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Therapeutic Horse Farm Volunteer Program is About Grooming Leaders

Posted on: Wednesday, 24 August 2005, 21:00 CDT

Aug. 24--Even before they sat in their first classroom at Queens University of Charlotte, the freshman class learned a good lesson Tuesday:

Hard work is satisfying.

Hard work to help others is even more satisfying.

And that is a fitting first lesson, considering the school's motto: "Not to be served, but to serve."

So here they were, about 250 members of the freshman class at Joshua's Farm, a therapeutic horse farm for people with disabilities north of uptown. They spent the morning clearing trails, cleaning barns, trimming brush, making repairs to buildings, landscaping and recording data on computers as the last part of their orientation before classes begin today.

The group of volunteers was the largest ever at Joshua's Farm, said volunteer Mary Nicholson.

"It's been phenomenal what they've done this morning," she said. "We need all the help we can get."

There was some whining, to be sure.

But it quickly disappeared once students got to the farm off Beatties Ford Road -- funded through donations and run entirely by volunteers.

"It sounded a little rough at the beginning, but once we got out here, we saw the value," said Kevin Hall, 17, of Raleigh. "Of course most of us would rather be sitting in an air-conditioned classroom, but it felt good to be part of a good cause. It was a good bonding experience."

Hall and Brian Hayward, 17, of New Milford, Conn., spent the morning clearing brush from the perimeter of a horse pasture.

Hayward came to Queens because of its business school and had no idea he'd be putting the school's motto to work right away.

In the end, he found it meaningful, and he and Hall said they plan to go back.

"There's a lot to be said about helping others," Hayward said. "I'd never done anything like this. I'll definitely be back."

Anne Marie Wicker of Charlotte, a quadriplegic, spent the morning filing names and e-mail addresses of volunteers into a special computer.

"I didn't know if I should come because I wasn't sure I could be of any help," she said. "But after I contacted the disabilities office, they had a computer set up for me."

As a girl, she used similar facilities, so she knows their value to children with disabilities.

That's what made Tuesday's work special. She, too, plans to come back.

That is what Jacqueline Harp had hoped would happen.

"Largely the students got it," said Harp, Queens' assistant student activities director who coordinates community service for students. "They understood that an appropriate part of their education is serving the community outside Queens."

It was the first time Queens' orientation included manual labor.

"This helps get them started thinking about service for others," said John Downey, student life dean. "That it's not just a motto, but something to live by."

HOW TO HELP

Joshua's Farm needs volunteers to help with barn chores and its therapy program. It's also accepting new clients. For general questions, e-mail: info@ joshuasfarm.org; for riding programs: ridingprograms@ joshuasfarm.org; or to volunteer: volunteer@ joshuasfarm.org. Or leave a message at (704) 393- 0333.

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Copyright (c) 2005, The Charlotte Observer, N.C.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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Source: The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, N.C.)

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