A Night of Horsing Around Changes Lives at the Cheff Center

ORGANIZATION: Cheff Therapeutic Riding Center

EVENT: The Cheff Center’s Annual Shindig

DATE: September 7, 2018

TIME: 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

LOCATION: 8450 North 43rd Street, Augusta, MI 49012

A CONVERSATION WITH: Tara East, Executive Director of the Cheff Therapeutic Riding Center

WHAT SERVICES DO YOU PROVIDE AT THE CHEFF CENTER?

The Cheff Center opened in 1969 as the first therapeutic riding center in North America. At first, the Cheff Center served only people with physical disabilities, but as time went on, we started accommodating all special needs, both mental and physical. Today, we have clients seeking treatment for a wide range of diagnoses including autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD), cerebral palsy, and addiction. We serve all people; our youngest client joined last year at 11 months old, and we have a group of senior citizens who come here for regular therapy.

Simply put, hippotherapy works. We sometimes prefer to call it magic, but there is science behind the approach. The three-dimensional movement of the horse’s pelvis as it walks is as close as you can get to mimicking a human’s gait. This cannot be effectively replicated in a traditional setting. You might get 30 inputs to your brain during a physical therapy session in a clinic, but you reach 5,000 in under 45 minutes on a horse. Plus, for clients coming here for mental and emotional treatment, the therapy is proven to boost serotonin levels in the brain which is extremely beneficial (in elevating your mood). When the session is over, everyone leaves here smiling. We love to be that safe and happy place.

WHAT WILL GUESTS EXPERIENCE AT THIS YEAR’S SHINDIG?

The Shindig is western-themed and focused on fun. When you arrive, you can park out in the pasture where we will have golf carts to pick you up and bring you up to the building. There will be a big tent outside with food, a silent auction, and a two-piece band. Outside, we have a big band playing country and rock music, so by the end of the night, everybody will be on their feet dancing. People will take off their shoes and put on cowboy hats. One year, we sponsored a mechanical bull and hired three professional bull riders. Another year, we had vintage 1969 Cadillacs with the horns and parked them out front. We love planning this event—this time you will be sure to see some surprises!

WHY IS THIS EVENT IMPORTANT TO YOUR MISSION?

The Cheff Center doesn’t rely on any government funding, but we still want to keep our costs as low as possible for our clients. Most of our donations come from small donors, so this event brings in about one-third of our budget. It’s a critical night for us. And aside from being a lot of fun, the Shindig helps communicate our mission to the community. People can walk around the center and learn more about our history and what we do every day. Plus, our volunteers will be more than happy to introduce you to some of our horses while you’re here!

TO REGISTER: Visit cheffcenter.org or call 269.731.4471