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Yes, Dream Riders had a successful year even though financial times were tight and we had to adjust for high hay and feed prices for our equestrian friends, so we had to do several things to help maintain a positive financial balance.  The staff and Board voted not to attend this year’s national NARHA conference to help save money so as to complete some projects here at Dream Riders.  Again our progress and survival could not have happened without the continuing support from our donors, both financial donors and gift in kind donors.

Please read through the list of Dream Riders donors and when needing items or services please remember to visit one of our donors listed below.  For these donors are the ones that financially back Dream Riders in order to continue to have an Equestrian Program for special needs riders here in the Midlands of SC.

Financial Donors

AAA Utilities, Inc. AAA Well Drilling Inc. ARC of SC Amanda Spires Aqualine II, Inc. Barbara Ann Hasty Barbara Hammond Barbara Dickerson Bigbie Chiropractic Office Blue Cross Blue Shield of SC Carol Kennedy Carolina Wings & Ribs House Cherokee Trail Veterinary Hospital Cindy Nord Columbia Eye Clinic Darryl Frick Deborah Ashcraft DMD Dennis Snowden Diane Metts Dr. Mark & Sherry McCain Edna Clay Ellen Clelland Erin, Meredith & Kayla McCann Ernie Tate Gale & Richard Stoudemire Gargill Inc. George & Betty Rugman George W. Stoudemire Jr. Golden State Foods Gerald Barnes Hurtis & Linda Johnson Irmo Middle School James & Janice Lynch James & Martha Hess James & Susan Keffler

Jessica Lynch Jennifer Stoudemire Joan Frierson Joanna Jones John & Mary Turner John Chastain John Schrenk Jordan Family Joseph Swearingen Joyce Hampton Julie Sessions Karen Park Family Dentistry Kathy Wells Keith Moore Lori Hullender Stokes, DVM Larry H. Nelson DMD Larry Oswald Lester B. Hite Jr. Lexington Civitan Club Lewis C. Dyer Linda & Wayne Stowe Magnolia Junior Women’s Society of Lexington Manchester Trail Riders Margaret Goggans Margie-Ann Moore Williams Mary & Jim Corley Martin Simon & Vera Cole Mary Turner MATEK, Inc Melanie Burbank Michelin Tire Corporation Mid-Carolina Electric Midlands Pet Care Middleboro Trailer Sales Middlefield Farm

Milas & Merrilyn Sease N. Kay Ayers Nadine Coats Nancy Fenwick- Pursley New Body Massage Oswald Lumber Company Patty Langley Peters Presbyterian Church Peggy Johnson Phyllis Gale Price's Feed Store Publix Grocery Stores Ronald & Leann Swearingen RR Donnelley Foundation Ruben & Precious Mayer Sara Snowden SC Special Olympics Seven Oaks Presbyterian Church Women Shealy Coffee, Inc. Sheri Jordan Shirley Conway Snelling Personnel Services Southern Traditions and Gifts St Andrews Women’s Club Stan Construction Co. Stan Jeffcoat Starnes Insurance Agency Stephen S. Woodrow Stewart & Bronnie Maurer Thomas Wilson Tim Pearson Troy R. Buzhardt Wayne Robinson White Horse Equestrian Ministries Woody Stoudemire Co.

Gift-in-Kind (These donors help to free up budgeted money to be used else where in our program)

Chris Coates – Farrier Flight Deck Restaurant Jim and Janice Lynch Julie Sessions Laura Gordon Leonard Rish Mike Scott

Natural Aquatics Old Mill Pizza Buffet Oswald Lumber Company Petersen Presbyterian Church Price’s Country Store Sharon Johnson Sheri Jordan

Siminole Feed Company S. J. Conway St. Andrew’s Animal Clinic The Tack Room of Camden Transcom Trading Co. Wayne & Linda Stowe

Volunteers
Dream Riders has only one paid employee which is the Head Riding Instructor all other program needs are carried out by a team of dedicated volunteers.  Volunteers are the true life blood of Dream Riders without these volunteers, our riders with special needs would not have Dream Riders.  Please take time to review the list of volunteers below and if you know one or more of our volunteers please take the time to let them know that you appreciate their help in assisting people with special needs.

Abby Turner Allyson Joyce Amanda Spires Brandi Bullard Barbara Hammond Holly Taylor Carmen Geiger Carol Geiger Carol Kennedy Christina Payne Cindy Malphrus Corky Dyer Diane Metts Donna Ray Emily Allen Fran Vlahovski Firz Rutherford Gina Robinson The Green Family Haley Hendrix

Hannah Frazier Jen Rogers Jeremy Stoudemire Jessica Lynch John Schrenk Julie Sessions Kaitlyn Crowley Karen Auld Kaylee Quinn Kelly Connell Kendra Williams Tammy Baxley Janet Davies Joan Frierson Julia Walker Karen  Auld Laura Thomas Lewis Dyer Linda Stowe The Maron Family

The Maurer Family McKenzie Hale Melanie Burbank Meredith McCann Meredith Henry Mike Grogan Mollie Carter Patrice Smith Patty Langley Rachel Boland Shelly Schlenk Sheri Jordan S. J. Conway Stephanie Jones Sue Keffler Sue Pfaff The Snowden Family Terra Wilson

Dream Riders through the generous support from various organizations and people of the Mid-lands has been able to continuously expand and has achieved the following milestones during 2007

• Eight years of partnership with Lexington High Schools’ Service Learning class for students to work as volunteers at Dream Riders for daytime therapeutic riding classes.
• Riders and horses from Dream Riders competed at some of the SC Dressage schooling shows.
• All riders that met the required enrollment standards were able to participate in the Dream Riders program, including all riders and /or families needing financial assistance, thanks to our supporters’ donations into the Dream Riders’ rider sponsorship program.
• Dream Riders’ volunteers received navy colored polo shirts displaying the Dream Riders’ logo and riders were able to purchase them below cost to wear in the State Special Olympics Horse Show and our Annual Riders Recital. Additionally our program horses were decked out in navy saddle pads displaying the Dream Riders’ logo. What a professional looking team.
• The Volunteer/Rider banquet was sponsored  and served again by the Lynch Family
• The staff was able to attend the NARHA Region III conference, where our staff members were rejuvenated with new ideas and different views on an array of subjects.
• Dream Riders will be starting the re-fencing project of our pastures from the proceeds raised during the Dream Riders 2007 Benefit Horse Show.
• The facility, equipment and horses were well maintained due to the hard work of the Dream Riders’ volunteers.
• Dream Riders raised over $500.00 from feed labels off of your Nutrena feed bags. Keep getting those bags to us!
• Able to offer a session of summer day camp to Epworth Children’s Home and to Nancy K. Perry Children’s Shelters.
• Replacement of railing around rider holding area near ring- labor and material.
• Received money to replace the riding ring railing, lighting and sprinkler system.
• The entire Dream Rider equine herd was well cared for in the areas of hoof needs, medical, dental and nutrition.  We were able to purchase all the hay needed to get us through to next summer’s hay season.
• The entire herd was fitted by a saddle fitter free of charge and donations made to purchase new saddles or have old ones remolded to fit each horse properly.
• Able to upscale our production of printed materials to color by purchase of a color laser printer. We have gotten many complements on this.
• Software was purchased to create and produce DVDs with pictures, words and music so more people and sponsors can enjoy seeing the results of their continuing support of Dream Riders.
• Purchased a new digital camera for higher quality photos.
• To show our thanks, Dream Riders hosted our annual “Family Fun Day” for riders and their families, our donors, volunteer families and friends to come and enjoy our horses and have fun with us. This was a GREAT DAY!!
• Dream Riders and other SC programs are hosting the NARHA Region 3 Conference with Dream Riders President (Lewis Dyer) being the  2008 Conference chairperson plus he is now the NARHA Region 3 Rep representing members from SC, NC, Virginia, and West Virginia.

These are a few of the things that you, our supporters have made happen here at Dream Riders during 2007.  We hope to continue our efforts and expand the Dream Riders program with your continued support during 2008.  Thanks for caring!

Thanks goes out to all that have contributed to our feed bag coupon campaign. This is such a nice and easy way to contribute to Dream Riders. Here is how it works:

1. Simply cut the Proof of Purchase out located on the back of the bags.  Only whole, intact Proofs will be accepted by Nutrena Feed Company. Feed tags are not accepted. If there is no Proof of Purchase, cut the milling address out that is on the back.
2. Send your collected feed coupons to Dream Riders, 156 Sandy Hill Rd., Lexington, SC, 29072.
OR
You can drop them off at Horse Sense Tack & Feed store in Lexington or if you live in the Lexington area we will pick up your empty bags. Call 957-7906 or email dreamr2@mindspring.com . Check around in your area to see if horse barns feed this feed and if they would like to participate in this campaign.

It was a beautiful fall day and we had so many fun activities going on- Bingo with Prizes- ran by Carol Kennedy and students from USC, Paals Service Dogs Demonstration- offered by Sheri Jordan and Jen Baxter, Stick Horse Rodeo- offered by Julie Sessions (board member) and the Lexington 4-H , Hay Rides- came to us through Lewis Dyer, Hunt for Treasures in the Sand- USC students took care of this activity, Massages- offered by Barbara Hammond ( board member), Crafts to Make- The Head family and the Boyd family covered this activity, Snack Bar- Service Learning Students from Lexington High set this table up and Andy,  Bronnie & Stewart Maurer (board members) kept the snacks straight, Duck Pond and

Face Painting- were sponsored and ran by a class from Midlands Tech who also brought lots of great snacks, and of course the big event, horse back riding- made possible by the instructors, the Dream Riders’ herd and Dream Riders’ wonderful volunteers. Thanks to all who volunteered their time and talents to make this event possible.

All horse people know this year was a year to hustle to find enough hay. Dream Riders was right in there looking and praying. We were able to get enough good horse quality hay but had to store it all at the facility. So there were some modifications done to the existing hay barn and hay was stored in every other place we could think of. We were able to store all of it!!

Thanks to Golden State Foods, Dream Riders now has new ring rails.  We had this ring at the facility before Dream Riders came into existence. Realizing the need for better footing for therapy riding, we added 8” of footing to the ring which made the rails 8” too low. Now the rails are at the right height and made of fiber resin boards that should last a very long time, Lewis says. Thanks to the volunteers ‘ help and many hard hours by Lewis and Jennifer.

New Volunteers:

Rosie Brooks Mary Ballauer Kelly Connell Audrey Graft Carol Geiger

Carmen Geiger Stephanie Jones Emily Head LaShell Head Kaylee Quinn

Katie Stougnton Suzannee Slocum Kendra Williams Terra Williams Michelle Vetter

Service Learning students from Lexington High School:
 

Fall 2007 Cory Pickens Josh Van Wke Melisa Wessinger Briana Gosnell Jaime Giddens

Winter 2008 Amanda Taylor Samantha Niemeyer Angel Winn

Service Learning students from White Knoll High School:
This is the first year we have used students from White Knoll High School. Welcome students!!

Winter 2008 Stephanie Rinehart Hope Branham Ashley Best

New Riders:

Jessica Raines James Hawes Cyndi Roberts

Ernie Tate Jacob Barnes Jackson Boswell

Reagan Cruz

White Horse Equestrian Ministries is a fellowship of believers in Christ who love horses! Their mission is to reach the equestrian community for Christ. This year as part of their mission, they wanted to help some of Dream Riders’ riders with their session payments. As a group we were invited to their Christmas gathering and riders Kayla McCann and Jacob Barnes were presented partial payment for their winter Session. Thanks goes out to these wonderful people for a wonderful meal, Christian fellowship and the finical help to these riders. To learn more about their ministry and what else they do, contact Roxie Williams, president, her email is rwpraisehim@aol.com .