JACOB'S FUND - Tony update

Tony riding "Joe"

Many of you may remember Tony from our post back in December 2009. For those of you who haven't heard of him, he is a sweet eighteen-year-old with Autism that we have supported through therapeutic riding at McKenna Farms. Tony’s life situation has been precarious over the past year as he watched his mother's health deteriorate due to esophageal cancer. Regrettably, we learned that Tony’s mom died in August, just a week before he participated in the Equestrian Program of the Special Olympics.

Thankfully, Tony is in good hands: the hands of his father who he lives with and loves him; the hands of his aunt who helps out; the hands of his aide who drives him to his therapy appointments, one of the only constant things in his life; and, of course, the horse handlers and therapists at McKenna Farms.

Unfortunately, this critical therapy is at risk since the family's financial resources were drained during his mother's treatment. Helping Tony continue his riding is an urgent need that has been placed on our hearts. For about $3,000, we can fund his therapeutic riding for a year. A regular riding schedule is important for his growth and his ability to cope with autism and the stress of losing his mother.

Please consider supporting this young man in our effort to provide this much-needed piece of stability in his life. If you are interested in supporting Tony, checks can be made out to The Red Thread Promise and sent to the address on the upper right of the blog. A PayPal option is also available in the sidebar on the right. Please be sure to mark your contribution with "Tony" in the memo line.

A little about the farm

McKenna Farms began in 2001 with ten kids, one therapist, and two horses. In nine years, it has grown to serve 200 kids, with nine therapists and ten horses. There is a growing interest in this treatment because hippotherapy gives amazing results. For more information about hippotherapy and therapeutic riding, visit the AHA website.