The non-profit organization uses horses and their environment to offer equine-based activities from reading to riding.
PUTNAM COUNTY, OH (WLIO) - Therapists in Putnam County are making a difference in the lives of many, but they're not the kind of therapists you'd expect.
Since opening in 1997, the center has seen volunteers come and go, but for some, the commitment to serve their community continued after seeing life-changing moments unfold before their eyes.
At the Challenged Champions facility, located at 11913 Rd 6, Ottawa, OH 45875, horses provide therapy and hope to individuals facing various conditions. The non-profit organization uses horses and their environment to offer equine-based activities from reading to riding. The goal is to enrich and change the lives of children and adults with special needs.
Since opening in 1997, the center has seen volunteers come and go, but for some, the commitment to serve their community continued after seeing life-changing moments unfold before their eyes. Gary Krouse calls this "the infection" because you get infected by both the horses and kids' kindness and the staff who are so dedicated to what they do.
The selfless efforts of the volunteers at Challenged Champions are the driving force behind the organization.
"There was a young girl that came in, and she was 12 years old and had never walked, and they put her on a horse, and she was in here in the barn, and when the horse took 4 or 5 steps on this concrete, she screamed, and I was cleaning a stall at the time, and I come flying out, and the instructor said, What's the matter? She said I can feel his feet hit the ground. Now I know what it's like to walk. So I wiped my eyes and went back to work," said Gary Krouse, a volunteer at Challenged Champions.
The selfless efforts of the volunteers at Challenged Champions are the driving force behind the organization. With no prior experience needed, you can help out to make a positive impact.
For more information on donating or volunteering, visit their website at https://www.challengedchampions.com/.
The equestrian center is always hoping to get more volunteers so that, in turn, they can touch more lives through their program. Gaining volunteers would help children currently on the waiting list make their way to the barn. Through the years, the program continues to leave a mark on individuals.
"I've just seen a lot of different people come through our doors, whether it's volunteers, riders, or veterans, and a lot of people leave with pretty big smiles on their faces. I'm not saying we change everybody's life that comes through, but at least we may have made a day a little bit brighter when they come in," said Amanda Sizemore, program director at Challenged Champions.
For more information on donating or volunteering, visit their website at https://www.challengedchampions.com/.
