American Riding Club For The Handicapped

THERAPY FOR THE HANDICAPPED

ARCH, A VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION, WHICH HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE SINCE 1975, HAS OVERCOME MANY DIFFERENT OBSTACLES OVER THE YEARS. IT HAS SERVED THOUSANDS OF DISABLED INDIVIDUALS. ARCH HAS PROVIDED PROGRAMS FOR 4-H STUDENTS, COACHED ATHLETES FOR SPECIAL OLYMPICS AND EVEN HOSTED MANY SPECIAL OLYMPIC EVENTS INCLUDING THE CALIFORNIA STATE EQUESTRIAN GAMES. IT SENT SPECIAL OLYMPIANS TO THE INTERNATIONAL GAMES WHERE 3 ATHLETES WON 2 GOLD MEDALS AND 3 SILVER MEDALS.ARCH WAS THE FIRST DISABLED GROUP OF RIDERS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TOURNAMENT OF ROSES PARADE. RAFER JOHNSON, USA OLYMPIC ATHLETE, AND PRESIDENT OF SPECIAL OLYMPICS RODE WITH ARCH TWO OF THE THREE YEARS IT PARTICIPATED IN THE PARADE.ARCH REALIZES THAT HOUSING FOR THE DISABLED IS A MUCH NEEDED ITEM, AND HAS BEEN TRYING TO WORK TOWARDS THE GOAL OF PROVIDING THIS. WE ARE STILL WORKING ON IT. MOST FACILITIES CAN BE FOUND TO HOUSE LOW INCOME PEOPLE, BUT NOT HOUSING FOR THE NEEDS OF THE DISABLED. OUR MISSION TO FUND THIS, IS STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS. YEAR 2021 FOR THE AMERICAN RIDING CLUB FOR THE HANDICAPPED, THERAPEUTIC PROGRAM WAS STILL A YEAR OF STRUGGLE. THE NEW DELTA VARIANT CASES WERE RISING AND MOST OF OUR VOLUNTEERS WERENT ELIGIBLE FOR THE VACCINE. AS THE VIRUS WAS SPREADING, WE DECIDED TO STAY CLOSED UNTIL WE COULD GET EVERYONE HELPING OUT, VACCINATED. THE POPULATION THAT ARCH SERVES IS ALREADY DELICATE WITH VARIOUS HEALTH ISSUES, AND EXPOSING THEM TO THE POSSIBILITY OF CATCHING THE VIRUS WAS NOT SOMETHING WE WANTED TO DO. WE OPENED FOR A SHORT TIME IN JULY, BUT THE HEAT WAS ANOTHER FACTOR THAT MADE THERAPY SESSIONS DIFFICULT FOR, NOT ONLY THE DISABLED YOUNG PEOPLE, BUT FOR THE HORSES AND VOLUNTEERS AS WELL. WE AGAIN CLOSED UNTIL OCTOBER, WHEN TEMPERATURES WERE A BIT MORE BEARABLE FOR ALL CONCERNED. OUR BOARD MEMBERS WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND, TO KEEP OUR THERAPY TOOLS, THE HORSES, FED, WATERED, GROOMED, AND EXERCISED. THEY TIMED SESSIONS SO THAT THEY DIDNT COME IN CONTACT WITH OTHER VOLUNTEERS WHO WERE CLEANING, HAULING HAY, OR DOING OTHER CLEAN-UP ACTIVITIES. THEY DONATED HAY AND FEED, AND EVEN DELIVERED IT WHEN THEY KNEW WE WERE CLOSE TO RUNNING OUT, AND HAD NO VOLUNTEERS AVAILABLE. THEY WERE TRULY ARCH ANGELS. OUR HOUSING ACTIVITIES ARE STILL BEING WORKED ON, HOWEVER, WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE A DISABLED FAMILY, WHOSE HOME BURNED DOWN, A PLACE TO STAY, FREE OF CHARGE. THEY ARE AWAITING INSURANCE PAYMENT FOR THE INCIDENT, AND WILL LEAVE WHEN OR IF THAT COMES THROUGH. WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO A BETTER YEAR IN 2022.