjord Beyra, “the queen of the barn” who liked to sleep in her stall and wouldn’t get up no matter what.

The other thing I remember with a smile is Nikki who would call when she needed me to substitute, saying “This is the begging and pleading line calling!” I love the sense of purpose I get from being able to help. And, when I’m at Mane Stream, I’m in the moment. Any worries or cares I brought in, fade into the background when I’m volunteering.

When I first started volunteering, I had no idea I would get so much out of the experience myself. I’ve worked to “spread the word” by bringing my work group here for our “corporate cares day” and my colleagues still talk about how fun and rewarding it was to help out at Mane Stream, even for a day!

I can honestly say that being a volunteer at Mane Stream has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my life.

Barb has tallied up over 1,000 hours of service so far. Thank you Barb!

Mane Stream’s Horse Whisperer

50 People for 50 Years: Dan O’Donnell, Volunteer

Mane Stream’s very own horse whisperer, Dan O’Donnell, training Peanut to long-line.

For over thirty-five years, Dan O’Donnell has been riding horses and enjoying the Tewksbury Trails. It was through his riding that he became aware of Mane Stream and the many volunteer opportunities available here. Once retirement was in sight, Dan thought, “It would be a great opportunity to do something good while satisfying my desire to be around horses.” Looking back, he remembers all the sweeping he did in his first year. Now a seasoned volunteer, in addition to his weekly volunteering spots, Dan schools (trains) many of the horses and ponies to maximize their performance and minimize their stress levels during lessons and therapy sessions.  

Rebecca Jablonski, former Volunteer Coordinator, says “Dan has volunteered for nine years and has over well over 1,000 hours of service. He is a one-of-a-kind ‘horse whisperer’ and has even taught our staff a thing or two! Watching him school the horses is always a treat to see and being able to witness such an experienced equestrian working with our program is a gift. When Dan is at the farm he never fails to brighten the day.”   

Over the years, Dan has seen the enormous good the organization has provided to those in need. “I have been impressed by almost everyone I have worked with at Mane Stream. From the volunteers, therapists, instructors, participants and staff in one way or another and they have all demonstrated a high level of professionalism, dedication, and caring, day after day and year after year.”  

And finally, this article wouldn’t be complete without a special note by Melanie Dominko-Richards, MS, CCC-SLP, HPCS, Director of Therapy Services, “Dan’s unique horsemanship background, equine training, and horse handling skills are an incredible asset to Mane Stream. He consistently keeps the therapy herd in shape which provides a quality experience for our clients.”

Thank you Dan!

My Heart is Full with All the Memories

After years of volunteering with Mane Stream “A-Team Terri doesn’t need instruction, she picks up what the therapists are puttin’ down!” Melanie Dominko-Richards MS, CCC-SLP, HPCS, Director of Therapy Services.

50 People for 50 Years: Terri Andrechick, Volunteer

Written by: Terri Andrechick

I got involved with Mane Stream back when it was Somerset Hills Handicapped Riding Center (SHHRC) back in 2002. It was my love of horses and helping others that drew me to Mane Stream. My thought was if I could give a parent 1 hour to just sit and have a cup of coffee or an hour of silence to read a book, why shouldn’t I?! My children were grown and I had some available time so I looked up volunteer opportunities and found Mane Stream and it sounded like something I could do. 

My first meeting was with Carol, the volunteer coordinator at the time. We [prospective volunteers] all met in a large room and she went over everything from how Mane Stream began, their purpose and it all sounded great. I started slowly by coming once a week usually on a Saturday and began getting comfortable with the horses as well as the participants and instructors. My favorite instructors were Kathy Brennan and Gloria (don’t recall her last name), we all had such great fun. I remember the classes were sometimes crowded with 3 or 4 riders at a time but somehow, they always figured out how to make it work, like playing Stop and Go, or matching the little horse pictures with the large pictures on the wall. The games were meant to encourage the clients to listen and find things plus they learned how to control the horse, although hopefully, they didn’t notice we were guiding them. 

I’ve been at Mane Stream so long that I’ve seen Mel (Melanie Dominko-Richards) become a beautiful, enthusiast, wonderful, excellent therapist [speech-language pathologist] from a high school volunteer. So, she has a special place in my heart for her hard work and dedication.

Over the years, horses have come and gone, instructors have been joined by therapists, and the time with the riders and clients is spent focused on their individual abilities and how to challenge that ability to the next level rather than grouping like abilities into one class. 

My favorite part of being a volunteer for so many years is having had the opportunity to watch the riders and clients grow and achieve levels no one thought they could. I’ve seen a young adult that had little to no core strength after several months start to sit up, which his mother never thought would ever happen. I’ve seen some clients come in who were non-verbal and over time start saying “go” or “stop” and eventually “walk-on”.

My absolute favorite memory has to be one time when we walked outside thru the woods out past the cornfield. We kept telling the rider to “duck” to avoid the over-hanging branches. After about the third or fourth time the young man was laughing hysterically so we stopped to see if he was okay. His response made my heart happy – he said “no one has ever asked me to duck and I’ve never been able to walk thru woods after a rain in the mud before”. You see this client was a wheelchair user and to see the huge smile on his face and to see it from his perspective made tromping around the mud all the sweeter. I’ve seen smiles on riders that just light up their face when they trot and then there are those who are so excited because they found the hidden object all by themselves. 

I’ve been blessed to have worked with many instructors and therapists and now that I’m retired I have more time to enjoy this blessing. I’ve made some amazing friends and enjoy catching up with them and hearing how their families have grown, plus I get to see impressive goals being reached by clients year after year. 

There are so many memories, I’ve forgotten more than I remember. I only hope I’ll be physically able to continue volunteering for a few more years but, when I have to stop, my heart will be full with all the memories of the people who volunteer there as well as the riders and clients I’ve had the pleasure of working with over the years.

Welcome the NEW Volunteer Coordination Team

Marianne Scharf, Volunteer Assistant and Emily De Jong, Volunteer Coordinator

We are excited to welcome our new volunteer team! As many know Emily joined Mane Stream in the early fall as a weekend Barn Assistant. In addition to being in the office Tuesday thru Friday, she will retain her Barn Assistant responsibilities on Friday afternoons and Saturdays. Marianne has been volunteering with Mane Stream for the past 4 months and will be assisting in the office on Mondays and during volunteer training sessions.

Please note that they will share the volunteer@manestreamnj.org email and the Google Voice number so communication will remain the same. We are confident that Emily and Marianne will quickly become the dream team and hope that you will be able to meet them next time you are at Mane Stream.

Thank You #GivingTuesday2021 Donors!

The Mane Stream Leprechauns are lucky to have donors like YOU!

You may remember these two as Farmer Felix & Cowgirl Kelly from last year's #GivingTuesday campaign. That single-day campaign raised $5.6K for hay and round bale holders. Well, it took a while but we did finally find TWO new round bale holders. Minnie also got into the St. Paddy's Day spirit and wanted to help thank you too.

#GivingTuesday2021 Donors

Cynthia Barkman, Larry Berlin, Christine Brenner, Barbara Burke, Charlotte Clarke, Catherine Coloff, Maggie Conroy, Suzanne Davies, Gillian Deschamps, Mary Dickey, John Dickey, Laura Edelson, Arden Epstein, Liam Fitzpatrick, Amy Gimbel, Barbara Goodson, Tamela Griffin, Nina Higgins, Maria Holt, Rachel Howell, Kathy Kapiloff, Karen Kaufhold, Tama Lama, Victoria Leone, Eugenia Macchia, Elaine Milano, Kathy Mosquera, Kevin Murphy, Susan Oldroyd, Katharine Page, Tammy Paolino, Jason Pintar, Meredith Prescott, Jeanne Rogalin, Piper Rotolo, Barrie Saltzman, Eleanor Shanley, Rene Slater, Timothy Smith, Stacey Staub, Andrea Stepnosky, Julie Strain, Tami Swartz, Alex Taylor, Mary Ellen Yen, Maryann Zeira

Embracing all of the Opportunities and Possibilities

50 People for 50 Years: Victoria Ponte, Adaptive Rider

Victoria Ponte at the 2015 Horse Show

Embracing all of the opportunities and possibilities that Mane Stream has to offer, Victoria Ponte has been part of the Mane Stream community for the past 22 years. A debilitating stroke, in her sixth month of pregnancy, upended Victoria’s life. Previously extremely active, she realized she would not be able to do some of the things she once did. Through various meetings and appointments, adaptive riding was suggested to Victoria. With little knowledge of what it was, Victoria discovered Mane Stream. Tentative at first with a combination of both fear and excitement, Victoria began a long road to recovery. Over the years, small steps turned into a fast trot, and Victoria won her first horse show in 2014, with the highest score as an individual rider. Through perseverance, time, and hard work, Victoria slowly gained confidence to become an independent rider.

Experiencing both adaptive riding and physical therapy on a horse, Victoria thinks that therapy is much more difficult and challenging than adaptive riding. She explains, “I started with adaptive riding in 2000, and did not try Mane Stream’s therapy services until about 3 years ago. It was a hard transition because therapy is done with no saddle, stirrups or reins, all of which I was accustomed to using in adaptive riding for many years. It was more work to stay on the horse using my core muscles to control where my body was going.”

She participates in Mane Stream’s Annual Horse Show yearly to demonstrate to her family just how much she has accomplished and progressed with her riding skills. Jen Dermody, an Advanced CTRI and Victoria’s long-time instructor states, “I admire Victoria’s resilience and determination as she continually strives for excellence.”

Although all of the horses are special at Mane Stream, Victoria’s favorite is Tink. She continues, “The facility is beautiful, and with all of the horses I have ridden, they have all been perfect for me. I really appreciate the efforts of the volunteers without whom I could not participate in the program. I really love Mane Stream.” Victoria’s commitment and fidelity to the programs offered at Mane Stream is evident. She attributes her success to the many instructors and volunteers who give their time in working with and helping others. Victoria has a favorite thought about her instructor, “Jen is a brilliant juggler with many different skills and abilities, she expects me to ride as if I don’t have a disability.”

With Victoria’s long relationship with Mane Stream and her love of riding, she says, “Mane Stream has provided a fun, safe, way for me to enjoy strenuous exercise as a disabled person. It has been a social outlet for me as well.” 

I Remember When She Spoke Her First Words

50 People for 50 Years: Jill Thomas

Jill Thomas’ love of horses and children brought her to Mane Stream in the early 1990’s. As a new volunteer, she helped with riding lessons and summer camp. Jill became more involved in the business side of Mane Stream, co-chairing a number of fund-raising events with Shelia Tweedie. In 2002, they ran the Blue Ribbon Gala which raised funds for the “new” indoor arena. Jill was an integral part in the demolition and renovations at Mane Stream’s current location. She remembers, “My husband, Mike was also happy to be involved when he could, helping with the building of the indoor arena and offices.”

Jill served for 5 years as a Board Member, including terms on the Executive Board, and attended several PATH regional seminars over the years. Wearing a few different hats, Jill was also the volunteer liaison, making sure the program ran smoothly.

For Jill, the “VERY BEST” part of belonging to an organization like Mane Stream was seeing the participants thrive, learn and be happy. “I remember, one little girl spoke her first words ever while on one of the horses.”

Over the years, Jill became fast friends with many of the volunteers and instructors (she listed MANY!) In Jill’s words, “We were a rowdy, happy bunch.” So much so that after volunteer shifts, they would gather at local restaurants for dinner. On one occasion, Jill found herself sitting at the bar speaking with the gentleman next to her, sharing with him the mission of Mane Stream and how so many children had been helped. Before she knew it, the gentleman took out his checkbook and wrote a generous check! Little did Jill know that the man sitting next to her was actor James Gandolfini from The Sopranos, who had been filming at nearby Hacklebarney State Park.

We asked former Volunteer Coordinator, Carol Ferris, what she remembers most about Jill. She was quick to respond with “I was always impressed by her kind, caring & brave nature. I used to call her Jilly Bean, which always made her laugh. I was a volunteer when I first met her, and remember how patient and understanding she was with everyone she worked with, riders & volunteers alike. I remember being about 5 months pregnant and volunteering with her on a trail ride, and she was so concerned for me. I think she was quite relieved when we all made it back to the barn safe & sound! Jilly Bean was a huge asset to SHHRC, and played a big part in making me and many others want to become more & more involved with the program.”

One of Jill’s fondest memories involves a barn cat named Callie. One day Jill saw Callie limping around the office so she took Callie home for a few days for a little extra care. Jill remarked that those in the office knew they would never see Callie around the barn again because the cat would become part of Jill’s family. And in fact, Callie did become part of the family and moved to South Carolina with Jill and Mike in 2003.  

After moving south, Jill traded horses for turtles. Eager to help the local turtle population, she is now a certified volunteer working with a local turtle rescue. She finds and helps move turtle nests (mostly loggerheads). Jill still keeps in touch with some of her old volunteer buddies and follows along with all that goes on at Mane Stream via social media. Jill summed up her thoughts with, “Some of the best years were spent with SHHRC [Mane Stream] and with such wonderful people.”

From Trail Rides to Galas, Martha Enjoyed All That’s Offered

Marth Carrellas competing in the 2006 Horse Show

50 People for 50 Years: Martha Carrellas

Martha joined Mane Stream’s adaptive riding program in 2000, when we were known as Somerset Hills Handicapped Riding Center. From day one, Martha was dedicated to being the best rider she could be. At that time Octavia Brown was still involved, Karen Bocksel was the Executive Director and Kathy Brennan was the Head Instructor. Martha remembers, “The new barn and indoor arena had just been completed. The outdoor ring was just a track in a field below where the current ring is now. In the early days, trail rides were always a favorite especially in the fall when the leaves were changing colors. Ride-a-thons were a means of fundraising back then, bringing together friends and the community.”

For Martha, Mane Stream provided the opportunity to return to an activity that she had loved for years, horseback riding. Due to her disability, Martha thought that riding was out of reach for her. At Mane Stream she found a wonderful place to meet new friends, riders, volunteers and staff. Martha’s dedication and perseverance to become the best rider she could be paid off through the years, achieving top honors (the Abby Clay Rutgers Memorial Award -High Point Independent Rider) at the Annual Horse Shows in 2009, 2011, and 2013!

Although a skiing accident in 2014 a skiing accident interrupted Martha’s riding schedule she returned to Mane Stream in 2020 she came back for physical therapy.

Over the years Martha has ridden many different horses, most of whom have been retired. Her first horse was Sweetie followed by Rocket, Dart, and Hat, but her favorite of all was Anneliese. She was one of the first Fjord horses at Mane Stream. Martha reflects, “Anneliese and I were a team, she was a great worker and we had fun doing dressage patterns in class and at horse shows.”

Martha watched SHHRC grow over time to evolve into Mane Stream today - she was part of the drill team for the ribbon cutting ceremony of the current facility. Always a part of the Mane Stream community, Martha and her husband Steve have attended many fundraisers over the years. Martha sends “Congratulations on the first 50 years, may the next 50 be just as bright.”

It Started with a Knock on the Window

An Interview with Sheila Tweedie

“I was sitting in my car, reading my book and waiting for Craig [Sheila’s son] to finish his volunteer shift when Octavia [Brown] came right up to my car and knocked on the window.” And that’s how Sheila Tweedie, Trustee Emeritus, started her 50-year relationship with Mane Stream. It was 1972 and Sheila’s son needed volunteer hours for high school. He had grown up riding horses and when he heard about Octavia’s fledgling program he thought it might be fun.

Sheila smiled and then chuckled as she recently retold the story of how she came to Mane Stream (previously named Somerset Hills Handicapped Riders Club). “Craig had told Octavia that I was a pediatric nurse and an equestrian and she needed help so I was drafted to be a substitute sidewalker. The next week Octavia sent my son out to ask for help again.”   With another chuckle, Sheila continued, “When winter came and lessons ended until spring, Octavia told us (Sandy Dota, Judy Marpet, and Natalie Gallagher) that we needed to become official instructors before riding lessons started back up in the spring. So we spent the next 8 weeks at Octavia’s kitchen table learning all the NARHA [predecessor to PATH Intl.]  materials.”

We asked Sheila about her favorite early memories of Mane Stream and she immediately spoke about the one-week summer program that SHHRC offered at the Hunterdon Developmental Center near Clinton, NJ. Her ever-present smile this time was accompanied by a little shake of her head, “Each summer we would trailer over 2 horses (one named Fast Eddie, there’s at least a handful of stories about this big guy) and we would give 20-minute rides for 3 hours, RIGHT ALONG Route 78!! There was a groundhog den underneath the mounting area, which also made things interesting. The whole setup was rustic but extremely rewarding! We were told by the caregivers and nurses that the residents were more aware and brighter in spirit after these short rides. And these benefits lasted for more than just the day. After providing this summer service for five years the school was finally able to arrange transportation for their residents to attend weekly lessons at the SHHRC facility.”

Sheila remained an important part of Mane Stream’s growth over the years. A long-time instructor, she joined the Board of Directors in 1998 and over the years she held every officer position including President. She remained an active Board member until 2014 and now serves as Trustee Emeritus. In addition to giving generously of her time, Sheila and her husband John, also supported Mane Stream through their generous donations over the years, helping to literally build the organization into what it is today. Sheila co-chaired many fundraising events over the years, helping to raise much-needed funds and spread the word about Mane Stream’s programs.

In 1994, having outgrown its space, Mane Stream purchased our current home, a 12-acre farm in Oldwick. Sheila was part of the capital campaign to fund the new facility as well as a key part of the crew who helped to bring it to life. She, along with many other staff and Board members, picked up paintbrushes and hammers to help create the facility. As she says, it was a labor of love knowing that at the new farm the organization would be able to serve more participants. 

While Sheila was sharing her talents at Mane Stream, she has also been active in the Far Hills town government. She is a long time member of the Far Hills Town Council, and currently serves on both the Planning Board and the Board of Health. In addition, she is a Past President of HRH of NJ (Health and Recreation through Horses of New Jersey) and the current Secretary and one of the founders of the National Fjord Horse Rescue Network. Sheila fell in love with Fjords through her work at Mane Stream and in addition to the Rescue Network, she breeds Fjords at her farm in Far Hills. 

Proving that you never know where you will be when your passion finds you, Sheila has been instrumental in shaping Mane Stream from the very beginning. Her strong belief in our mission, to improve quality of life for children and adults with special needs, has guided her work with Mane Stream for fifty years and we are very lucky that she agreed to help when asked all those years ago.