TRAVERSE CITY- Students from Traverse City Central made their way to Reining Liberty Ranch to present the check from the money collected during this years Patriot Game.
The non-profit ranch was one of two beneficiaries selected for this years game. Their mission is to provide services to veterans and people in need through equine therapy and numerous other programs.
Founder Becki Bigelow was able to show the students around and introduce them to the therapy animals, as well as explain how impactful the money will be.
“We’re in our 13th year now and we’ve worked with kids all the time, and we know the value of equine therapy. There have been many children who could not come because they couldn’t afford, you know, and we’re very good at cost because we want people to come, but some people don’t have anything.
This (money) is going to become part of a scholarship fund where we can, thank God, begin to work with more community kids that just need a little bit of support.
I think there’s a lot more work that we need to do, and this is going to enable us to get on with it” (Bigelow).
She added : “Yeah, it’s about the smile. Yeah. It’s about the lifting of burden. When you smile, it’s just a good thing”.
Peace Ranch, the other beneficiary, received their check from Traverse City West students on December 18th.