By Priscilla Lightsey | Founder
Greetings HOPE Supporters,
Exciting news to share - HOPE was invited to have a presence at the 13th Longines Equestrian Beijing Masters held in mid-October at the Bird’s Nest, also known as the National Stadium, and is considered a legendary venue. Top international equestrians are invited to compete against elite Chinese riders in an FEI show (Fédération Équestre International). FEI is the governing body for equestrian competitions and this was a BIG honor for HOPE.
Despite a rainstorm the day the competition was scheduled to start and HOPE’s area was to be set up, the team persevered. HOPE was given a space within the stadium to set up a pen for a pony and a booth for artwork to be sold. A primary goal of the event was to introduce equine-assisted services (EAS) and HOPE specifically to a new audience.
A long-time participant at HOPE, who is now a young man, was asked to sing during the event. He arrived in his wheelchair in English riding attire, including his tall boots. He looked very handsome as he and his teacher took the stage and sang together. Overall, the event was a great success. HOPE was able to raise awareness of the benefits of EAS and share about our organization in particular.
Another highlight is that HOPE gained six new participants this fall! And, we began serving another school for adults with special needs who are enrolled in our Pre-vocational Skills Program. Lucia Zhou, our gifted Program Director (and so much more!) has returned from maternity leave. We are so glad to have her back and continue to serve the community by offering a variety of programs.
In closing, the team and I want to say a sincere “thank you” to our dear HOPE supporters. Without you HOPE could not be providing EAS to folks in need, nor could we take care of our small but wonderful herd of horses. We deeply appreciate your donations.
Sincerely,
Priscilla
Priscilla, Amy, and the HOPE team in Beijing
*Individuals whose names appear above have provided consent to be in this report.
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