October 2023: Bonnie Sturgeon & Emily Abernathy
Bonnie Sturgeon & Emily Abernathy
This month Stride Ahead has chosen two Volunteers of the Month, Emily Abernathy and Bonnie Sturgeon. These two amazing volunteers make a very strong team and really enjoy working together. In fact, it was their request to share the spotlight this month. Both learned about Stride Ahead and wanted to volunteer before the pandemic struck, and they had to patiently wait until we opened again in 2021. Emily started volunteering in December of 2021 and Bonnie started volunteering early in 2022.
Bonnie and Emily found Stride Ahead in different ways.
When Bonnie was a teenager she owned a horse and spent all her spare time at the barn. When her family moved out of state she had to sell her horse but through the years she was able to ride off and on. Before the pandemic Bonnie was working with a dog trainer when the conversation turned to horses. The trainer knew about Stride Ahead and suggested Bonnie give it a try as a good way to be around horses used in therapy, and Bonnie realized it would be a perfect fit.
Emily started riding lessons when she was around 10 years old and continued volunteering at her riding stable until she was about 15. She had a horse in college and is self-professed “horse crazy.” Just before the pandemic she saw a Stride Ahead bumper sticker on a car in front of her on the way to work. She Googled us and was happy to discover we were close to where she lives. She was also attracted to Stride Ahead because she has a niece in Minnesota who has benefitted from therapeutic riding lessons.
Both Bonnie and Emily shared special experiences with us as Stride Ahead volunteers.
Emily recalls a new rider who wouldn’t utter a word the first few lessons and is now proudly calling out “Walk on!” and “Whoa!” It’s wonderful to see them gain confidence after being around the horses. She also says it’s very heartwarming to watch the horses lower their heads to greet riders who are very small or wheelchair bound, and watching the rider lean into the horse, wrap their arms around its neck and give them a hug. Both agree it’s also rewarding to watch riders take pride in learning to groom and tack their horses.
For Bonnie, the best part of volunteering is being around the horses, working with different riders and just being able to come to the barn. At Stride Ahead Bonnie works with therapeutic riding lessons, health checks and is a rainy day walker. She values friends she’s found within Stride Ahead, considers Stride Ahead family and appreciates being valued as a volunteer.
Bonnie also recently contributed to the recent ceremony honoring some of our dearly departed horses, Brubeck, Zan and Jake. Stride Ahead’s recent loss of Sweet Jake has been hard on the Stride Ahead family, and Bonnie graciously accepted a request to speak at the ceremony, giving a lovely tribute to that special horse.
Emily feels the best part of volunteering at Stride Ahead is getting to know and interact with the horses and helping with lessons. In addition to that work, she also does other needed duties such as rainy day walking, being the farrier’s helper, health checks and giving medication to some of the horses. When she’s not at the barn she’s at home working on her garden in addition to outdoor activities such as hiking, biking and birdwatching.
When looking at Stride Ahead’s impact on the community both Bonnie and Emily feel that in addition to helping serve our mission, working with Stride Ahead gives volunteers an opportunity to be around large animals which is something relatively few are able to do. It’s a unique experience for people to learn about the care and needs of our beautiful horses under the guidance of our wonderful instructors, Pam and Abbey.
Stride Ahead is so happy to have two such wonderful volunteers!
Thank you, Bonnie & Emily!
If you would like to make a donation in honor of Bonnie, Emily, and all of our wonderful volunteers who make Stride happen, thank you.
