Therapeutic Horsemanship of Ridgecrest (THOR) Helen Tomlin– Members of Gold Rush Originals, the local charter of Iron Order motorcycle club, recently made a $2000 donation to help purchase a big, beautiful mare with an important job: helping resume the function of people with special needs. Candee Coffee, owner of C & C Training stables and senior instructor, facilitates THOR. This 501c3 program is designed to help individuals who are challenged by such things as PTSD, autism, stroke, Down’s syndrome, or trauma from a serious accident. Currently, she has clients ranging from ages 4 to 52.
Coffee recently put a down payment on this 12-year-old Belgian draft horse when she found out the current owner from Orange, CA, was selling her for $3500. Coffee said, “We needed a large horse for our program we could both ride and drive [wagons]. ‘Waddles’ could do both.” THOR currently has two spots open to sponsor two veterans interested in horse therapy once per week at no cost to them.
A benefit tri-tip dinner will be held August 27 at the Desert Empire Fairgrounds featuring live music, a silent auction, and raffles from 5-11pm. Tax-deductible donations for the auction are welcomed. Pre-sale tickets are $35 per person, or 6- and 8-person tables can be purchased for $190 and $250 respectively. Pre-sale tickets end August 20. Limited walk-in tickets are $50 each.
For tickets, call C&C Training Stables’ office manager Kym Stallings at 760-371-5817 or 760-977-5665.
