If you have some time to spare this Saturday, strike out for St. Charles Bowl to support HorsePower Therapeutic Riding in Maple Park at their 7th Annual Bowling Fundraiser.
HorsePower provides horseback riding lessons as an adaptive recreational activity for kids and adults with both physical and emotional disabilities. Although they are located in Kane County at Fox Chase Farms in Maple Park, they serve many families from throughout DeKalb County, including DeKalb, Cortland and Sycamore.
Since ancient times, horse riding has been used as a form of both physical and emotional therapy. Horseback riding can serve as physical therapy as it strengthens your core and limbs, and the movements of the horse are similar to how a person walks. It can also be therapeutic emotionally as you connect non-verbally with the animal and learn patience, perseverance and respect.
HorsePower Therapeutic Riding was founded in 2012 by Maple Park resident, Carrie Capes, and Justin Yahnig. They now have four riding instructors and over 100 volunteers. Capes has a degree in recreational therapy and worked in her field for a number of years, including at Ben Gordon Center in DeKalb. Her son, Max, was born with a genetic disorder, which caused him to have hearing and cognitive impairment, as well as developmental delays. Max started riding horses when he was eight years old, and Capes became a PATH certified instructor so she could help him.
“I think for Max. the most important thing was empowerment and believing in himself that he could do it,” said Capes. “All people need to learn those things, but especially people with disabilities. They really can benefit from the assertiveness, the communicational aspect—those things that go into riding a horse, because it’s not easy. Riding is a difficult skill to learn.”
HorsePower currently works with 55 regular students a week and they also do programs with organizations that help people recovering from substance abuse, women who have been rescued from trafficking, and military veterans who are having a difficult time transitioning back into civilian life because of PTSD, suicidal ideation, or depression.
The bowling fundraiser on Saturday will help fund the organization and provide scholarships for families with financial need. Currently, about half of their students are funded through scholarship money. Therapeutic riding is not covered by insurance providers.
The fundraiser will take place at St. Charles Bowl, 2520 W Main St, beginning at 11:00 a.m. Bowling sign-in begins at 11:30. You can choose to bowl between two time slots: Noon – 2 p.m. or 3 -5 p.m. The student trophy ceremony is at 2 p.m.
Throughout the event there will be Cupcake Sales, Silent Auctions, Bucket Raffle, Wine Grab Table, Face Painting Table and 50/50 Raffle Sales. Please note this is a registration event. They welcome you to attend even if you don’t choose to bowl, but to do so you will need to purchase a “Non-Bowler” ticket.
For any questions or additional information please contact Carrie Capes at (815) 508-0804.
** Please Note Children 3 and Under are Free**
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