Seven Riders With Developmental Disabilities Receive Scholarships

Seven riders in the Ray Graham Association's Therapeutic Horsemanship program will receive scholarship funding from five local Rotary Clubs, thanks to the efforts of an exchange student from South Africa.

The therapeutic horsemanship program, based at the , offers riding lessons to students with developmental disabilities. The program receives no government funding and is funded solely by donations and grants. Participants pay a yearly tuition to cover program costs.

After learning of the financial difficulty some parents face in keeping their children in the program, one of the program's volunteers decided to do something help.

Kiara Simon, who had been a youth exchange student from Durbin, South Africa, contacted The Rotary Club of Darien. A Rotary Club scholarship had given her the chance to study in the United States, and she thought the organization might be able to help participants in the horsemanship program as well. She offered to give a presentation at the club's next meeting.

“The club was impressed and impassioned and agreed to fund the project,” said Brian Andersen of the Rotary Club of Darien.

Andersen then reached out to other Rotary Clubs in the area to see if they could help as well. The Rotary Clubs of Hinsdale, Elmhurst, Orland Park and Westmont agreed to join the effort to fund the project.

"Thank you to the rotaries for their community leadership and generosity. With this gift, seven riders will remain in the program, and parents will find comfort knowing their children can continue doing what they love," said Kim Zoeller, Ray Graham president and CEO, in the association's January newsletter. "Thank you to everyone who has been involved in this admirable project."

The donation provides tuition assistance to seven participants of the Burr Ridge-based horsemanship program, offering these students the opportunity to continue taking riding lessons. Some .

According to the National Center on Physical Activity and Disability, therapeutic riding improves the respiratory system, coordination and muscle tone, stretching of contracted muscles and bones and provides increased self-confidence for those with developmental disabilities.