The Knights of Columbus Council of the St. Mary Parish in Morrison, IL, recently awarded a check for over $1700 to the White Oaks Therapeutic Equestrian Center (WHOA.) This represents the proceeds of the Knights’ Annual Tootsie Roll Fund Raising Drive. Kylie Vanderleest, Executive Director, of White Oaks Therapeutic Equestrian Center, received a donation from Luke Vander Bleek of the Morrison St. Mary Knights of Columbus Council.
Founded in 1995, WHOA has since been providing therapeutic equestrian training to children with various developmental disabilities. The stables are located at the family farm of Harold and Mary Scuffham in Morrison.
Therapy is conducted mainly in the spring and summer during temperate weather. However, the center’s Director, Kylie Vanderleest, is ambitiously planning for a day when the organization will be able to provide an indoor facility, to accommodate therapy sessions in less-ideal weather.
The Knights of Columbus is an international fraternal order of more than 1.8 million Catholic men, who are informed by four common core principles of Charity, Unity, Fraternity, and Patriotism. In 2011, the international organization reported over $150 million in charitable donations accompanied by more than 70 million hours of volunteer work.
The Knights of Columbus of Morrison express their gratitude to all who participated in making the annual fund drive a success, to enable the support of those brothers and sisters struggling with intellectual disability.
To learn how you can help and for more information about WHOA, go to www.whiteoakscenter.org or contact Kylie Vanderleest, Executive Director at rideatwhoa@yahoo.com or by telephone at 815-772-2669.