Sunday Lifestyles

Healing with Horses: Commitment of volunteer keeps Stride rolling

"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." — Philippians 4:8

Whatever your beliefs, focusing on these things can help set our minds--and even our bodies--into a healing mode.

Running a nonprofit is wrought with hardships. There have been so many times when I would simply take a deep breath, say a prayer, and wait to see what tomorrow would bring. There were many times when I wanted to close the doors and walk away.

Something as complex as Centaur Stride is not a task you can do alone--or even with just a few people. It takes divine providence.

If people with disabilities have to push through each day despite so many challenges, who am I to give up?

Except there was one problem: there is almost as much work involved in closing the doors as there is in keeping them open- a built-in back-up system to keep going!

The horses would still need to be fed and cared for until good homes could be found. And who would take the older horses? Our horses deserve a guaranteed retirement after working so hard for so long. We never stop loving them, and moving a horse is stressful, especially as they get older. So, closing the doors can never be an option.

Recently, I attended a consortium of nonprofits at the Community Foundation of Greater Buffalo to network and learn about starting a new program at our center involving equine team sports, integrated, competitive, and inclusive. I'll share more about that in another article. At the workshop, it was obvious that many of the challenges facing nonprofits are the same.

— Funding deficits: Grants are highly competitive and rarely cover administrative or staff wages, or operating expenses.

— Volunteer recruitment and training: Most nonprofits cannot operate without volunteers. Staff need to train them. If a volunteer doesn't stay, the time and resources spent yield a poor return on investment.

— Staff burnout: When funding is limited or sporadic, staff members must take on additional responsibilities and hours--often hours they simply don't have to give. Most nonprofit staff and volunteers have other jobs, families, and responsibilities because the nonprofit alone cannot provide enough income to live on.

How do you continue to love what you do and give it everything you have, day after day, in spite of all the stress? Divine providence and community support light the way.

We are fortunate to live in Chautauqua County, where the beauty, generosity, and collaboration of people who genuinely care is readily apparent.

Several years ago, I joined the growing group of seniors with health problems who are unable to do the things they once could do. I was at an all-time low spiritually as well. Life is very different when you lose your health.

Centaur Stride needed someone who could take over most of my responsibilities, without pay. We had never had a paid administrator, although we tried a couple of times. It simply wasn't sustainable.

After many deep breaths, prayers, and attempts to find a solution, in walked Holly Reslink, Doctor of Physical Therapy, a seasoned equestrian with horses of her own--and living only 10 miles away. Talk about a miracle!

For the past two and a half years, Holly has taken over many of my responsibilities. And she has done it as an unpaid administrator.

Like all of our staff, Holly loves what we do. She is committed to doing her best to keep Centaur Stride going, growing, and reaching more people. Her knowledge, dedication, equestrian experience, organizational skills, and willingness to simply step in and do what needs to be done have been an extraordinary gift.

Life is an adventure, and Holly's life is taking her elsewhere for a while. She will continue to do all that she can, remotely--which is still a lot--but we will deeply miss her presence at the barn.

And now, once again, we need a little divine providence. Centaur Stride is looking for a Program Director.

This is not simply a job. It is an opportunity to become an important part of something that changes lives. The position requires someone who can be present at the barn, has strong organizational skills, and can work as part of a team. Most importantly, we need someone who will blend with our incredible work culture and share our love for what we do.

If you or someone you know might be the right person for this role, please visit www.centaurstride.org and click on the three dots for career opportunities and the job description. You can also visit linktr.ee/centaurstride.

Centaur Stride depends on our community for donations, fundraiser support, volunteers, and participation in the many wonderful programs we offer using horses and nature to support wellness of mind and body.

Thank you for believing in what we do, supporting our horses, our participants, our volunteers, and our mission.

There is plenty of hardship in the world, but there is also so much good.

And sometimes, that good arrives in the form of a person named Holly, a community willing to help, and a door that simply cannot be closed.

Claudia Monroe is president and founder of Centaur Stride.