Riding To The Top (RTT), northern New England’s largest therapeutic horseback riding program for children and adults with physical, emotional and/or learning disabilities, has completed its $1.6 million Capital Campaign for Expanded Services. The Campaign went over its goal raising a total of $1,644,000 with over 2,000 donations from individuals, foundations and businesses from 34 states and 7 foreign countries. RTT was awarded an $180,000 Challenge Grant from The Kresge Foundation of Troy, Michigan in January of 2006 and volunteers worked tirelessly to succeed in meeting that challenge by January 1, 2007.

“This has been an extraordinary journey for everyone involved with our organization. Our volunteers, clients and their families, board members and friends in the community have rallied to take us up and over our goal. What a great way to start 2007!” said Tory Dietel Hopps, Campaign Director. “We are awed by the depth of community support we have received. The campaign process has been an inspiration and we are deeply thankful to all who have made our dreams of a year round program that can serve more people in need come true” said Sarah Bronson, Executive Director.

The Campaign has enabled RTT to more than double its programming, improve fencing and pastureland, create an endowment and RTT can now complete the construction of a fully handicapped accessible program and office wing attached to its heated indoor arena. Construction on the new wing will begin in the Fall of 2007.

The Capital Campaign was Co-chaired by Michael Fralich of New Gloucester and Marianne McGettigan of Freeport. “While fundraising was not on my radar screen when I first joined RTT, the Campaign gave me the opportunity to speak passionately of the joy of therapeutic riding to others in our community” said Fralich. Marianne McGettigan said, “Although the thought of raising $1.6 million was daunting with all the needs for giving in recent years, it’s heartening to know that a caring community can still find the time and commitment to improve the world one person at a time”.

The funds raised to date have provided significant improvements in both our daily operations, and our ability to begin construction of our long awaited year-round therapeutic riding facility at our farm in Windham. Phase One of the construction was finished in May of 2005. In the first six months of utilizing our new indoor arena, we were able to increase our programming by 68%!

We are eager to construct and complete Phase Two of our new facility in 2007 which will provide program and meeting space for clients and their families, RTT volunteers and RTT staff. Our heartfelt thanks to all our donors!

~ Tory Dietel Hopps, Campaign Director