Founder of riding centre honoured by province
PUSLINCH, ON - The founder of a therapeutic riding school is among 13 outstanding recipients of the Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship.
Ann Caine, founder and executive director of
Wilbert Abbott, Caine's pastor at Guelph's Salvation Army congregation, also sees Caine's “tremendous passion" for children who face extreme challenges in life.
“God has blessed her with a creative and persistent spirit that has brought joy and happiness to so many children," says Abbot.
Caine says she was “embarrassed to receive the award because you shouldn't be awarded for doing what you love."
Celia Clark, a member of the Rotary club who coordinated Caine's nomination, says when the club heard the province wanted nominees she immediately thought of Caine.
“We have such an incredible admiration for Ann's selflessness and her commitment to her community," says Clark. “It's nice for Ann to receive this accolade for her hard work and dedication, but more important is the attention this honour has brought to Sunrise, Puslinch's best kept secret."
Caine has also faced challenges in her life. A year and half after coming to Guelph from England with four children, her husband Christopher was diagnosed with cancer. He passed away at 39 in 1977, leaving her to raise their children who were 14, 12, nine and five.
Before Christopher's death the family received two ponies from a friend. Caine says she had no idea how important the ponies would become in her children's healing process after their father's death.
“My children were suffering emotional trauma and that's when I noticed Andrew, who was 12, spending time with the ponies. He would ride for hours. The ponies had become his life line," she says.
“Seeing the role animals played in healing and therapy, and wanting to give back to my community, I decided to open a therapeutic riding and learning centre," she says of Sunrise, which opened its doors in 1982.
Fourteen years later, in 1996, following a successful capital fundraising campaign to give Sunrise a permanent home, Caine purchased a 102-acre farm just south of Guelph. Until then, the centre had been borrowing horses and using rented stalls.
Today, Sunrise is home to 25 horses, a few donkeys and four cats. During the summer about 100 children take part in riding camps each week. About 65 to 75 per cent of those children have disabilities.
Clark, who sends her grandchildren to day camp at Sunrise each summer, says, “The children have an opportunity to socialize with children who have disabilities. It is here they learn to not treat children with special needs as being different."
Dear Readers:
ChristianWeek relies on your generous support. please take a minute and donate to help give voice to stories that inform, encourage and inspire.
Donations of $20 or more will receive a charitable receipt.Thank you, from Christianweek.
