Meet the Students Meet Our Horses Meet Our Staff Meet Our Sponsors
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Meet the Students Meet Our Horses Meet Our Staff Meet Our Sponsors |
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Our Facility |
~Meet Our Founders & Board Members~ All board members are volunteers & are not paid to sit on our board.
Co-Founder/VP of the Board As Beverly's daughter, Bobbie grew up living and breathing horses! Aside from her family, horses were the most important part of her life. As a teenager when others were turning to things many teens turn to to deal with the struggles and challenges of an adolescent, Bobbie turned to her horse. Bobbie was right where she wanted to be... at the barn! As a young adult, Bobbie faced many challenges as well. She lost her independence when she fell into an abusive relationship. She knows too well the physical battle to escape the chains of an abuser, but also the years of battling the mental chains that follow long after the relationship is over. Without horses, her road to recovery would have been much longer and much tougher. With the help of God and family, Bobbie survived that era in her life and moved on to a more productive and healthy life that she continues to work hard on to sustain. Bobbie Sawyers has been an instructor at Cardinal Stables & Riding academy for many years. She has over 20 years of riding experience under the instruction of Beverly McGee, and has also instructed at The Vineyard Christian Sports camp under Beverly in past years. She is knowledgeable in both the English and Western Disciplines. Bobbie's background includes competition in Hunters and Jumpers as well as years of experience training horses in multi-disciplined areas. She is knowledgeable in Eventing as well as every day horsemanship. She also is in the beginning years of developing her own breeding program with the Spanish Norman breed. Bobbie also spends much of her time building and maintaining websites for our organization as well as for Cardinal Stables & Riding Academy. She is responsible for most office duties and has also played a key role in the start-up of Counting Strides. Contact Bobbie : (336) 399-7214 bobbie_sawyers@countingstrides.org
Co-Founder //Chairman of the Board At an early age Beverly learned what horses can do for the soul of a little girl, and it didn't end there. As a teen Beverly went through what many of us go through all too often, her parents divorced and her life was no longer the same. Beverly has also battled abusive relationships, divorce and lets face it, the trials of raising two daughters. Horses have been her God-given life-line! Beverly is also a court appointed Guardian ad litem in Surry County. Her role is to speak on behalf and represent the children that are in the foster care system. She feels a special relationship with teens and for many years has dreamt of one day being able to help them through the efforts of an organization such as this. Her certification is through the Certified Horseman's Association, a strict, international instructor certification program, based in Tyler, Texas. With 20+ years managing her own program & business, Cardinal Stables & Riding Academy, coupled by 19 years as Equestrian Director at The Vineyard Christian Sports Camp along with playing a key role in implementing the on-site equestrian program for the Girl Scouts Camp Keyauwee Program Center in 1996... her resume is more than impressive. Although she specializes in the English disciplines, Beverly is also certified through CHA to teach the Western disciplines as well. Contact Beverly : (336) 399-7099 beverly_mcgee@countingstrides.org
Treasurer of the Board When choosing Carole as our treasure of the board, it was an easy choice. Carole has a wonderful character about her that would make anyone pleased to work along side of her. Carole has a long history with horses. She has always had horses in her life. Even at a young age, she "breezed" race horses. Carole's need for speed still lingers I suppose, she works for Richard Childress Racing and has for many years. She is also an Instructor at Cardinal Stables * Riding Academy in Dobson, NC teaching beginner riders in both the English & Western disciplines.
Few organizations are as fortunate as we are to have a member of our board like Abigail. We have been advised in the past, when trying to figure out who we would like to ask to be on our board, to make a check list of all of the attributes we would like our board members to possess... Abigail possessed all of those. Abigail has been a student at Cardinal Stables & Riding Academy for nearly a year. She loves horses and has a good understanding of them and what they can do for you physically and mentally. She is also a very active member in her church with her youth group and has a true, heartfelt desire to reach out to and help them improve their lives. She is also an employee for another non-profit organization, therefore has a very clear and thorough understanding of how a non-profit organization is operated. Abigail, along with her husband Matt, have devoted allot of time to recruiting teen candidates for our program as well as volunteering their time & energy to bring girls back and forth on their designated riding days. Abigail is an important part of our organization & program and we simply could not pass up the opportunity to add her to our board.
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