On Saturday, April 28, 2012, the 1st Annual Polo for Pal-O-Mine will be held at Country Farms, a premier equestrian event facility in Medford, NY. The event takes place from 2pm-8pm and all proceeds will benefit Pal-O-Mine Equestrian programs.
The day will feature a barbeque, carnival attractions, face painting, raffles and a trophy ceremony. Guests will be able to experience the exciting and extreme sport of polo by participating in an unmounted polo lesson and attending a professional match.
The cost of the event per person is $25 pre-purchased or $30 purchased at the door. All proceeds will benefit Pal-O-Mine programs including Equine Assisted Activities for returning soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan, Therapeutic Riding Scholarships for children with disabilities, and Equine Assisted Speech Therapy for children who are four years old and younger.
Read the original article: http://patchogue.patch.com/events/polo-for-pal-o-mine
(Islandia, NY) Pal-O-Mine Equestrian has received a $3,000 grant from the Marcie Mazzola Foundation of Commack, for its Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) Program. Pal-O-Mine provides therapeutic riding programs, such as the EAP Program, for individuals with disabilities including children and adults with mental or physical special needs and those who have been abused or neglected.
Equine assisted psychotherapy is a type of therapy that utilizes horses as part of a therapy team to facilitate learning, growth, and healing in clients. The EAP program offers individual, group, and family therapy focusing on issues including grief, trauma, abuse, eating disorders, substance abuse, and addiction. With EAP, clients are provided an emotionally safe environment to learn about their behaviors and develop positive alternatives along with increased self-esteem, improved communication skills, assertiveness, problem solving, and coping skills.
For more information about Pal-O-Mine Equestrian’s Equine Assisted Psychotherapy Program or donating to Pal-O-Mine through either donations or services, please contact Pal-O-Mine at (631) 348-1389 or visit www.pal-o-mine.org.
ABOUT THE MARCIE MAZZOLA FOUNDATION
The Marcie Mazzola Foundation aims to help better the lives of abused and at-risk children. The foundation was established in 2003 as a tribute to Marcie Mazzola’s life. The Marci Mazzola Foundation strives to continue her legacy to help children and to build community awareness regarding the needs of children.
ABOUT PAL-O-MINE
Pal-O-Mine Equestrian’s roots date back to 1993 when Founder and Director Lisa Gatti started a therapeutic riding program for individuals with disabilities. Its mission is to provide a comprehensive therapeutic equine program using horses to facilitate growth, learning and healing. Our population includes children and adults with disabilities, those who have been abused or neglected, the military and the economically compromised. Pal-O-Mine operates a full time program, seven days a week, twelve months a year, and supports eighteen program horses on an 8-acre facility serving 300 individuals with disabilities weekly. For more information, visit www.pal-o-mine.org or call 631-348-1389.
Read the original article here: http://www.longislandexchange.com/press/2012/03/28/pal-o-mine-equestrian-receives-donation/
(Islandia, NY)Pal-O-Mine Equestrian announces it has received a donation of 24 pounds of coffee from the White Coffee Co., a specialty coffee and complimentary products company located in Long Island City, New York. Pal -O-Mine Equestrian operates numerous programs year-round and events focused on offering therapeutic horseback riding to individuals with disabilities. The coffee will be offered to staff and other adults at the facility and will help off-set the costs associated with buying refreshments throughout the year for the organization.
”We are thrilled to have received the donation from White Coffee Co.,” says Lisa Gatti, Executive Director of Pal-O-Mine. “Our staff and visitors are avid coffee drinkers and they are all raving about the quality of the coffee. Donations of food and drink are incredibly helpful and we thank White Coffee for its very generous donation.”
For more information about Pal-O-Mine Equestrian or donating to Pal-O-Mine through either donations or services, please contact Pal-O-Mine at (631) 348-1389 or visit www.pal-o-mine.org.
ABOUT WHITE COFFEE
White Coffee is a beverage company based in Long Island City, NY and was established in 1939 by David White. White Coffee has grown from a company specializing in office coffee supply to a provider of high quality service and innovative products including specialty coffees, an assortment of teas, and complimentary items. The mission of White Coffee is to provide quality-based solutions to customers’ ever-changing needs while insuring every customer’s satisfaction. For more information on White Coffee, visit www.whitecoffee.com.
ABOUT PAL-O-MINE
Pal-O-Mine Equestrian’s roots date back to 1993 when Founder and Director Lisa Gatti started a therapeutic riding program for individuals with disabilities. Its mission is to provide a comprehensive therapeutic equine program using horses to facilitate growth, learning and healing. Our population includes children and adults with disabilities, those who have been abused or neglected, the military and the economically compromised. Pal-O-Mine operates a full time program, seven days a week, twelve months a year, and supports eighteen program horses on an 8-acre facility serving 300 individuals with disabilities weekly. For more information, visit www.pal-o-mine.org or call 631-348-1389.
Read the original article at: http://www.longislandexchange.com/press/2012/04/30/white-coffee-company-helps-non-profit/
Pal-O-Mine Equestrian has received a $12,500 grant from the Lisa Beth Gerstman Foundation and a $6,000 grant from the Feinstein Foundation for its Summer Camp Program. Pal-O-Mine’s Summer Camp Program provides a structured and engaging learning environment for children and youth with physical, cognitive and emotional disabilities that helps facilitate growth, learning, and healing.
Pal-O-Mine Equestrian created its Summer Camp Program after identifying a need for families to have an organized and educational setting for children while school is not in session. Summer Camp consists of two full weeks in August. Students take part in various activities including horseback riding, horse care, arts and crafts, writing, reading, social skills, and adjusted daily living skills. The Summer Camp Program helps to fulfill the mission of Pal-O-Mine Equestrian and the purpose of therapeutic horseback riding: to assist students in the improvement of educational, physical, social, and mental behaviors through unique learning experiences and skill development.
For more information about Pal-O-Mine’s Summer Camp Program or donating to Pal-O-Mine through either donations or services, please contact Pal-O-Mine at (631) 348-1389 or visit www.pal-o-mine.org.
ABOUT THE LISA BETH GERSTMAN FOUNDATION
The Lisa Beth Gerstman Foundation enables children with special needs in the New York Metropolitan Area and the Northeast United States to experience summer camp. By partnering with existing accredited camps, the Lisa Beth Gerstman Foundation affords families the ability to send children into a safe, caring, and fun learning environment. The Foundation’s primary goal is to allow each child to build self esteem and friendships through integrated camping environments.
ABOUT THE FEINSTEIN FOUNDATION
The Feinstein Foundation is dedicated to the alleviation of hunger, the importance of community service in education, and the values of caring, compassion, and brotherhood. Alan Shawn Feinstein, founder of the Feinstein Foundation, is a nationally known philanthropist and humanitarian who has made an honorable impact on American education and public service. He believes that helping to better the lives of others is the greatest of all achievements.
ABOUT PAL-O-MINE
Pal-O-Mine Equestrian’s roots date back to 1993 when Founder and Director Lisa Gatti started a therapeutic riding program for individuals with disabilities. Its mission is to provide a comprehensive therapeutic equine program using horses to facilitate growth, learning and healing. Our population includes children and adults with disabilities, those who have been abused or neglected, the military and the economically compromised. Pal-O-Mine operates a full time program, seven days a week, twelve months a year, and supports eighteen program horses on an 8-acre facility serving 300 individuals with disabilities weekly. For more information, visit www.pal-o-mine.org or call 631-348-1389.
Written by Dr. Cynthia Paulis Friday, 03 February 2012 00:00
Garden City board member praises riding program for individuals with disabilities
Temple Grandin has never let labels define who she is and what she can accomplish. In 1950, at the age of 2 when she couldn’t speak, she was diagnosed with autism and labeled as brain damaged. It was recommended that she be institutionalized.
Today, Dr. Temple Grandin is an international speaker, author of several books on autism and animal welfare and was the focus of an HBO film titled Temple Grandin, which was nominated for 15 Emmy Awards and earned five. She has been listed as Time’s 100 most influential people in the world under the category of heroes. Grandin has a Ph.D in animal science from the University of Illinois and has designed one third of all livestock handling facilities in the United States and many other countries. She is a professor of animal science at Colorado State University and a frequent lecturer on autism.
Pictured (left to right) are Garden City resident Deborah Hussey, Temple Grandin and Lisa Gatti. Photo by Dr. Cynthia Paulis
Recently, 330 people came to Temple Beth-El in Great Neck from all walks of life, teachers, parents, educators as far away as Australia, Texas, and Connecticut to listen to Temple Grandin. The event was sponsored by Pal-O-Mine Equestrian, which is a therapeutic riding program for individuals with disabilities. Owner and founder of Pal-O-Mine, Lisa Gatti invited Dr. Grandin as the speaker. “I thought it would be a really good idea to bring Temple Grandin here because 30 percent of the population we see at Pal-O-Mine is on the autism spectrum, so for teachers it is a wealth of knowledge that we are lucky to have and it would benefit our students,” said Gatti.
As a special education teacher, Gatti grew up with horses in Dix Hills and didn’t think of combining the two until she read Danielle Steel’s book Palomino where the main character, a horse rider becomes a quadriplegic and opens up a ranch in Wyoming for children with disabilities. She thought it was a good way to combine the two and in 1996, Steel gave her an $8,000 grant. Pal-O-Mine operates a full-time program, seven days a week, 12 months a year. It supports 19 program horses on an 8-acre facility serving 300 individuals with disabilities weekly.
Garden City resident Deborah Hussey has been involved with Pal-O-Mine for 10 years as a volunteer and a board member. “It’s the most amazing place I’ve ever come across. I fell in love with it and fell in love with the kids,” she said. Hussey was mesmerized by Grandin who not only spoke for two hours on autism but then spent the next 45 minutes answering questions. The event was followed by lunch where Grandin mingled with guests, listened to problems offering advice for those caring for autistic children, signed books and stayed until the last guest left.
Tall, lean, and wearing her trademark western wear, Grandin shared with me who were the three most important people in her life, “My mother who kept me out of an institution because kids that didn’t talk were put in institutions. My science teacher, who got me interested in school and in studying. I was a goofball student. I didn’t care about studying and he really got me turned around. My aunt, who had a ranch in Arizona and got me interested in animals,” Grandin said.
The visit to her aunt’s ranch was a turning point for Grandin. Socially isolated and bullied, Grandin developed a strong bond with the cows and started studying them. She noted the way cattle were inoculated while confined in a squeeze chute, and how some of the cattle immediately calmed down after pressure was administered. She realized that deep pressure from the chute had a calming effect on the cattle and decided that something similar might help her settle down her own hypersensitivity of being touched. She invented the “hug machine” with the encouragement of her science teacher. Today several therapy programs in the United States use hug machines, effectively achieving calming effects among both children and adults with autism.
Grandin showed photos of her “hug machine” which, “helped reduce my anxiety and panic attacks.” She went on to explain that “fear is the main emotion in autism.” Grandin is now on low-dose tricyclics help her panic attacks. She cautions, “There is a place for medication but carefully. Doctors have a tendency to throw drugs at them (autistic children) without thinking about what they are doing.” Grandin told the audience, “My hugging machine broke and I didn’t bother to fix it. Now I get hugs from real people,” as the room filled with applause.
Grandin shared with the audience her own experience being autistic. “Autism is not a precise diagnosis. The frontal cortex is used less because it has missing circuits,” she said.
She showed a picture of her head Cat scan compared to a normal head CT and went on to explain that she is a visual thinker. “My mind works like Google for images. Everything I think about has to be visual. I can remember the frustration of not being able to communicate. Words didn’t mean anything to me.”
One thing she emphasized was that, “Early education is important. A child has to be pushed to keep learning new skills. Good work skills are important. You have to stretch these kids, teach them how to do things for themselves. Some of these kids are too coddled. They aren’t playing outside making up their own rules. We have to get these kids out in the community.”
On social manners she had this comment: “I am appalled at how many kids are not taught manners. When I made a social mistake my mother didn’t yell at me she just gave me instructions. I was pulling on the dog’s ear so my mom pulled on my ear. It hurt and I didn’t do it again.”
Jackie Humans, whose daughter was bullied and wrote a book about it, asked Grandin how she handled it. “Some of the worst times of my life were in high school. Getting kids involved in school clubs and in shared interests helps. I was not teased when I was involved in horseback riding. I remember being called Buzzard Woman. That stopped when I became involved in a variety show and helped build the sets,” she said.
Grandin gave a comprehensive and inspiring lecture on autism sharing her own personal experiences with thoughtfulness and humor. She credits much of her success to good teachers along the way. “My job is my identity. I will teach until I can’t talk anymore.” Temple Grandin has found her voice.
The original article can be found here:
http://www.antonnews.com/gardencitylife/news/20648-temple-grandin-speaks-at-pal-o-mine-equestrian-event.html
By Christina Eyuboglu
Originally published on: Parent Guide News
Two years ago, a child named Brandon had a migrational brain disorderthat kept him confined to walkers and leg braces. Now he can tack a one-ton horse. Marissa was traumatically brain injured at age 2. But this amazing child can use sign language and ride a horse at the same time.
“The idea to create an equestrian therapy program really began when I was teaching in the classroom with 15-to-21-year-old at-risk youth who were labeled behaviorally and emotionally disturbed,” says Lisa Gatti, executive director and founder of nonprofit Pal-O-Mine Equestrian. “As a result, [they] were in and out of the system. I realized teaching them Edgar Allen Poe would be quite useless as they were lacking all the very basic life skills. My horse could teach them these skills, and it began from there. The kids began to visit the stables and my horse every day after school to learn responsibility, trust, sportsmanship and camaraderie.”
Fifteen years later, some of these same kids are still connected to Pal-O-Mine. The organization operates a facility solely dedicated to providing services to youth and adults facing a variety of challenges and needs in order to augment growth, learning and healing.
After her moment of inspiration, Gatti had originally set out to create a program that combined hippotherapy and equine psychotherapy along with competitive and therapeutic riding to help children and adults achieve physical, emotional and cognitive benefits. In the early days, Pal-O-Mine was helping a handful of kids on Long Island. The organization has now grown to be able to aid thousands of people throughout New York to find their unbridled potential.
“Pal-O-Mine has become a place where no challenge is too great and where large and small miracles are happening every day,” Gatti says.
Take Bruno’s case for example. Because of his cerebral palsy, Bruno required someone to steer his wheelchair. At Pal-O-Mine, however, he has the freedom to ride a horse without the use of his wheelchair. “I never thought he would be on a horse,” says Bruno’s mom Susan. “And I never thought he would enjoy it so much!”
Pal-O-Mine’s program is renown mostly because of its staff’s strengths and experience. The staff is comprised of special educators, mental health professionals, equine professionals, nurses and occupational, physical and speech therapists. Gatti sits on the Board of Directors of the international Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA). Of the six full-time and 20 part-time staff members, 15 have higher education degrees in their field and seven have master’s or doctoral level degrees. “It takes incredible people to build an organization that can support the needs of so many different people in our community,” Gatti explains.
Therapeutic horseback riding delivers remarkable benefits to participants through stretching both minds and muscles. Improvements in posture, balance, coordination, muscle tone, confidence and self-worth are seen almost immediately. To achieve these goals, Pal-O-Mine uses techniques like hippotherapy, equine-assisted psychotherapy and competition programs.
Hippotherapy is a physical, occupational and speech-language therapy treatment strategy that embraces equine movement as part of an integrated intervention program. Equine-assisted psychotherapy incorporates horses experientially for emotional growth and learning. It is a collaborative effort between a licensed therapist and a horse professional working to address treatment goals.
Participants in the competition program participate in recognized horse shows across Long Island, including the finals at the prestigious Hampton Classic Horse Show. Pal-O-Mine also hosts several shows a year, including the Annual Long Island Invitational Horse Show. Pal-O-Mine horses and riders attend benefit horse shows, too. On the national level, Pal-O-Mine student Keith Newerla has represented the United States in two Paralympic Games, one in Greece and most recently in Hong Kong.
Success at Pal-O-Mine is measured in several ways: a first word, improved posture or simply a smile. Noting that Pal-O-Mine staff believes horses can heal and that everyone, regardless of disability or struggle, has potential, Gatti says, “When I see these families impacted by the work we do, when I see the smiles it puts on the faces of so many, I know we are doing good work.”
At-risk students build character, increase life skills while interacting with horses
District Administration, September 2011
Since 2006, Lisa Gatti and her staff at Pal-O-mine have reached out to schools across Long Island, N.Y. to help at-risk students through their Equine Assisted Learning (EA L) program. Gatti, a former teacher for at-risk students and lifelong equestrian, saw early on the benefits of EAL for students who can’t succeed in a nontraditional setting. Pal-O-Mine, a nonprofit organization, was originally founded in 1995 and is affiliated with EAGALA, the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association.
Long Island districts including Copiague Public Schools, Central Islip Public Schools and Harborfields Central School District have partnered with Pal-O-Mine to customize EA L-based curricula for at-risk or special-needs students. Gatti seeks out grants, which range from $15,000 to $30,000 and fund the initial 12 weeks of the EAL program. Typically, students meet once per week during school hours, and transportation is provided.
“The curriculum focuses on life skills, character education and developmental assets, and are all tied to academic standards,” says Gatti.
One example of a lesson plan, says Gatti, is teaching students punctuality while incorporating a history lesson about the Pony Express. Students begin their time learning the history and key vocabulary words, then they walk to different stations in the corral, which represent different states, to follow the trail while overcoming obstacles and arriving at their destinations on time. Students do not ride the horses, says Gatti, but rather interact with them and build a relationship.
“The horses really help these kids gain insight into their own patterns or feelings,” says Gatti. “Lots of these kids are stuck or held back from reaching their own potential. Horses are nonjudgmental, aware and honest, and they lend themselves to be agents of change in these students. Kids who are otherwise disengaged from the educational process really connect with them.”
EAGALA has 65 other groups, like Pal-O-Mine, participating with it around the country and over 3,000 members. Similar programs exist throughout the country in most states. To find a program near you, visit www.eagala.org/find_a_program.
Using Horses For 'Small Wonders'
(CBS) Lisa Gatti is convinced that horses can work miracles.
“I think just being around horses is therapeutic. It teaches self-esteem; it teaches discipline,” Gatti says.
She runs a non-profit company in Huntington, L.I., called Pal-O-Mine. For her clients attempting to ride a horse is a special act of courage. So in the ongoing series called "America Heroes," The Early Show is giving credit where credit is due.
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