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| Last updated on March 28, 2008 |
Flying Changes will provide equine facilitated services for special needs children and adults which will assist in the learning of independent skills and development of personal assets.
These services will be delivered in an environment that is beneficial to the client and safe for all participants to include staff, volunteers, and horses.
Flying Changes will also promote public education which encourages awareness of equine facilitated activities/therapy and their potential to add something special to everyone's life!
Description:
Flying Changes offers therapeutic riding activities designed for physically, emotionally, and developmentally challenged children and adults. We also offer regular riding lessons to all ages.
Accredited by the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA), Flying Changes is located on Rt. 201 in Topsham and is easily accessed from the Portland, Lewiston/Auburn and Augusta areas.
We provide services year round for approximately 40 individuals each week.
Flying Changes offers a wide variety of programs(riding, carriage driving, vaulting, equine care, youth volunteer training, and summer camp) to uniquely meet the need of every participant. In addition, the Center offers a training program for its volunteers who may begin with or without prior horsemanship experience.
Most of our volunteers come to work and end up playing! The atmosphere in the barn is energetic and light and we love to "horse around" ~ no pun intended! ha ha We are currently looking for volunteers that can give a couple of hours here and there, who love the outdoors, don't mind being a little silly, and want some hands-on horse experience!!! Laughter will be provided...
Since we are open seven (7) days a week we need people that want to be dedicated and make a difference! The tasks can be simple, but the heart needs to be in the right place! If this is something that interests you, please give us a call ASAP!!! We need your help!!!
History:
Flying Changes was founded in 1992 and is currently celebrating its 15th year anniversary. The center began operations with one instructor, six clients, a handful of volunteers, with leased horses/equipment and in leased space. Fifteen years later with a new executive director, Kathi Levesque, several instructors and instructor interns, we now provide services for more than three hundred special needs and regular clients annually and are assisted by 50 trained volunteers and thirteen therapy horses.
The Center owns its twenty-six acre facility which is complete with indoor arena for year round riding. We are currently growing both our programs and our barn so it's the perfect time to get involved!!!
Contact person: Kathi Levesque, Executive Director, (phone), (email)
Office fax number: 207/319-7004
Address:
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PO Box 127
Topsham, ME 04086 |
Web Site: http://www.flyingchanges.org
Directions:
Miscellaneous Information
| What is your TTY phone number? |
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n/a
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| This agency has United Way funded programs |
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No
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| The agency places volunteers in these categories: |
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Families, ages 11 -15, ages 15 - 18, Physically disabled, Developmentally delayed, Groups, Adults
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User Reflections
Post Your Own!
Overall Experience 
My personal rewards are greater than the time I volunteer.
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I volunteer at Flying Changes for Therapeutic Riding. I don't work with the clients at all, but I do all the behind the scenes work I can fit into eight hours. (I also spend some at time at home working on the couputer for Flying Changes.) Some of the tasks I do in a day include cleaning stalls, grooming, watering, feeding and loving the horses. I also do some office work, do minor repairs on the facility, mend blankets, clean the tack and observation rooms. I do laundry and keep the refrigerator clean. I'll weed sometimes in the warm weather. There is a need for volunteers like me who love horses and being in their company, but who aren't able to work directly with them. Flying Changes can use all kinds of help from donations of time and talents - there is always a spot where a volunteer can lessen the work the staff has to do. Volunteering there has been the most important thing I have done since I retired.
posted by Joan Lee on January 30, 2004 |
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