sire crier
DESCRIPTION
Fall 2008 issue of SIRE CrierTRANSCRIPT
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
2 Ike Deals a Big Blow to SIRE
5 Meet Wyatt
6 Why NARHA Accreditation
7 Serving SIRE
8 Ride-A-Thon
9 SIRE Fort Bend
10 Donor Thank You
SURVIVINGIKE
Greater Houston’s largest NARHA premium accredited center providing equine-assisted therapy to children and adults with disabilities Fall 2008
SIRE, Inc. is a non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization
s predicted by local forecasters,
Hurricane Ike blew in during the
predawn hours of Saturday,
September 13th. And like so many
individuals living on the Gulf Coast, SIRE
too has its own Ike story. It is one of
courage, determination, and generosity. But
before we get to that, let me reassure you
that all the SIRE horses, at each of our sites,
weathered the storm without injury and are
doing well.
IKE REVEALS UNYIELDING COURAGE
It was some time after midnight when the
winds began to howl and the ominous
sounds of splintering wood echoed through
the dark night. Several large oak trees
standing sentry by the front gate of SIRE
Hockley now lay across the driveway. Then
somewhere around two a.m., a strong gust
lifted the tin roof off the barn, causing it to
flap in the wind like a weathered flag. As the
deafening sound of shattered metal blared
ever louder with each forceful gust of air,
Jim Brewer, our Hockley facility manager,
his wife Peggy, and daughter Tori grew
increasingly concerned for the horses. This
apprehension urged the Brewer family from
the safety of their SIRE home, through the
high winds and heavy rains, and into the
barn. Jim said, “I believe it was the horses’
natural herd instinct that helped to keep
them calm during the crest of the deafening
noise. And I’d like to think that maybe our
being there may have helped just a little.”
For five hours through the height of the
storm as the roof damage continued to
worsen, the Brewer family remained in the
barn to monitor and calm the horses.
Finally, dawn broke, offering just enough
light for Jim to inspect the damage: the
middle section of the barn roof was gone
Ike Deals aBig Blow to SIRE
A
leaving three rows of stalls open to the sky
and elements. Working as a team in the
wind and rain, the trio carefully led the
horses out of the battered barn and into the
safety of the far pastures. Trees and fences
were down; the front gate and several
majestic oaks lining the drive were gone as
well as the SIRE sign.
SIRE Hockley was without electrical
power for three days, and during those long
days the weary Brewer family continued
their heedful watch and unrelenting care of
the horses. No electricity means no water;
an electric pump sends water from the water
well to the faucets, and, in addition, the
generator was damaged. The horses were at
risk for dehydration and colic, and
dedicated personnel took action in the rain
to haul buckets of water.
In humble response to the outpouring
of praise and gratitude for his family’s
courage, Jim responded, “We are not heroes.
We did what anyone would have done in
the same situation.” SIRE gives a big “thank
you” to the Brewer family for their
overwhelming dedication.
GENEROSITIES MUCH APPRECIATED
As the storm continued to rage during the
early hours of Saturday morning, Jim
Brewer’s cell phone rang out. The voice of
his friend, Carl Benge, from Santa Fe Ranch,
could be heard reverberating through the ear
piece. Carl asked if everyone was okay and
if they were in need of help. Jim shared his
concern about the debris-blocked driveway,
and before long Carl came rolling down
Spring Drive in a large tractor and made
While insurance covered the
physical damage at SIRE,
the loss of income of over
$15,000 from cancelled
classes was not covered.
To donate, please send
contributions to SIRE at
24161 Spring Drive,
Hockley, TX or go to our
website www.sire-htec.org
for other ways to support
SIRE (at no cost to you).
Ike Recovery
SUPPORT
quick work removing the trees. Another call
came from the area veterinarian; Dr. Chris
Boutros inquired not only on the safety of
the family, but on the safety and needs of
the horses. By mid-morning on Saturday,
Eddie Martinez had driven over to check on
the Brewers and to help.
SIRE’s main electrical box located on the
damaged barn was a major concern—D & L
Electric Company was on-site before 9 a.m.
Monday morning, checking the lines and
straightening the boxes. The D & L
employee, Chris, then offered his assistance
in any capacity needed.
Karen Gardner and her husband, John,
cleaned out the therapy room which had
sustained water damage when the roof blew
off the barn. A crew of staff and volunteers
focused on clean-up. Molly Sweeney, Joelle
Devlin and Deborah Gottselig helped feed
the horses.
SIRE SPRING & SIRE FORT BEND
During the storm, SIRE Spring’s Daniel
Narvaez and his family kept a watchful eye
over the horses, arena and their home.
Several trees were down, the toy shed lost,
run-in shed damaged, and all the sand in
the arena vanished with the wind.
There was no substantial damage
reported at SIRE Fort Bend. Kudos to Molly
Sweeney for helping to evacuate these
horses and bringing them home again.
PRAISING DEDICATION
Through contributions of time and effort by
staff and volunteers, we have been able to
take those first steps toward recovery from
the Ike storm damage.
We sincerely thank you all for your
heartfelt generosity and unyielding
dedication—hope has been renewed
through the kindness of your spirits.
—Deborah Gottselig
JAN. 7, 2009Volunteer Orientation
JAN. 10, 2009Volunteer Training
FEB. 23-25, 2009Top Hands Horse Show
MAR. 28, 2009Horses &ResearchPresentation
MAY 9, 2009Annual Shindig
MAY 30-31, 2009State SpecialOlympics
June 3, 2009Summer Training
June 6, 2009Volunteer Orientation
Important
DATES
SPONSOR A HORSE
Each winter during the holiday season,we
honor the horses that giveso much joy
and therapeutic healing to the special
riders of SIRE. It is only through
the
generosity of others that we are granted
the funds to care for our amazingfriends.
So, be on the look out for thisvery
special mailing.And please open your
hearts to help these remarkable heroes
continue the miraculous work that they do.
Your support isgreatly apprecia
ted and
will help keep our horses happy and
healthy throughout the year.
4 The SIRE Crier
What do you say when you meet someone for the first
time? You make eye contact, reach your hand out for a
firm handshake, and you say, “Hi, my name is ___.”
Then you wait for the other person to respond. We all
do this on a regular basis without giving it much
thought. Yet, when a person with disabilities enters the
picture, suddenly people do not know what to do.
Confusion settles in, your mind begins to panic, and
you think, “What do I do, what do I say?”
So, the next time you come upon someone who
has a disability, stop. Look at the person in front of you
and appreciate that this is an individual—a real person,
someone who has feelings and emotions just like you.
Then, as you would do with anyone you would meet:
lean in a bit closer, make eye contact, and reach your
hand out and say, “Hi. My name is ___.” Wait patiently
for the response; you will be pleasantly surprised at
what that person may share.
Sometimes the person will not indicate that they
heard you. They may not be able to make eye contact,
or talk back to you, or reach their hand out to you. But
just because their body won’t do what they want it to,
they are glad to hear you. And either way, you have
given the right message: “Welcome. I care, and I am
interested in you.” Believe me, these people and their
families do not experience that often enough. So, go
ahead do the right thing, and offer a simple “hello.”
Just Say “Hi”
The SIRE Crier 5
Meet Wyattyatt Womack is a beautiful three-year-old boy
with Down Syndrome. He came to SIRE as a
very timid and dependent little boy. During
his evaluation he would hardly associate with the therapist,
choosing instead the comfort of his mother’s arms. He could
walk a little, but preferred to be carried. At home, his mom
referred to him as the “King”—any time his wants were not
met, he would plop down on the ground and refuse to move
until he got what he wanted.
Wyatt started riding at SIRE during the fall of 2007. At
first, riding would exhaust him after only 30 minutes. But it
wasn’t too long before he had built up his strength and
endurance to complete the entire 45 minute class. And boy,
has that stamina paid off! Now when Wyatt walks into the
arena, he looks for the horses. His focus, strength, and
participation have all improved immensely.
And the benefits are beginning to show. Since riding at
SIRE, Wyatt has become a different child. He now walks
everywhere he goes, exploring his world with renewed
curiosity. His shy, timid demeanor is disappearing, and he is
becoming aware that people outside his family can be
trustworthy, too. Although Wyatt continues to be strong-
willed, he now abides by his family’s rules of respecting
others and doing more for himself.
What is more exciting is that Wyatt’s story does not stop
with him; SIRE has become a family affair. Both Wyatt’s
mom and dad attend most of their son’s classes—and many
extended family members have come to watch. In fact,
watching Wyatt ride was a special event scheduled into a
family member’s wedding weekend. One of Wyatt’s uncles
pays the SIRE tuition through his company. And last but not
least, Wyatt’s grandmother was so impressed with the
improvement he experienced that she now volunteers at
SIRE. (We just have to remind her, from time to time, that
Robert is not only “Wyatt’s horse!”)
Wyatt’s family is excitedly sharing their story throughout
the Down Syndrome community in an effort to educate
others about the powerful benefits of SIRE. But to Wyatt,
riding is simply something he looks forward to each week!
—Lee Ruonavaara
W
Why NARHA Accreditation?You will have seen on some of our literature thatSIRE is a NARHA Premier Accredited Center. Weare proud of that, but what does it mean to you?
NARHA is the North American Riding for theHandicapped Association, the nationalorganization for therapeutic horsemanship. Themission of NARHA is to provide nationalstandards for facilities and programs and tocertify instructors and therapists. Being NARHAaccredited is necessary for the public to knowthat our services meet national standards ofquality and safety.
Going through the accreditation process is bothchallenging and rewarding; we spent over a yearin preparation. Each of our locations— Hockley,Fort Bend and Spring—had their own site visit byNARHA evaluators to review the organization,program, facility and horse care, and we passed100% as a Premier accredited Center.
Being part of SIRE means being part of a topquality program. SIRE means success!!!—Karen M. Gardner
DevelopmentalDelay11%
Mental Retardation
11%
Autism24%
Cerebral Palsy23%
Down Syndrome4%
Other27%
A
Disabilities Served
Based on 2007 Annual Report
Age 3-54%
Age 6-1763%
Age 18+33%
Ages Served
Based on 2007 Annual Report
By this time next year, SIRE may well be the largest
therapeutic equine-assisted center in the United States.
Or should I say, centers. In the movie, Field of Dreams,
Kevin Costner’s character believed, “If you build it, they
will come.” Here at SIRE, we believe, “If we build it, they
CAN come.”
As our rider capacity grows, so does our need for
unrestricted operating funds; this is even more critical
after Hurricane Ike. SIRE needs your financial support
now more than ever.
In October, I celebrate my fourth year at SIRE, and
all I can say is, “What a ride!” It has changed my life.
With increased ridership comes the need for new
instructors, support staff, volunteers and, of course,
horses. The balance of growth, fund-raising and donor
cultivation continues to be my goal as SIRE’s executive
director.
—Jimm Williams
Molly the Miracle Ponyprovided inspiration at arecent visit to SIRE. Theplucky pony survivedHurricane Katrina, survivedabandonment, and surviveda horrible injury thatresulted in amputation andan artificial limb—now sheis giving hope to others.
The dream of a new arenaat SIRE Spring wasrealized by grants fromthe Humana Foundation &the O’Neill Foundation,increasing our capacity forriders from 51 to 150.
Roger Kopp proudly shows hisaward at the Special Olympics.36 SIRE riders participated atRegional Special Olympics, andeight riders exhibited at State.
Momentum
6 The SIRE Crier
The SIRE Crier 7
Serving SIRE Through the Boardo… what exactly does it mean to
serve on the SIRE Board? The
process begins with a candidate’s
recommendation to the board of director’s
Board Resource Committee for the vetting
process which involves an application,
background check, and face-to-face
interview with the committee. The
committee makes a recommendation for
consideration to the full board. Then the
prospective director
attends a board
meeting for a final
interview and approval.
The interview process
is the easy part, now
begins a two-year
commitment to SIRE.
The “official” role of the
board is to serve and
advise SIRE so that it,
in turn, can best serve
its clients and the
greater Houston
community. While
preparing for and
attending our bi-
monthly board
meetings is a very visible aspect, some of the
other less obvious roles include participating
on board committees and hosting a Round-
up at home or chosen venue for recruiting
friends, family and business associates to
hear the SIRE story. Also, a very important
responsibility is assisting in our major
fundraising events such as client
sponsorship at Ride-A-Thon, or hosting a
table at Shindig and/or our Trailblazer
Luncheon.
To focus directors’ talents on specific issues,
the board has both standing and ad-hoc
subcommittees. Standing committees such
as audit, finance, board resource,
development, and executive have ongoing
responsibilities and their work continues
uninterrupted year to year. Ad-hoc
committees, created for a particular
need, tend to be time specific until a
project or task is completed. These
include Shindig, Ride-A-
Thon, and Trailblazer
Luncheon; the Spring
expansion; and our
strategic planning initiatives
such as Medical Research,
Training and Education,
and Best Practices.
Our current board consists
of homemakers, executives,
consultants, retired college
professors and engineers,
business owners, non-profit
executive directors,
attorneys, CPAs, and some
who are just committed to
seeing SIRE’s mission
realized. We are in need of
directors that have experience in accounting,
real estate, IT - computer software and
systems, insurance, as well as marketing and
sales. If you have or you know someone that
has these skill sets, please let us know. I can
tell you from personal experience, you will
find the entire process extremely
rewarding—knowing you have played a
significant role in helping SIRE reach its full
potential and ensuring our future success.
—Richard ‘Whitey’ White
IT’S MORE THAN A TOUR!Learn about SIRE byjoining us for one hour
HOCKLEY - 10amSaturday, Jan 17, 2009Saturday, Feb 21, 2009Saturday, Apr 4, 2009Saturday, May 16, 2009Saturday, July 18, 2009Saturday, Oct 3, 2009Saturday, Nov 14, 2009
SPRING - 10amSaturday, Jan 31, 2009Saturday, Mar 7, 2009Saturday, Apr 18, 2009Saturday, June 13, 2009Saturday, Sept 12, 2009Saturday, Oct 17, 2009Saturday, Dec 5, 2009
FORT BEND - 10amSaturday, Feb 7, 2009Saturday, Mar 28, 2009Saturday, May 2, 2009Saturday, June 27, 2009Saturday, Sept 19, 2009Saturday, Nov 7, 2009
Round
UP
S
SIRE President Whitey Whitewith Nicole Larson at the 2008Saddle Up for SIRE Ride-A-Thon
Erin thinks it is a lot more fun to dotherapy exercises on a horse!
Erica Haase focuses on herreins while out on the Trail
Allison Funk enjoys ridingthe popular SIRE horse Jo
Chloe Creel was the secondtop client fundraisers
The Denmark family, Martin, Milliann &Erin, follow behind the trailriders
Client Nicole Larson rides as Trail Boss, a covetedtitle she earned by raising the most funds
Breaking RecordsThe 16th annual Saddle Up for SIRERide-A-Thon broke records again thisyear! Over $95,000 was raised byclients, trailriders, volunteers andunderwriters. There were 243 riders,including the 15 top fundraisingclients.
Client rider Nicole Larsonearned the title of Trail Boss by
raising $13,425. The second- to sixth-place top client fundraisers were ChloeCreel, Will Trulove, Nathaniel Hunter, Casey Aulenbach, and Allison Funk.Other top fundraisers included the team of Gleannloch Gals, raising $3245;individual Rebecca Cohen with $1200 in donations; and volunteer Julie Mostgarnering $5295 in funds for SIRE. $61,770 was received in Platinum, Gold,Silver and Bronze donations. And, a big thank you to the 100+ volunteers!
Our riders head to the end of the trail
Spotlight on SIRE Fort BendHelping Our Students Reach for Their Star
all 2008 is an exciting time at the
Fort Bend site. Combine new
programming, a wealth of
wonderful volunteers, almost 50 clients and
20 horses, and we have all the elements for
an outstanding semester.
VA CASE STUDY
Derrick Perkins is an Air Force Veteran and
our first rider sponsored by the Paralyzed
Veterans’ Administration (PVA). Derrick
recently completed a PVA case study at SIRE
on the benefits of therapeutic riding—the
proposal for which was submitted by two
recent SIRE
volunteers, Glennys
Asselin and Rebecca
Neri, who are nurses
at the Michael
DeBakey VA Hospital.
With hopes of
publication, the case
study will be
presented in
Cleveland, Ohio;
Dayton, Ohio;
Houston and San
Antonio.
NEW PROGRAM
SIRE’s newest
Instructor, Aedan Sprung, comes to us in
the midst of his studies toward a Masters
Degree in Education. We are taking full
advantage of his expertise by initiating a
formal Educational Program for our riders
from Avondale House. While half the group
of ten students is riding, the other half will
be working with Aedan on reading, writing
and math skills in our “barn classroom.” All
study topics will be related to the horse and
will be augmented by the skills taught in the
arena, offering a double dose of learning
supplemented by movement.
EQUINE TEAM
A few of our long-time volunteers have
teamed up to work with the horses Sienna
Stables provides for our program. The team’s
goals include assessing horses for future use;
addressing equine behavior issues; and
introducing new therapy toys and tools to
the horses. This team
will also form the
basis for a Leader-in-
Training Program.
A GREAT GROUP
All of this would not
be possible without
the hard work and
dedication of
Maryanne Gerity, our
Volunteer
Coordinator. Her
talents, her laughter
and wonderful sense
of hospitality have
created an
atmosphere that is both welcoming and
professional.
We have a great group down here, all
devoted to “helping our students reach for
their star!” That’s why we do what we do.
—Joelle Devlin
Veteran Derrick Perkins enjoys a therapysession on Scarlett with instructor,Joelle Devlin, and volunteers, GlennysAsselin and Bob Hass.
F
The SIRE Crier 9
Derrick Perkins TellsHis SIRE Story
I’ve never enjoyed artificialexercise. Prior to my injuryI had been involved withvarious sports, my favoritebeing the martial arts. Aftermy injury, I still do not likeartificial exercise so Iparticipate in variouswheelchair sports likearchery, quad rugby,bowling, etc. Even athome, my most consistentexercises are lawn careand therapeutic walking.
Recently, I’ve had theopportunity to enjoytherapeutic horsebackriding. In the process I’verediscovered muscles that Ididn’t know that I still had.After nine weeks of riding,my sitting balance andmuscle tone has noticeablyincreased. Overall I’m justhaving a blast being acowboy (from Houston...not Dallas). That’s right...I’m a Texan!
I’m thankful for the TexasParalyzed Veterans ofAmerica’s sponsorship aswell as the SIRETherapeutic Riding Programat Sienna Stables and theirmany volunteers. I’d like toextend special thanks tomy instructor, JoelleDevlin, and SIREvolunteers, BillCunningham, Bob Haas,Chuck Schwartz andHouston VAMC Nursevolunteer, GlennysAsselin—and, of course,“Scarlet” the horse.
We’re now preparing forthe Top Hands Horse Showcoming up in March 2009during the HoustonLivestock Show andRodeo.
Thank You, Donors
These donations were received February 2008 to August 2008.All donations are appreciated, but space does not allow us to list donations less than $250.
$5000 and above
Amegy Bank of Texas, Jim Lykes
Associated General ContractorsInc., Houston
D & L Electric Co. Ltd., Bill &Jackie McDonald
Fort Bend Cares Foundation
Kiwanis Foundation of Houston
The Lanier Law Firm, P. C.
Liatis Foundation & RobertBorick
Bill & Jackie McDonald
OYO Geospace
Shackouls Family Foundation
TGS-NOPEC GeophysicalCompany
Pat Toppenberg
Howard & Alyce Ann Wagner
Wedge Group
Richard & Nancy White
White Oak Energy
Jane & Jim Wise
$1000 to $4999
American Speed Inc., JohnnyMancuso
Apache Corporation
Fred Arnold
Philip & Denise Bahr
BHP Billiton
Jenny Booth
Charlotte’s Saddlery, Mark & MissyRaisbeck
Chevron Pipeline Company
Christian Captal Group, Ltd.
Compass Pointe Homes
Peter Costa
Angela & Reginald Dampeer
DCS Interests, LP
Dixie Services
John W. Elder
Embroidery, Inc.
Engineering Science Contract Group
En-Touch Systems, Inc.
ExxonMobil Foundation
James & Carmen Fitzpatrick
Randall & Hollis Grace
James Guild & Philippa Warfield-Hine
J.B. & Elizabeth Henderson
Suzanne Hinds
Horse Sense Trading Co.
Dave & Cynthia Huber
Guy & Judy Hunter
Janet Jeanes
Junior League of North HarrisCounty
Peter & Jeanne Kinnear
Konica Minolta Imaging USA, Inc.
Kruger Associates Inc.
Larry & Cynthia Lange
Robert Lukefahr
Rosemary Mahony
Mason Resources LLC
Jim & Rhetta McAlister
Barbara McLaughlin
Metzger Construction Company
Millennium Opportunity Foundation
Cowboy KIA of Conroe
Nomad Consulting, LLC
Pipeline Machinery Int’l
Dennis and Nancy Proctor
Mrs. Isla Reckling, III
Republic National Distributing Co.
Pat Roddy & Bob Creasy
Sentinel Trust Company
Jan and Thomas Simmons
Specified Lighting Sales, Inc.
Sterling McCall Lexus
Urology Associates of Tomball
Susman Family Foundation
Molly Sweeney
Dr. Steven Swisher, M.D.
Sysco Corporation
Gene & Donna Tromblee
Howard & Alyce Ann Wagner
Steven & Kristin Ward
Curt & Sharon Webb
The Lord’s Servants
Westside Lexus
Whitley Ranch
Williams
James & Linda Williams
Steven & Kirsty Williams
$250 to $999
Assoc of Rehabilitation Nurses South EastTexas Chapter
Basic Builders, Inc.
Larry & Vivian Bickle
Wayne Brent & Megan Bushnell-Brent
James & Peggy Brewer
David & Terri Bright
Luis & Carol Cardenas
Carrie Conlon
Ted Cox
Kenneth Culotta
Cuocci Enterprises, LLC
Reginald Dampeer
Bruce Darlow
Dayspring Resources, Inc.
Valerie Depew
Eileen Doehring
Dr. Ralph & Dr. Judith Feigin
The Forrest Foundation
Frost National Bank - Westchase
Roland & Kaye C. Fulton
Jacko & Nancy Garrett
Garrett Cattle Co.
Joseph Giovanniello
GLAMCO
Grandpatch Texas Longhorns
Krisanne Graves
Gulf Coast Combined Fed. Campgn.
Gulf Coast Paint Horse Assn
The Haley Co., LLC
Thomas and Jeanette Hix
Houston Memorial Gardens, Inc.
Lisa Johnson
Diane Jones
JP Morgan Chase Foundation
Junior Guild, Inc
Knockout Sports
Kroger
Richard Lindermanis
Melanie Little
Margo Loeffler
Madisonville State Bank
Magnolia Healthcare Center
Manti Resources
Marathon Oil Company
John and Catherine Meese
MGM Aurora Holdings Limited, Inc.
Daniel Miller
George P. Mitchell
Danny & Kathy Moore
Michael Moore
National Charity League, Inc. Cypress
Cheryl Nelson
NextPage Communication
Bob & Elizabeth Nickles
Northwinds Construction
Omni Energy Services
The Edward and Helen OppenheimerFoundation
Paloma Energy Consultants LP
Peter & JoLinda Papadakis
Charles Parker
Perry Training Soultions, Inc.
Edmund & Ada Perwien, BluebonnetFarm
Proximity Systems, Inc.
Dr. Carlos Rivera
Janice E. Rogers
Larry & Penny Schofield
Melvin See
Shady Brook Animal Hospital
Shrieve Chemical Company
Matthew & Sabrina Shumsky
Stuckey’s Contract Services, L.P.
James and K.D. Sword
Patti Szopiak
Tanglewilde Veterinary Clinic
Cheryl Taylor
United Galvanizing, Inc
Lou and Wanda Waters
Jim and Jane Wise
10 The SIRE Crier
TTrraaiillbbllaazzeerrss SSoocciieettyy
Connie Abbs, Global Santa Fe CorporateServices
Becky and Hunter Adkins
Ed Ayres
Philip and Denise Bahr
Elyse Brady
Luis and Carol Cardenas
Steve and Michelle Crawford
David Culbreth, Commercial Fence Co.Inc.
Carol Curran
Marion Danna, City Wide Injury&Accident
J.T. Davis
Mike and Carol Dillingham
Leslie Elkins, Leslie Elkins Architects
Karen El-Tawil
Genna & Jon Evans
J. Warren and Carol Evans
Tilman and Paige Fertitta, Landry'sRestaurant
James and Carmen Fitzpatrick
Meridith Ford
Susan Gaeta
Phil and Carol Garner
Becky and David Gochman
Randall and Hollis Grace, Jr.
Chris Hallman
William E. Hanlon
Bobby and Janet Horton
Guy and Judy Hunter
D. Blake Jackson
Paige Kinkade, Medcare Pediatric Group
Rick Kruger, Kruger Associates, Inc.
Michael and Jenny Lambert
E.D. Lester, Stewart Title
Johnny Mancuso, American Speed, Inc.
Jim and Rhetta McAlister
Bill and Jackie McDonald
Mary McKay, M.D.
Barbara McLaughlin
Hon. & Mrs. Robert Mosbacher
Sue Mundy
Bryan and Cheryl Nelson
Pat Roddy and Bob Creasy
M.E. Wise Sand
Jeanette Shaw
Bill & Sally Slick
Molly Sweeney
Steve Swisher, M.D.
James Walker, Walker & Hunter P.C.
Richard and Nancy White
Jimm and Linda Williams
Vivian Wise, VMW Ventures LLC
William and Marie Wise
Trailblazers have pledged a minimum of $1000 peryear for five years
In Honor of DonationsAnonymous in honor of Karen Gardner
Philip & Denise Bahr in honor of Eileen Hricik
Danaher Oil Company in honor of Saracen Merchant Energy, LP
Kitty Edwards in honor of Jenny Booth
Deborah Gottselig in honor of Jean Gottselig
Thomas & Anita LaHouse in honor of Julie Taylor
Lennis Landry in honor of Cade Zimmerman
Julie Redding in honor of Alexandra Dumas
Julie Redding in honor of SIRE horseRobert
Sentinel Trust Company in honor of Molly Sweeney
Bradley & Sheila Shoff in honor of Becky Shoff
Spectra Energy Foundation in honor of Holly Freeland
William J. & Dorothy K. O’Neill Foundation in honor of Molly Sweeney
In Memory Of DonationsSusan Abouhalkah in memory of Bint Gassar, horse of Susan Watson
Laura Genung in memory of Jean Lykes Grace
Halliburton - Global Impact in memory of Vance Vineyard
Guy & Judith Hunter in memory of Gregory Esch
IRS - Dallas Office in memory of James Kvello
Meridian Resources USA, Inc. in memory of Don Caldwell
Parvion Ltd. in memory of Billye Rees-Jones
Brent Savage in memory of Vance Vineyard
James & Linda Williams in memory of K. C. Coopwood
James & Linda Williams in memory of James Kvello
James & Linda Williams in memory of M. C. Braun
James & Linda Williams in memory of Austin Tong
In Memory of Eleanor Radcliff GrayNed HardenRon & Carol MoodJames & Blanche ScherschelConnie WamplerGary & Sandy Wisecup
In Memory of Logan HendersonKevin & Lisa AncellR. H. & Lou Ann ArnettCarol BillsWayne & Diana BrowningRenelle CadenaJohn & Mari CooneyJames & Jan CooperJohn DavidsonFederal Metal Company, TheGene & Dana FooteMark & Dena GainesJohn & Karen GardnerJames & Carmel GieseJohn F. & Maria M. GrayGary & Becky GroschkeRussell & Teresa GroveOlin & Mrs. Olin JacksonJerry JungelsKenneth & Susan KollisterChing & Jenq Lin
Brendan McCormickDean NolanO’Rourke PetroleumRandy OsburnTony & Susan PultzStuart & Patricia RaeJohn & Wanda RippleMallary RobinsonMichael & Tami SandlinDean & Ruby ShaferArthur St.ClairGary StefaniakJ. TaylorCourtney ThomasJohn & Kimberly TiptonWayne & Elizabeth WilcoxEugene & Rita WilkenfeldJames & Mary Wilson
In Memory of Marcelene RoddyJohn & Karen GardnerGuy & Judith HunterWilliam & Jacqueline McDonaldCarolyn & Rudy MikulecTim & Julie ReddingJames & Linda Williams
In Memory of Shanna ScardinoAnonymousBill & Jo Ann ChunnPat & Jamie CrandallFort Bend County Emergency Services Districe #2
Barry & Sandra JonesJerry & Marsha LeGardJames & Lee Ann MedfordMichael & Annette RobertsonGene & Lynn SlaidEdwin GarnerWood Group Logging Services, Inc.
In-Kind Donations – Goods &ServicesJames AllenJessica AntashDonna ArnoldKate BlackburnBarbara BollingMary BrezinaJo Ann BridgeSuzanne BurkeholderMelissa ClapperCollier Equine Vet AssociatesMoira CooperKaren CrumJoelle DevlinLauren DiggansEquine Health & Livestock ServicesEquine Sports MedicineAngie FrankBob HaasMargaret HaaseSharon HippDebra JenkinsBernard & Deborah JonesMargo LoefflerCarole MahfouzJerry & Mike McLennanMelody BizegoBeth & Lillie MuyskensKaren PerryRobert & Barbara PettyRachel PoyskyNick RaissisDeepthi RajuEileen ReichertCarl & Lisa RiccoRudy & Christine RodriguezDavid RogersRosehill Vet ClinicPine Hill - Philip SawinPenny SchofieldKourtney Teer
Lauren WaddellWaller Equine Clinic
In-Kind Donations – Shindig7 on Fulton RestaurantA. D. PlayersJoetta AdkinsAlley TheaterAlways In SeasonFred ArnoldAsleep at the WheelKrysia & Jadwiga BarnesBay Oaks Country ClubBeau Rivage ResortBill Clarke, Deb & Wayne BennerBickerstaff GroupBistro Le CepJoyce BlackburnJulie BlakePatty BrownBud Light/Silver Eagle DistributorsSally BuftonCarmelo’sSuzanne CarsonKate ChambersCharlotte’s SaddleryChildren’s Museum of HoustonThe Club at Falcon PointThe Company OnStageThe Country PlayhouseCourtyardDa CameraDawn Davidson-ChmielewskiMike & Carol DillinghamKelly DobbinsDoubletree HotelKermit EisenhutLaura EskridgeEventsEvin Thayer StudiosSally FantaFeathered Horse Ranch B&BArlene FierroFish City GrillFlagship Hotel GalvestonFriend’s Clothing & Gift BoutiqueMary GabelGabriel TranNancy GarzaAlvin Gee PhotographyShah & Carol GhaniCarol GlassThe Grand 1894 Opera HouseHarold GreenElaine GreggGuadalajara HaciendaGulf Greyhound ParkGymboree Play and MusicHaney and Whipple PortraitsHarrah’sThe Health MuseumHemline SugarlandKelly HendersonMary Ann HendersonJaden & Jeff HillHilton NASA Clear LakeSuzanne HindsGloria HogueHoliday Inn San Antonio DowntownMarket Square
Home Depot #6819Houmas HouseHouston BalletHouston Grand OperaHouston GymHouston Gymnastics AcademyHouston Museum of Natural ScienceHouston SymphonyHouston TexansHoustonian HotelLinda Sue HulmeGuy & Judy HunterLadana Igler
Isle of Capri CasinosJ.W. MarriottJames Coney IslandJimmy Ellis ArtJust for the BirdsFriend of SIREKaye Marvin PhotographyLucille KearneyJennifer KingNancy KroningLarry & Cynthia LangeCherie LegerLorenzo’s El Tiempo CantinaLuxotticaMagic IslandMama’s CafeMark’s American CuisineMary MassaCandice McAdamsJacqueline McDonaldCatherine MeeseThe Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavillion
Ingrid MonroyNancy’s Fancy’s CeramicsNatural Bridge CavernsNatural Woman DesignsCheryl & Bryan NelsonOmni Houston Hotel WestsideJoel OppenheimPeneske Racing, Inc.Pepperoni’s New York Style PizzaPerry’s SteakhousePinebrook FarmRadio Music TheatreRebecca Lankford DesignsJulie ReddingREIRick Staudt Portrait DesignRiverwalk HotelMason & Tammy RizzoCarrie RobicheauxRuth’s Chris SteakhouseSAGA Lifestyle PhotographySambucaSan Luis ResortSatya Shepherd, TMTSchlitterbahn WaterparksWinston ScottSensia Studio and Japanese Day SpaSherlock’s Pub CompanySiemens Industrial Turbomachinery, Inc.
Sienna PlantationSix Flags Fiesta TexasSix Flags Over TexasDarryl SmithSouthwest AirlinesSpanish Flowers Mexican RestaurantStages Reperatory TheatreStar PizzaSabrina StrawnDebbie StuberSugar Land Ice and Sports CenterDebbie SukinMark SweeneySwim JimTaste of TexasDr. Clarence TelleyTexas Rangers Baseball ClubTrendsetters Hair and Body Care Studio
Two Rows Restaurant and BreweryJan Van OonkVincent Ford Custom ApparelVisible ChangesWaller Equine HospitalWesternGeco, Inc.The Whistle Stop Tea RoomKirsty WilliamsWitte Museum
SIRE, Inc.24161 Spring DriveHockley, TX 77447281-356-7588
TO: A Friend of SIRE
NON PROFITORG
U.S. PostagePAID
Permit No. 110Tomball, TX
SIRE Board of Directors
President Richard “Whitey” White
Vice-President Mike Dillingham
Secretary Glenn Aker
Treasurer Guy Hunter
Members Fred ArnoldAngela DampeerJ. Warren Evans, PhDJ.B. (Trey) Henderson, IIISuzanne HindsJudy HunterJames R. LykesJackie McDonaldMark RaisbeckPat RoddyJennifer WebbDoug O. Williams
Advisors Dana HartwellJohnny MancusoJim McAlister, Sr.Molly SweeneyGio TomasiniAnn Wilde
SIRE Staff
Executive Director Jimm Williams
Managing Director Pat Roddy
Director of Development Harla Kaplan
Director of Finance & Technology Sherry Flores
Director of Volunteer Services Peggy Wagner
Financial Assistant Deborah Gottselig
Administrative Assistant Jo Ann Trepl
Office Assistant Susan Sanders
Director of Equine Services Molly Sweeney
SIRE-HOCKLEY
Site Director/Director of Therapy Karen Gardner
Director of Competition andHead Instructor Karen Abbott
Instructors Jeanie GardnerRebecca GribbenMary LoweRuth SawinAedan Sprung
Therapist/Instructor Lee Ruonavaara
Volunteer Coordinators Kassie CollinsPenny Kvello
Facility & Equine Manager Jim Brewer
Facility Manager II Rogelio “Roy” Figueroa
SIRE-SPRING
Site Director/Facility, Equine Mgr Truman Alexander
Head Instructor Lorraine Ostrowski
Instructors Jessica AntashShayna BoltonAedan Sprung
Volunteer Coordinator Robin Maxwell
Facility Manager II Daniel Narvaez
SIRE-FORT BEND @ SIENNA STABLES
Site Director/Head Instructor Joelle Devlin
Instructors Barbara CesariLaura EllerVivien SavageAedan Sprung
Volunteer Coordinator Maryann Gerity
© 2008 SIRE, Inc. – All Rights Reserved
How to Reach Us • www.sire-htec.orgSIRE-HOCKLEY (Administration)
281-356-758824161 Spring Dr. • Hockley, TX 77447
Fax 281-356-9462 [email protected]
SIRE-FORT BEND @ SIENNA STABLES
281-778-02028255 Camp Sienna TrailMissouri City, TX 77459
SIRE-SPRING
281-353-61604610 Sloangate • Spring, TX 77373
Donating to SIRE—At No Cost To Youf everyone receiving this newsletter
designated SIRE as their charity
when grocery shopping or
Christmas shopping, over a year’s time it
could mean as much as a $100,000 for
SIRE—at no cost to you!
Shopping Online
This holiday season, you can support
SIRE when you shop online. Make your
purchases through www.igive.com or
www.buyforcharity.com, and they will
give a donation to SIRE. Choose from
more than 700 online stores, such as
Best Buy, eBay, Apple Store & iTunes,
JCPenney, Ralph Lauren, Nordstrom,
Barnes & Noble, Office Depot, QVC,
HSN, 1-800-Flowers.com, Expedia,
Home Depot, 1-800-PetMeds, and more.
You’ll be surprised by the comprehensive
list, and up to 35% of your purchase
goes to SIRE’s cause!
Grocery Shopping
Every little bit adds up! Your grocery bill
could bring SIRE more than $50 a year!
Kroger will make a donation to
SIRE, matching up to 1% of your
purchases when you use your KrogerPlus
card. All you need to do is get a
Customer Letter from any SIRE site or
from our website and and take it to any
Kroger to have the barcode scanned and
linked to your KrogerPlus card.
Your Randall’s card can be set up so
that a matching percentage of all of your
purchases is sent to SIRE. Visit Customer
Service in your Randall’s store and ask to
have SIRE set up as the charity you
support. We are organization “2164”.
I