Chester adds 'Spice' to his campaign team with Social Secretary
Monday, April 16, 2012
FRANKLIN, Tenn. – Chester couldn’t resist the opportunity to add some Spice to his 2012 Saddle Up! Annual Fund Campaign Committee, which he is leading as Campaign Chair.
The adorable dun Appaloosa gelding announced the second addition to his committee, a mare named Spice who will serve as his Social Secretary.
“Spice isn’t part of our Saddle Up! herd,” Chester said through a Saddle Up! interpreter. “So this is a great opportunity to involve more Middle Tennessee equines to help us in our ‘Don’t Say Neigh’ campaign to raise at least $125,000 for our program.”
Noting that Tennessee is known as the volunteer state, Chester added, “Spice showed why Tennessee has that name. She wrote me and volunteered for this position. And, believe me, I know how important volunteers and volunteering is because here at Saddle Up! we see about 200 volunteers every week.”
Spice’s hand-written note offering to volunteer was delivered to Chester by Spice’s “mom” Pat Madden, who herself has been a Saddle Up! volunteer and supporter. Spice’s note read:
Dear Chester,
I have asked my owner Pat Madden to write this enclosed check in my honor. I am from a very old Virginia family of ponies known as Chincoteague. My ancestors swam ashore from a shipwreck sometime around the time the Mayflower deposited humans on Plymouth Rock.
I was sold at an auction held each year by the Volunteer Fire Department. That is how I ended up in Pegram, Tennessee, where my present owner thankfully rescued me from a summer camp.
I am well aware of the great job you and your fellow equines do every day at Saddle Up!. If you find that you might have a need for a Social Secretary, I am very well briefed in all areas of protocol and scheduling and would volunteer.
Fondly,
Spice Madden
Spice is the second Campaign Committee member named, joining Saddle Up!’s smallest “horse staff” member, Dumpling, who is serving as Public Relations Chair and spokeshorse.
Chester reminded everyone that the annual fund campaign provides money for all that is done at Saddle Up! so the program can serve more than 180 children and youth who have disabilities with more than 4,500 lessons a year.
“Remember, this is the ‘Don’t Say Neigh,’ campaign so join us with your donation – and any size gift helps – to help us keep our riders riding. And, of course, our wonderful horse staff fed and cared for,” he said.
Saddle Up! is Middle Tennessee’s oldest and largest recreational therapeutic horseback riding program and the only one exclusively serving children and youth who have disabilities. For more information, please visit the website, www.saddleupnashville.org, or call 615-794-1150. Donations may be made online or by sending your gift to Saddle Up!, 1549 Old Hillsboro Road, Franklin, TN 37069-9136.
FRANKLIN, Tenn. – Chester couldn’t resist the opportunity to add some Spice to his 2012 Saddle Up! Annual Fund Campaign Committee, which he is leading as Campaign Chair.