"Where hopes are safe long enough for miracles to happen."
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"Where hopes are safe long enough for miracles to happen." |
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HOPE SEEKERS YOUTH BOARD MISSION STATEMENT It is the aim of the Hope Seekers Youth Board to seek out and find hope for other youth in the community. They will be dedicated to providing these youth with a safe and positive haven where they can find the unconditional love, acceptance and encouragement that the Hope Seekers have found themselves. Hope Seekers are aware of the needs in their community for safe and positive recreational and therapeutic programs that focus on the at-risk and special needs individuals. Therefore, the Hope Seekers are committed to raising public awareness with all youth by providing presentations for youth groups, schools and other interested agencies.
A group of youth mentors and at risk youth who have been through the program at Hope Haven, dedicated themselves to "finding hope for other youth who have walked or are still walking in the shoes that the Hope Seekers have already lain aside". They founded the Hope Seekers Youth Board. These young people find projects throughout the year to help others in need. -----------------------------------------------
Hope Seekers just "hangin out". Hope Seekers showing "their strength". ------------------------------------------------- ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE HOPE SEEKERS During 2005, twelve (12) of the Hope Seekers banded together and wrote a grant application to Youth As Resources of Hendricks County (YAR), as part of United Way of Central Indiana. They wanted to have half-day camps for other young people who were disadvantaged in one way or another. Together, they worked on writing the grant application, and presented it to the YAR Youth Board. They were excited to receive a $1,000 grant to help them plan the "A Day At The Farm" half-day camps that were held at Hope Haven during that summer. The Hope Seekers invited 141 disadvantaged youth to attend the half-day camps. Everyone enjoyed the morning of horse back riding, t-shirt painting, sand art and sometimes water fights. The Hope Seekers thoroughly enjoyed meeting and helping their new friends. Because of the actions and planning by the Hope Seekers Board, Hope Haven Horse Farm, Inc. was awarded the Indiana Youth Investment Award from the Indiana Youth Institute in the fall of 2005. ------------------------------------------------ During 2006, The Hope Seekers wrote a grant application to Youth As Resources (YAR) of Hendricks County. They were awarded a $1,000 grant to expand Hope Haven's Equestrian Special Olympics into Hendricks County. They expanded the numbers of athletes who would be taught to ride and compete in the Indiana State Equestrian Event in September of 2006. With the grant funds they purchased or made costumes and props for the Special Olympic Equestrian athletes to wear for their competition. They also worked from spring through the September event to help the athletes learn to ride, and designed the musical presentations that were a part of the competition. They certainly did reach their goal for 2006 - To bring public awareness to Hendricks County Special Needs organizations about the Equestrian Special Olympics events and classes; start an equestrian team that would represent Hendricks County and have them attend the Equestrian Special Olympics of 2006 to show and give a visual explanation of at the events; to bring awareness to the physical and mental benefits of therapeutic riding; and to bring public awareness and recruit more volunteers from Hendricks County 4-H Horse and Pony Program and any others interested in getting involved with Equestrian Special Olympics. ----------------------------------------------- During 2007, the Hope Seekers helped with Therapeutic Riding lessons for approximately 42 therapeutic riding students. Each of the Hope Seekers have been trained in the proper way to do this very important job at Hope Haven. They are also trained to be Certified Special Olympics Equestrian Volunteers. They helped with the lessons for Special Olympics Equestrian athletes in preparation for the September competition. They accompanied the athletes to the competition and helped them with whatever they need. They rode as Unified Riders with the athletes in competition. --------------------------------------------------
THERE ARE NO APPLICABLE FEES FOR THE HOPE SEEKER PROGRAM.
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