GRASONVILLE — Saturday evening, Nov. 16, Talisman Therapeutic Riding hosted its second annual Horseshoe Heroes Awards Banquet at the Hyatt Place hotel, located at Kent Narrows.
Event Chair and emcee Audrey Scott welcomed those in attendance, explaining the purpose of the banquet was to recognize those in the community who have supported the mission of Talisman Therapeutic Riding, an organization providing horse therapy to disabled military veterans, children, and other individuals.
Following dinner, guest speaker U.S. Coast Guard Captain Carrie Wolfe spoke briefly, talking about related services the Coast Guard provides to members of the military, particularly those struggling with mental health issues. She stated, “We not only use horses for therapy treatments, but other animals such as dogs and others, to help members of the military improve their quality of life.”
Scott was joined by TTR Chair Diana Saquella and Queen Anne’s County Commissioner Jim Moran during the presentations. Moran read a biography of each honoree.
Talisman Therapeutic Riding has been in existence for more that a decade. Executive Director Noelle Douglas said, “This banquet is held to recognize our volunteers and members of the community who go above and beyond to help Talisman.”
The Talisman farm and facility is located at 172 Blue Ribbon Lane in Grasonville. For more information, visit talismantherapeuticriding.org or call 443-239-9400.
The Honorees
- Business of the Year — The McMahon Consulting Group, which fulfilled the terms of an $80,000 AmeriCorps planning grant.
- Volunteer of the Year — Beth Cole has been a part of the Talisman family since 2014 as a PATH certified instructor, committed to two days a week helping countless students become more independent.
- Neighbor of the Year — Sara and Rami Essaid, described as “lifelong champions of animal welfare,” they share the (Talisman) Blue Ribbon address with a magnificent group of horses, goats, cows, dogs, cats and a pig.
- Philanthropist of the Year — Cal Gray Jr. reduced Talisman’s mortgage by 70% in the past year. His efforts brought about three different donations of $100,000 each towards the mortgage, along with numerous other valuable donations.
