My last article was a heartfelt plea for financial help, and wow…did you ever respond!
Because of your generosity, we were able to spend another incredible week in Hinesville, providing equine-assisted support to more than 40 active-duty service members from Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield.
We also became experts at stretching a dollar. To help keep expenses down, we made a few changes to the budget. Most of our meals were donated, including breakfast each day and two lunches from Chick-fil-A. Coca-Cola kept everyone hydrated with donated drinks, which was a huge blessing. We skipped renting a tent, tables, and chairs, the Equine Immersion Project (EIP) team graciously waived most of their fee, and horse rental costs stayed low because GERL supplied four of the horses ourselves.
One of those horses was our own Fred, who quickly became a participant favorite. If there had been a “Most Popular Horse” award, I’m pretty sure Fred would have won it. More importantly, the confidence he gained and the hearts he touched during the week helped lead him to his forever home. Just one week after returning, Fred was adopted. I’d say that’s a pretty successful business trip!
Friday’s session for Hunter Army Airfield participants was held at Faith Equestrian Therapeutic Center in Guyton, where they welcomed us with open arms. They generously loaned us tables and chairs and made us feel right at home. On Saturday, they hosted Family Day with everything from jewelry making to a bounce house, giving military families a chance to relax, laugh, and simply enjoy being together.
Faith Equestrian has a long history of serving children with disabilities and is now beginning to expand its programs for veterans and active-duty military. CEO and Program Director Elizabeth Todd, Ansley, and the entire Faith Equestrian team were absolutely wonderful. They are the kind of people who make you feel like family five minutes after you arrive.
One of the biggest highlights of the week was a visit from a Brigade Commander and a Division Command Sergeant Major, who came to observe the program. Then the Command Sergeant Major handed me his personal business card and said, “Give me a call sometime.”
Well…if my feet touched the ground the rest of that day, I don’t remember it. I may have floated through the next day, too!
Their visit wasn’t just exciting—it was an important sign of how much this program has grown over the past four years. We’re hopeful it will lead to future financial support that will allow us to host not just one, but two of these life-changing events each year.

So let me say this about that…
When I asked for help, you answered.
Because of you, horses were fed. Service members found peace, connection, and healing. New partnerships were formed. Fred found his forever home. And together, we proved once again that a group of caring people can accomplish some pretty amazing things.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for believing in GERL, believing in this mission, and believing that horses really can change lives. I couldn’t be more grateful.