Office of Borough President James P. Molinaro
Staten Island, New York
B.P. Molinaro holds awards ceremony for “Volunteers of America” children
Preschoolers with special needs from Tottenville’s Early Learning Center participated in SIRA’s therapeutic horseback riding program
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – Borough President James P. Molinaro today held an awards ceremony for preschoolers with special needs from the Volunteers of America’s Early Learning Center who participated in the Staten Island Recreation Association’s (SIRA) Therapeutic Horseback Riding Program in South Beach.
Molinaro and Megan Delmar, President of SIRA, handed out Certificates of Achievement, ribbons and trophies to 18 children who participated for four weeks in the “Helping Others Overcome Personal Handicaps” (HOOPH) program, which provides significant benefits to the disabled, including improved flexibility, balance and muscle strength, as well as increased confidence.
The preschoolers attend the VOA’s Early Learning Center in Tottenville, which helps children overcome cognitive, speech, sensory, social, emotional, and motor disabilities. The Center opened in 1984, the first of three VOA schools in the City to provide therapeutic intervention and specialized education to children ages birth to five.
“I am thrilled to come here today and participate in this awards ceremony,” Molinaro said. “Children with special needs have a distinct place in my heart. Study after study has shown that early intervention may be the key in helping young people with disabilities. However, people of all ages have benefitted from the horse therapy here at the Rodeo Grounds. That is why last year, working with the New York State Department of Parks and Recreation, I agreed to entirely fund an enclosed riding arena at this location
with a capital allocation of $750,000. I look forward to working with State Parks to construct this facility as soon as possible.”
Mrs. Delmar said, “This is a program Staten Island badly needs and the demand reflects that. Our success has far exceeded our expectations and demand is outstripping our resources. Unfortunately, the limiting factor isn’t support or interest, but simply the physical limitations of our facility. Without an enclosed riding structure, we are entirely at the mercy of Mother Nature. It is very frustrating to work with these children and see the wonderful progress they make, only to have to stop due to the weather. Everyone involved is extremely excited with the funding for the building being provided by Borough President Molinaro. With his support, we hope that the State Parks Department will work as quickly as possible to see that this structure gets built.”
Bonnie Wohl, Educational Director of the VOA’s Early Learning Center, said, “The Center has been providing a therapeutic horseback riding program called ‘Miracles Through Movement’ for our special needs preschool children for several years now.Its primary purpose is to teach our children with disabilities a new skill and, at the same time, provide them with their needed individualized physical, occupational, and speech-language therapy in an enjoyable and sensory-filled venue. The partnership between the horse and the child is an extraordinary motivator, increasing confidence and self-esteem, along with strength, balance, coordination and communication skills. The Staten Island Recreation Association, where the horseback riding program occurs, provides staff who are fully certified by the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association. Our experience has only been a positive one with children making great gains.We will certainly look for funding for this program to continue into the 2007-2008 school year.”
HOOPH started as a pilot program in 2005 and has proven highly successful. Each week, dozens of developmentally disabled children and adults from agencies such as Community Resources get a chance to experience therapeutic horseback riding, which has been found to provide significant benefits to the disabled since its inception in Europe in the 1950s.
The program currently is offered by SIRA from May through October on a portion of the State Park’s property at 599 Father Capodanno Boulevard. This therapeutic riding program is the only one of its kind on Staten Island that is sanctioned by the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA). The program is conducted according to the strict guidelines of NARHA, the only licensing agency in the U.S. that trains and certifies instructors to work with the disabled.
For information about joining the program, call Mrs. Delmar at (718) 981-9251 or visit www.hooph.org.
May 23, 2007