Greenwell Foundation Loves ‘Horsing’ Around for the Holidays
Participants at Greenwell Foundation’s drive-thru Holiday Horse Event. (Submitted photo)
They came for pony rides, they came to kiss a pony in a Santa hat, they came to frolic with the goats and to tie-dye a Greenwell T-shirt. They came to eat great food, to take their family’s holiday photo with Onyx in front of the tree. They came to laugh and celebrate being together once again — carefully and safely.
They came because — happily — they could!
Over 600 of the Greenwell Foundation’s favorite friends and neighbors came to the barn at Greenwell State Park for an annual Holiday Horse Open House in early December.
Now the biggest fundraiser on the Greenwell Foundation calendar, “… proceeds from the event, and from gifts given by our generous Friends of the Holiday Horse, are used for the care and feeding of our Hero Herd of horses and ponies,” said Jolanda Campbell, Greenwell’s executive director. “It costs over $40,000 to support our animals each year, so this is a big help!”
Greenwell Foundation board member Usha Iawara with Oynx at the Holiday Horse Open House on December 4.
The Holiday Horse Open House came on the heels of Greenwell’s drive-thru Holiday Horse Event, where the group hosted friends with disabilities, and those medically at-risk. Guests arrived December 2 by car and by bus, and spent a wonderful afternoon with Greenwell’s staff, horses, and ponies dressed for the season.
“We started this event last year when we couldn’t host the Holiday Horse Open House at the barn,” said board member Frannie Bostich, “and it was so successful, we realized that we needed to continue it for our many neighbors and friends who weren’t able to attend the larger event Saturday.”
Greenwell Foundation designs and implements outdoor, nature connection, therapeutic programming for children and adults with and without disabilities at Greenwell State Park in Hollywood, MD.
Learn more about Greenwell programs and register for activities here.
