Who We Are
The Round Up for Riders campaign is an initiative run by four undergraduate
students at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Our objective is to raise
money for the non-profit, Shangri-La Therapeutic Academy of Riding (STAR),
which is an organization that we feel makes an immense impact in the lives of
young children who are currently living with physical, mental, and neurological
disabilities.
STAR is an organization focused on using horse riding and horse-related
activities to provide therapeutic experiences to their participants. The use of
horses helps foster a sense of personal achievement in those who ride at STAR,
while simultaneously helping strengthen their cognitive, physical, and
psychological skills. STAR serves eleven counties including Knoxville and the
surrounding areas. This outstanding organization provides service to all
individuals who are ages four and up.
What We Need & What You Get
Riders at STAR are responsible for a portion of the riding fees. We never
want a rider to be turned away because of financial reasons. Therefore, we are
doing our part to raise money for Rider Sponsorships for families who need
financial assistance. The cost to sponsor one rider is approximately $600.
However, Round Up for Riders has an ambitious goal of raising at least $1,200
which would provide two potential STAR riders with full sponsorship, and we
need your help getting there!
For your extreme generosity, you will receive gifts from us to show our
appreciation. For a $5 donation, you will be e-mailed a thank you note that
will feature our campaign’s logo. If you claim the $25 perk you will receive a
sheriff’s badge to display on your Facebook page. A donation of $50 will get
you a “thank you” shout out on our campaign’s Facebook page during
our weekly wrap-up.
If you would like to sponsor a child rider so they can experience the
therapeutic benefits of the STAR program, please know that a donation of any
amount is both welcomed and extremely appreciated!
The Impact
The organization customizes horse regimens to the specific rider and the
areas that they need growth and development in. Through activities such as
grooming, tacking (putting the saddle and equipment on), mounting, and horse
riding, STAR helps address development in areas including: motor skills,
hand-eye coordination, muscle strength, socialization, and self-esteem from
their newfound abilities.
Last year, STAR provided 3,849 lessons for 205 participants, but there are
so many more individuals whose lives can be improved by working with STAR. Many
of these families are already forced to deal with the financial strain of
medical bills and aren’t able to pay for this therapy out of their own pocket.
We are simply doing our part to take this burden off of the shoulders of these
families.
Other Ways You Can Help
If you are interested and would like to contribute to our campaign but
aren’t currently able to donate, there are still so many other ways that you
can help us reach our goal.
We encourage you to spread the word about this campaign, our cause, and our
goal, to your friends and family. You can also “Like” our Facebook page, in
order to keep up with the progress of Round Up for Riders, and post the link to
this page on social media. Additionally, you can contact the Shangri-La Therapeutic
Academy of Riding by calling (865) 988-4711 for many volunteer opportunities.
We appreciate any support that you give to both Round Up for Riders and STAR
immensely.