Seaside Church donates to Sussex Consortium equine therapy
Seaside Church in Lewes recently donated $1,500 to the Sussex Consortium for its therapeutic horseback riding program that takes place at Southern Delaware Therapeutic Riding in Milton.
“Our high school-aged students are given the opportunity to ride horses at Southern Delaware Therapeutic with permission from their parents/guardians,” said Pam Graves, vocational coordinator at the Sussex Consortium. “Prior to COVID-19 in the 2019-20 school year, we had 23 students who participated, with two students going twice a week on a rotating schedule. Because of COVID, we have not been able to go to the farm this year, but I know our students are really looking forward to going back.”
Seaside Pastor Charlie Arnold presented the donation to Dr. Vivian Bush, Sussex Consortium principal.
“The money we used to sponsor the riding program came from a Strengthening Church Grant,” said Arnold. “It is a grant provided by the Southern Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware.”
Initially, the application of the grant was to provide a class for parents to learn how to use a picture notebook, a communication tool often used among teachers, students and their peers. “Teachers had conveyed to us that the parents needed help so students would learn to use the picture book consistently both at school and at home,” said Arnold. “Delaware Autism received the materials needed in order to hold the class for parents, and after the class was over, there were funds still available. Seaside voted unanimously to use the remainder of our grant to assist the special needs community by sponsoring the riding program for students at the Sussex Consortium. We believe this program truly meets the students' needs on many levels such as building confidence, learning responsibility and fostering the concept of unconditional love.”
“It is because of generous donations from community organizations like Seaside Church that we’re able to provide opportunities to students like the one with the therapeutic riding program,” said Graves. “We are so grateful for their desire and willingness to help our students, and we are looking forward to getting the students back on the farm.”
