Say Hello to Our New Staff

This month we would like to introduce three more NEW team members. You may have seen them in the office, around the farm, or teaching lessons. One is Buzz’s original owner, another comes to us from Centenary University and TRAC, and the third is our new Barn Manager! We hope you’ll take a few minutes to read their staff profiles and then introduce yourself the next time you see them.

Renae Flanagan

Renae recently joined the team as our part-time Volunteer Assistant. In addition to being in the office every Monday, she also helps the Volunteer Coordinator with hands-on training sessions and additional volunteer-related activities. Renae comes to us with years of varied experience after having managed a Manhattan dental office and coordinated fundraising events for her son’s Montessori school. She started riding horses as an adult and purchased BUZZ as a 5-year-old. They both trained together eventually showing in the Adult Hunters. When it was time for BUZZ to slow down, Renae donated him to Mane Stream in 2016.

In her spare time, Renae has a small business baking decorative cakes and rides her horse, Irish. She and her daughter enjoy riding together so much that they recently joined Pony Club and Renae has since accepted the position of Vice Regional Supervisor for the NJ Pony Club.

angela D'Alessandro,
riding instructor & barn assistant

New to Mane Stream in 2023, Angela is now one of our weekend instructors as well as barn assistant picking up extra shifts as needed. Angela is a recent graduate with an Associate of Science in Equine Studies from Centenary University. During her time at Centenary, she was a work-study student making sure the large herd of horses was happy and healthy all year long. Angela was also an exercise rider for TRAC (Therapeutic Riding at Centenary) and then became a volunteer for the program which she really enjoyed!

As a little girl, Angela always wanted to be a cowgirl when she grew up and she took the chance in high school to follow her dreams. She has worked in show barns and worked horse shows since she was 16. During the summer breaks, she ran summer camp where her love for teaching really blossomed. Having ridden mainly in hunters (2’), equitation (2’), and dressage, she also loves to ride western and practice natural horsemanship in her free time when she has the chance, but usually, she reads, goes offroading in her jeep, plays chess, and spoils her dog.

aLEX wILLARD, bARN mANAGER

Our most recent addition to the team is Alex Willard whose main job is to make sure the herd is happy, healthy, and looking good all year long. She has spent her entire life around horses learning from some of the best in the industry and takes pride in giving exceptional horse care. In 2019, she participated in the USHJA Emerging Athletes Program where she was selected as a Barn Management Alternate for the National Finals. Alex rode competitively as a junior rider, a Coastal Carolina College IHSA athlete, and soon after as a professional rider. She loves teaching in the barn and in the ring where she can share her love and passion for the animal and the sport. Alex also has professional social media experience so look out for fun shots of the herd enjoying their downtime!

No More AmazonSmile, Now What?

On February 20th the AmazonSmile program abruptly ended.

Since 2013, Mane Stream has had an ever-growing group of people “Shopping for Good”. That means they designated Mane Stream as their charity of choice so that 0.5% of eligible Amazon purchases would be donated to our mission. THANK YOU!

What do we do now?
How can Mane Stream make up thousands of dollars in income? There is one way for donors to set it and forget it - just like AmazonSmile. Become a recurring donor! We call these generous people PARTNERS IN POSSIBILITIES. Each person has committed to donating a small amount each month, and just like AmazonSmile, small amounts do add up and can really make a difference.

Join Partners in Possibilities!


Helmet Recall - CHECK YOURS!

DO YOU HAVE THIS HELMET?

This recall involves Ovation Protégé model equestrian helmets manufactured from December 2020 through December 2022 and sold in multiple colors and finishes. The Ovation Protégé is an equestrian helmet that is certified by the Safety Equipment Institute (SEI) to the ASTM F1163-15 standard. An SEI certification label, which includes the model name and date of manufacture, is located inside the helmets.  “OV” is printed on the front of the helmets.

EASY REMEDY:

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled Ovation Protégé helmets and return them to the retailer they purchased from or to any Ovation authorized dealer for a FREE REPLACEMENT Ovation Deluxe Schooler helmet or contact English Riding Supply for a $60 refund.

The replacement helmet or refund will be provided upon return of the recalled helmet OR proof of destruction of the recalled helmet. (Consumers are not required to return the physical helmet to English Riding Supply.)

To destroy recalled helmets, consumers should cut off the harness straps. Consumers should email a photo of the cut harness and a photo of the interior manufacturing label, clearly showing the manufacturing date and serial number, to helmets@englishridingsupply.com. The manufacturing label is located on the interior foam liner underneath the comfort liner, so consumers will need to remove the comfort liner to access the manufacturing label.

Camp Registration Opens 2/1 @ 10AM

This is your reminder!

Everything is ready and we’re excited to open up registration at 10AM on Wednesday, Feb. 1st. Set a reminder so you will be assured to get the weeks you want. This year in addition to 2 Advanced Weeks we have also created an Adult Week!

Summer Camp Specifics
All daily lessons and activities are specifically designed for children with developmental, physical or emotional challenges, AND for typically developing children. No experience with horses is necessary to enjoy our summer camp fully. Over the 10-week-long sessions, our Summer Camp offers children 4 years and older an excellent introduction to horses and riding in a safe and nurturing environment. We promote independence, self-confidence, team building, and socialization. 

We can accommodate a maximum of 6-8 campers per week. Camp operates Monday-Friday beginning in June and finishing in late August. The day starts at 8:30AM and ends at 12:30PM. No lunch - snack only. The week of July 4th will be a 3-day week.

Welcome to the Team!

During the last quarter of 2022 Mane Stream was excited to add three wonderful new team members! You may have seen them around the farm, in the office, and teaching lessons. Two are Mane Stream volunteers that have converted over, and the other came with a long list of impressive local references. We hope you’ll take a few minutes to read their staff profiles and then introduce yourself the next time you see them.


Elkie Phillips,
Riding Instructor

Elke started volunteering at Mane Stream as a leader in January 2022. She was enjoying herself so much that she jumped at the chance to compete in the volunteer class at the Fall Horse Show. And that’s when she showed interest in joining our team of riding instructors.

Elke has many years of horsemanship experience including horse ownership, working as a groom and working student, horseback riding camp counselor, and beginning rider instructor. Bringing the joy of horses to others in a safe manner is her priority. 

Outside of the horse world, Elke has 16 years of corporate marketing experience under her belt. Elke has supported well-known consumer brands in a marketing or advertising function with much success but has always felt more at home in a barn than a boardroom. Working in marketing has helped her develop a clear, concise communication style when working with others, and she loves a good metaphor to get a point across.

Elke lives in Morristown and enjoys riding at a hunter/jumper barn, playing golf with her husband, and wrangling her Labrador puppy and 5 year-old son for outdoor adventures.

Jennifer smith

Jennifer Smith joined Mane Stream as a volunteer during the summer of 2019. She was excited to find a great organization right down the road from her home, where she could combine her love of horses with her past experience as a Special Education Paraprofessional. Jennifer started off assisting Holland Kochanski as a morning barn volunteer, in addition to helping with Adaptive and Therapy lessons. Most recently, she joined the Mane Stream Staff as the Development and Communications Assistant and is excited to be part of such a great team of volunteers and staff.

Jennifer has 2 grown daughters who live in Boston and she enjoys spending time traveling with her husband Steve.

Jaime Katz,
Barn Assistant

Jaime spends her weekends caring for the Mane Stream herd, ensuring they are fed and happy.  This hard worker also has a flexible schedule which is a huge benefit to Mane Stream, allowing Jamie the ability to jump in and cover additional shifts as needed.

Jamie has always known she's wanted to work with horses since she started riding at a young age. She now attends Centenary University where she is pursuing a degree in Equine Science and is a member of the IHSA team. In her free time, you can either find her at the barn teaching tricks to her horse or at home playing with her cats. 

It's Time to Vote...for Hunterdon Happenings!

We’ve been NOMINATED FOR BEST "CHARITY" in Hunterdon county

And we thank you!

Last year we were a finalist for BEST CHARITY so this year we hope there are a few more people who think Mane Stream is the Best.

Now, all we need is your vote to win!

Hunterdon Happenings: Everything Hunterdon Section

Mane Stream is listed as a "CHARITY" under the "Everything Hunterdon" section. Everyone can get behind our mission to help children and adults with special needs! But did you know that Mane Stream is the 2nd oldest facility of its kind in the nation? That means we’ve been providing quality services to thousands of people over the years.

Get your fingers ready to cast your vote. Only 1 vote per email so it's easy! VOTE for BEST CHARITY

'Twas the Holiday Party and…

‘Twas the holiday party, and all through the barn,
the horses were waiting for treats that they yearned.

Their stockings were hung by their stalls with care,
in hopes that their friends soon would be there.

The staff was a bustle preparing some food,
and everyone seemed in a holiday mood

Soon guests arrived with grins ear to ear,
excited to see the whole herd was now here.

One by one they came by all smiling happily,
participants, friends, instructors, and families.

There were treats for the herd and people abound,
though Dorito left many of his on the ground.

Judge and Tux watched the door and greeted each person,
accepting all treats without any coercion.

Minnie and Tink many peppermints ate,
and had the staff worried their stomachs would ache.

Peanut was smiling, Buzz was so lively,
while Cody ate all of his treats so politely.

Bubbles and Mickey gobbled treats with delight,
and all would agree it was such a fun night

There were presents for horses and pictures were taken,
fun had by all, the holiday spirit awakened.

And as everyone drove off in the cold winters night,
we wished all a Happy Holiday and to all a good night!

by Jennifer Smith, Development & Communications Assistant

New Year Changes

Jen Dermody, Director of Program Services

We are excited to announce that Jen Dermody has been promoted to Director of Program Services. Jen’s responsibilities will now include the administrative/scheduling portion of our therapy services program as well as continuing to manage the adaptive riding and field trip programs.

You’ll still see Melanie Dominko-Richards around the farm though. She will continue to treat clients at Mane Stream in a part-time capacity as she has taken a full-time position with local nonprofit, Our House.

More About Jen Dermody:

Jen has been with Mane Stream for 13 years and her responsibilities have grown with the organization. In addition to her new role in the therapy services program she will retain her responsibilities as the equine manager and event coordinator. As equine manager, she is responsible for finding and assessing potential new members of our herd. Not an easy job in this economy! We are always on the lookout for horses and ponies who would be a good fit with our programs so send Jen an email if you know of any.

Jen is a PATH Intl. Advanced Certified Registered Instructor and specializes in teaching our more advanced riders. She strives to get the most out of her riders while developing their skills. Utilizing what she has learned from her own extensive riding experiences, she helps her riders reach their goals and become as independent as possible.  

In 2015, Jen became the event coordinator for Mane Stream. She quickly discovered she had a passion for planning events. When one event ends she is immediately planning to make the next one a success.

Jen spends her free time riding her own horse, helping friends at shows, and spending time with friends, family, and her two kittens Hall & Oats. She has also had success showing in the Adult Hunters, Adult Equitation, and Amateur Owner Hunters.