by James Coulter
A local non-profit organization that offers therapeutic riding lessons to people with special needs will be hosting its annual gala fundraiser.
On Sat. Oct. 4, Horses with a Mission will host its annual fall gala at Arlington Ridge Country Club in Leesburg, FL.
Festivities will include a banquet dinner, cash bar, cocktails, raffles, and live entertainment performed by guitarist J.R. Reich.
This year’s event is named “Raise the Roof,” as proceeds will go towards helping Horses with a Mission build a new roof for its facility, which is planned to be constructed later in October.
Sponsors include Dignity Memorial, Bikes and BBQ for Autism, AVIV, Brix PMC, and Links Printing. Repeat donors include Total Wine and More, Sumter Tire, and Brownwood Jewelers.
Horses with a Mission is a non-profit organization that, according to its website, is dedicated to “giving people with physical, mental, and emotional disabilities a chance to bond and experience the therapeutic benefit of horses.”
Victoria D’Angelo has been running Horses with a Mission since 2018. The program started in 2010, but the woman originally running the program was set to retire until D’Angelo decided to step forward and take over.
Since then, the program has grown from serving 10 children in 2018 to 65 children now and 70 on a waiting list. D’Angelo owes her organization’s success to its commitment to serving the community.
“It opens the door with kids who have special needs to be able to come and ride and get the help that they need,” D’Angelo said. “There is such a need in our community for this program, and there are not a lot [of programs] that do this with horses to help different kids with different abilities.”
To learn more about the upcoming gala, visit the Horses with a Mission website at hwamfl.org.
D’Angelo and volunteer coordinator Mickey Hollis recently appeared on the Chattin on the Ridge podcast to discuss Horses with a Mission and their upcoming gala. Listen to the full podcast on Acast: https://shows.acast.com/chattin-on-the-ridge/episodes/ep-68-horses-with-a-mission-wvictoria-dangelo-mickey-hollis
