Breaking Free Therapeutic Riding Center Hosts Annual Duck Derby Fundraiser
Interviewed by WHIZ reporter Gabe Hutton
Families gathered at Breaking Free Therapeutic Riding Center on for its annual Duck Derby, the nonprofit organization’s largest fundraiser of the year.
The event featured a silent auction, raffle prizes and riding demonstrations that gave students an opportunity to showcase their horseback-riding skills.
“This is our big fundraiser of the year,” Volunteer Coordinator Judy Beetem said. “We sell tickets for rubber ducks – not real ducks. The tickets have numbers, and the ducks have numbers on them, and then we race them.”
Six prizes were awarded during the duck race. Guests could also participate in a ticket drop and bid on donated items in the silent auction.
Beetem said the money raised will go directly toward caring for the farm, supporting its horses and providing riding lessons.
“Most of the things that are prizes are donated, so all the money that we raise goes straight back into the farm and the lessons,” Beetem said.
The organization also celebrated breaking ground on an area planned for a new stable. Grants have helped fund the project, but the center continues to raise money for construction and other operating expenses.
“We need quite a bit of money to take care of the horses and the grounds, and we provide a lot of scholarships,” Beetem said.
The new stable will help the center expand its herd and eventually offer lessons to more children. Beetem said the program often relies on older horses and rescued animals because their calm temperaments make them well suited for therapeutic riding.
“We’d like to get more horses and larger horses,” Beetem said. “The horses get tired, and these are older horses. We’d like to have more so we’re able to offer lessons to more kids, too.”
Community members interested in volunteering with Breaking Free Therapeutic Riding Center can call 740-995-9395.
