Lois Overton says she would not have gone out looking to do volunteer work. What she is doing now is so much fun and general reward that she doesn't really think of it as volunteering. One of the reasons Lois looked forward to returning to Vermont in retirement was because, after years of not riding horseback, she wanted to revive what had been her favorite form of exercise and recreation before marriage. This led by happenstance to a weekly activity that has become a real joy to her. The High Horses Therapeutic Riding Program is one of many such programs nationwide that accept children and adults with mental, physical, and emotional disabilities.
Amazing things happen when the disabled are brought together with horses.
Lois says that watching the spastic muscles of a cerebral palsy victim relax with the rhythmic movements of a horse or seeing the smiles on the faces of handicapped children can be very rewarding experiences. Charitable programs like this, she notes, are always in dire need of volunteers. As you can see, this whole concept of a Redirections forum depends heavily on what other '61s can bring to it. They knew and liked the area, it seemed it would fit their lifestyle, and they had lived here before. Moreover, they knew they wanted to get away from suburban living.