Rehoboth Kiwanis Club Present Hippotherapy Awards

by Rosemary Cummings

A recent article on the value of pets reported, "Horseback riding can help everyone from wounded vets to children with cerebral palsy get back in the saddle when it comes to certain kinds of muscle control. ... patients treated with Hippotherapy and recreational horseback riding therapy (which are fancy ways of saying, "spending time with and on horses") saw improvements in muscle control and motor function, according to a 2006 study published in the journal Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology."

Rehoboth Kiwanis Club can attest to the value of Hippotherapy. For over 25 years the Club has sponsored the Hippotherapy Program at the Cape Henlopen School District Consortium for student with special needs. When the current faculty advisor, Pat Graves asked to present an award to the Kiwanis Club, instead the Club decided to celebrate the students who participate in this inspiring program. May 5, Kiwanians Jack Eliason and Rosemary Cummings went to Cape Henlopen High School to present the awards which included a Certificate with show horses, a Blue Ribbon with Kiwanis logo, and a Golden Horseshoe. And as is tradition, no Kiwanis party would be complete without refreshments. Jack Eliason, a senior member of the Club who has worked with the program since its inception, proudly presented each award as Ms. Cummings recorded the moment in photos. The Consortium presented Jack Eliason with a framed photo collage of the students riding and working with their horses. This project is a number one priority for the Club's fundraising efforts. This year the program also saw the addition of young girls. The Club supports riding program twice a week throughout the year including the summer months.