To follow are unique and wonderful therapy programs to improve health and the quality of life for people with special needs.  Many encourage volunteers to participate in this most rewarding work...Danny

Giant Steps Therapeutic Equestrian Center, Inc. is dedicated to improving the quality of life of individuals with physical, emotional and developmental disabilities by providing a safe, secure environment in which an individual can benefit from experiencing, riding and driving horses. Through the sharing of our knowledge, compassion, experience and inspiration, our mission is to offer the extraordinary benefits of therapeutic riding to a wide range of individuals from the San Francisco Bay Area counties in a manner that acknowledges not only the special needs but the dignity of each and every rider.

Giant Steps Therapeutic Equestrian Center, Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable corporation that is dedicated to improving the quality of life of individuals with physical, emotional and developmental disabilities. Giant Steps assists each individual in learning new skills, improving their bodies, making new friends, and most important of all, finding the strength that each one carries within them. We achieve this by helping our riders focus on their abilities rather than their disabilities.

Giant Steps Therapeutic Equestrian Center offers therapeutic riding lessons Monday through Saturday to individuals whose ages range from 4-94. Since the commencement of the program in June of 1998, Giant Steps has had the privilege of serving individuals with over 35 different disabilities including: ADD, ADHD, "At-Risk" youth, Autism, Blind and Visually Impaired, Cancer, Cerebral Palsy, Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Developmental Delay, Down's Syndrome, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Hemiplegia, HIV/AIDS, Learning Disabilities, Seizure Disorders, Severe Emotional Disturbances, Speech and Language Impairments, Spinal Cord injuries and Traumatic Brain Injury.

Please visit www.giantstepsriding.org or call 707-769-8900 for more info.

Island Dolphin Care, Inc. (IDC) was developed to help children with special needs and their families who are dealing with developmental and/or physical disabilities, emotional challenges, and critical, chronic or terminal illness. Island Dolphin Care believes that children with special challenges can and should enjoy the full range of activities that life's experiences can offer, and that every child deserves the opportunity to play, giggle and have fun!

Island Dolphin Care, Inc., was created by Ms. Deena Hoagland, LCSW, after witnessing the remarkable recovery of her son, Joe, after he began swimming with dolphins at the age of three. Deena and her husband, Peter, brought Joe to Dolphins Plus, in Key Largo, FL, in the hope that the dolphins might motivate Joe to use the left side of his body-weakened from a stroke which occurred during his third open-heart surgery. Joe had not responded well to traditional physical, occupational, and speech therapies.

At Dolphins Plus, Joe began to make progress physically and psychologically in a natural, non-threatening, fun setting. He took pleasure and satisfaction in completing his exercises, assisted by the unconditional support from the dolphins. Joe responded extremely well to this "new" therapy, increasing muscle tone and flexibility, as well as increasing his self-esteem. With the support of the dolphins, especially his dolphin friend "Fonzie," Joe was able to normalize his young life. Deena hypothesized that if dolphins could help Joe feel better about himself, and motivate him to try new tasks, then the dolphins might also help others. A variety of children with special needs could experience therapeutic success in an environment less threatening than standard medical settings.

Since 1990, Deena has worked with many children from around the world with various educational, emotional, and physical needs. The dolphins are catalysts that provide unconditional love and support. The program also provides unique educational experiences that often allows children to become more expressive and develop closer bonds with parents, doctors, and therapists upon returning home.

Deena Hoagland graduated from the University of Denver with a Master's Degree in Clinical Social Work. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, and a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the States of Colorado and Florida. Deena has worked in many clinical and educational settings, and is a psychotherapist and certified hypno-therapist.

Island Dolphin Care has appeared on Primetime Live (ABC), ESPN, Frontrunners (KOMO television), King Television, WAMI (The Times), Discovery Channel USA and Canada,ANIMAL PLANET, CNN, Nation Geographic Today, Marcom Japanese Television, Oxygen Network, ABC Discovery Health, and participated in numerous international documentaries about its work and experiences with dolphin-assisted therapy and children. Articles have appeared in numerous publications including Parade Magazine, Chronicle of Philanthropy, Exceptional Parent Magazine, Hippocrates Magazine, The Daily Telegraph, The Advocate, The Keys Reporter, The Sunday Sentinel, National Geographic World Kids Magazine, Miami Herald, In Motion Magazine, Person Magazine Japan, The Florida Keys Keynoter, The Florida Keys Free Press, The Florida Living Magazine, Good Housekeeping, and The Recorder. In addition a book, Thank You Fonzie, published in Japan.

Please visit www.islanddolphincare.org or call 305-451-5884 for more info.

Renaissance Healing and Leaning Center is a therapy center that was developed by Fran Sandler Judd, a physical therapist in Sonoma County, California, to utilize Hippotherapy ("treatment with the help of the horse") to help provide benefits to patients with a variety of neurological and orthopedic conditions, that includes Parkinson's Disease, cerebral palsy, autism, developmental delays, back pain, and other impairments. Fran Judd has been a physical therapist for 30 years, having experience working with patients who have neurological conditions, such as Parkinson's Disease and multiple sclerosis. She is also a registered therapeutic riding instructor, and has a Graduate Certificate in Hippotherapy from Western Michigan University's College of Health and Human Services.

RHLC has been providing Hippotherapy ("treatment with the help of the horse") for children and adults with physical and emotional challenges since 1998. In a unique alternative to the clinical setting, RHLC offers a nurturing environment which promotes healing for our patients and their families.

The gentle rhythmic motion of a horse stimulates the body and works the muscles of the rider in a manner similar to the human stride. Because the horse's gait is similar to the human walk, this particular therapy strengthens and supports the natural motion of the spine and pelvis. Riding and the living interaction between horse, student, and staff, foster self-confidence, trust, and the pride that comes from mastering a new skill. The team, which includes horse and human, helps in the healing of the patient with special needs. Every member of the team is chosen carefully and specially trained to perform this very important job.

Benefits include improved confidence, and self esteem, balance, flexibility, range of motion, muscle tone and strength, behavior, ability to stay on task, quality of movement, decreased need for medication. Research shows that those who participate in hippotherapy and therapeutic riding can experience physical, emotional, and mental rewards. A special bond is established between horse and rider which encourages unconditional love, trust, and self-worth. This bond is an integral part of our program. The unique relationship formed with a horse can help improve interpersonal relationships. All riders can benefit from increased confidence and coping skills.

Please visit www.rhlc.net or call 707-664-8919 for more info.

(Photo card courtesy of Jim Haas, Captain of Windancer, Coconut Grove, FL)

Shake-A-Leg Miami is a non-profit organization that provides equal access to watersports recreation and aquatic education to all members of our community, including the physically, mentally, and developmentally disabled and youth at risk.

SALM is a 7-day, year round facility for programs, classes, lectures, seminars, clinics, conferences, boat races and regattas.  The programs are designed to enhance the independence, employment potential and quality of life of the disabled and at-risk youth.  Classes fpr the able-bodied are also offered.

Both wheelchair-bound and blind racers are included, and regattas for the physically disabled, developmentally disabled, and youth-at-risk occur regularly as well.

Equipment and programs include: power boats, single and double kayaks, access dinghies, keelboats, basic and advanced sailing classes, kayak lessons, weekend and evening racing clinics, moonlight sails, after school programs, summer kids camps, and special programming with local community based organizations.

Volunteers with and without sailing experience can help in many capacities as skippers, able-body crew, kayak instructors, power boat drivers, sailing instructors, office assistants, fundraisers, dockmaster assistants, boat repair and maintenance, instructors in Ecology, meterology, local history, boat repair, and more.

Training for volunteers is also available for those who wixh to learn more about sailing and boater safety.  Volunteers are also trained in techniques to work with special populations.  No previous experience or knowledge is needed, only a positive attitude and a willingness to learn!

Please visit www.shakealegmiami.org or call 305-858-5550 for more information.

Upldeger Institute Dolphin-Assisted Therapy Intensive Program - Freeport, Bahamas 

In 1996 The Upledger Foundation first began exploring the benefits of dolphin-assisted therapy. The results were so encouraging that we started searching for the optimal environment for nurturing further research and patient-care programs. We finally found what we needed in The Dolphin Experience in Freeport, Bahamas. Now the dream of providing dolphin-assisted therapy is a reality!

The resulting 4-day intensive program features select teams of therapists working together to address the specific health concerns of each individual.

Past research has shown that no more than thirty minutes a day is the optimal amount of time for a patient to spend with the dolphins. Therefore, participants will spend approximately that amount of time in multiple-therapist sessions in the water where dolphins are present and free to interact with the group as they wish. The remainder of the day will be multi-therapist sessions either on land or in the water, as the groups decide.

The cost per person is $4,500 plus all expenses such as travel, hotel, transportation and meals. Participants are also asked to complete pre- and post-program evaluations of their experience for research purposes.

The 2005 Schedule:
June 2-5, 2005
June 16-19, 2005
July 7-10, 2005
July 21-24, 2005
July 28-31, 2005
August 11-14, 2005

Please call for more information and to register: 1-800-233-5880 or (561) 622-4334. Ask for priority code IN0210.