Caption: Kitty Stalsburg (center, at podium), Executive Director of High Hopes Therapeutic Riding, Inc., accepts the 2017 Military Community Support Award. High Hopes was selected because of its robust equine therapy programs for veterans and for families of veterans.
Photo Credit: Eastern CT Chamber of Commerce
The Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut Military Community Support Award is presented to an organization “that has gone above and beyond to show support for our local men and women in uniform.”
With the support of The Bingham Trust and the Thompson Family Foundation, High Hopes provides a number of complimentary programs for veterans including the Equus Effect and Horses Love VetKids; a program for the children of Service Families. Over the past year, High Hopes has provided five programs that empower participants with strategies to change self-limited feelings and behaviors born of their time in the services. During this coming year, High Hopes will be providing seven programs to over 50 veterans and we now offer an education program for other organizations wishing to deliver the Equus Effect. Within a national context of over 22 veteran suicides each day, this will help to ensure that such a valuable program is available through many more therapeutic riding and veterans’ centers.
Nominations for the 2017 Military Community Support Award were reviewed by the Chamber’s Military Affairs Council and High Hopes was honored at the Eastern CT Chamber of Commerce 8th Annual Military Appreciation Breakfast on October 27, 2017. Past honorees have included: Mohegan Sun, GEICO, Foxwoods Resort Casino, Mike’s Famous Harley Davidson, Navy Federal Credit Union, Fields of Fire, Country Glen Apartments, Black Hawk Fishing, MJ Sullivan, Harp and Dragon.