Warwick Advertiser Published May 30, 2019

Liano Ho is a junior at Northern Highlands Regional High School in Allendale, New Jersey.

She also volunteers every weekend at Winslow Therapeutic Riding Center in Warwick.

Winslow, an agency of the CLC Foundation, is a non-profit organization accredited by the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International, devoted to the special needs population of the Hudson Valley and surrounding area in northern New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut.

And its well-trained staff and volunteers like Liano Ho have been offering a unique and often life-changing horseback riding experience to children and adults in the community since 1974.

‘Spirit’

When Ho was only three years old she developed a love of horses. And a year later when her father gave her a Breyer model horse, Spirit, she began collecting the hand-crafted sculptures known throughout the world for their authenticity, quality and realism.

Breyer Animal Creations is a division of Reeves International and each year the company answers a limited number of requests for donations of its products to charitable causes.

‘Winslow is a sanctuary for disabled and special needs individuals’

With this in mind, Ho not only submitted a well-written proposal to Tony Fleischmann, the company president, for a donation to Winslow Therapeutic Riding Center but she included a nine-page presentation about the center and its mission including a list of the fund-raising events where the Breyer models would contribute to the success of the event.

“To me,” Ho wrote, “Winslow is a sanctuary for disabled and special needs individuals. I found Winslow through their youth leadership program two summers ago and I fell in love with the idea of being able to work with horses while helping people.”

That request was met by an email from a company representative who praised Ho for her impressive proposal and said that the models were on their way.

Winslow Therapeutic Riding Center is always in need for volunteers like Ho.

Essentials

There are more than 250 individuals each week who come to Warwick to experience Healing with Horses.

“Some lessons require three people to assist one rider,” said Volunteer Coordinator and instructor Eileen Deehan. “We have an assortment of opportunities for volunteers, special projects, special events etc. Call and join the magic.”

For additional information call 845-986-6686 or email eileen@winslow.org.

Photo and story- Roger Gavan