After 28 years as an Elementary Teacher and Reading Specialist with the Moore County Schools, I retired in June 2015. I’ve spent the last eight years working part-time. This work included a three-year stint as a Human Resources Coordinator in a Home Health Care office. However, most of my part-time work has been as a Program Specialist with the Moore County Literacy Council which is now part of The CARE Group, Inc. Literacy, books and writing are some of my passions so I always found myself coming back to that field as either an employee or volunteer.

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While teaching, I wrote and self-published a series of “Buddy and Lily” books about our beloved certified therapy dogs geared for grade school children. Over time, I sold more than 30,000 copies to school districts and families with young children. After retiring, I definitely wanted to keep writing and paying it forward. In 2019, I began volunteering with The Prancing Horse Therapeutic Riding Center, an accredited therapeutic riding center whose mission is to enhance the lives of individuals by providing a safe environment for therapeutic horsemanship. I brought Buddy and Lily to the farm that year and subsequently wrote a book to benefit Prancing Horse, called “Buddy and Lily Visit Prancing Horse.”

 

At the time, I never thought I’d step out of my comfort zone and learn the ropes as a volunteer there! I have always loved horses but had no real experience around them. However, after seeing first-hand what a wonderful place Prancing Horse is, I started to volunteer there four years ago. I have even taken riding lessons for the first time in my life, offered to active volunteers. That was really stepping out of my comfort zone!

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This past summer I helped coordinate a trial run of the “Reading to the Herd” program which allowed some of the young Prancing Horse participants to read my books and other books to the horses. Reading to animals is a great way to have children get excited about reading! I’m planning to write my fifth book to benefit PH in the coming months. I sell the books at fundraiser events and community fairs, with all proceeds going to the organization. Additionally, I am still currently active with Therapy Dogs International with our current therapy dog, Levi.

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I have gotten so much from Prancing Horse, as well as my volunteer work with my therapy dogs and tutoring adult students at The CARE Group, Inc. in Southern Pines, North Carolina. When you help others, I always say it’s a 60/40 proposition where you derive the majority percentage of the joy by making others happy. It’s really that simple.  ​

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prancing-horse.org

thecaregroupinc.org

www.tdi-dog.org/default.aspx

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