Around Town … with Robert Airoldi: DreamPower Horsemanship takes home four prestigious awards

Published in the August 23 – Sept. 5, 2017 issue of Gilroy Life

By Robert Airoldi

Robert Airoldi

Congratulations to DreamPower Horsemanship, a Gilroy nonprofit that offers unique therapeutic horsemanship programs and services, for winning four 2017 Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship, International awards.

“Jerry,” a former trail horse who retired from the U.S. Forest Service to work as a therapy horse at DreamPower Horsemanship has been honored as the 2017 PATH Intl. Region 11 Therapy Horse of the Year.

Dr. Cherie Page, Ph.D., a staff psychologist at DreamPower Horsemanship for the past six years, has been honored as the Professional of the Year.

Antonella Wolf, a volunteer at DreamPower Horsemanship for the past six years and a resident of Gilroy, has been honored as Volunteer of the Year.

And, Tri-County Veterinary Hospital in Gilroy, the official veterinary hospital of DreamPower Horsemanship for the past 15 years, has been honored as the Veterinarian of the Year.

There are 11 PATH Intl. regions and all four honorees are now in the running for the PATH International title in their respective categories, which will be announced late August.

If you’d like to help this great nonprofit, attend the Wine Dine & Equine 2017, taking place at San Jose Police Officers Association Hall in San Jose, Sept. 30, 2017. It features the Blue House Band with dinner by Thyme Catering. This fundraising event supports the 20 unique therapeutic horsemanship programs and services of DreamPower Horsemanship. Tickets are available at www.eventbrite.com/e/wine-dine-equine-2017-tickets-34492959370.

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Another great nonprofit, Town Cats, is celebrating its 20 year anniversary with their Whiskers and Wine event. It will be held from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26, at Satori Cellars in Gilroy. It is family-friendly, free and full of fun for everyone. There will be wine tastings, by the glass and bottles available, wine for cats, face painting, raffle prizes and more. Proceeds from the event will benefit cats and kittens in their care and in the community.

“I am so excited to partner with Satori Winery. They are a pillar in the community and we, at Town Cats, are thrilled to share this day with them,” said Samantha Sullivan, operations manager of Town Cats.

Town Cats works to alleviate the suffering of stray, abandoned, unwanted and feral cats in Santa Clara County and serve as advocates for all cats. The organization operates solely from donations from the public. Fundraisers such as the Whiskers and Wine event allow them to continue to service communities and cats throughout greater Santa Clara County. Proceeds from the events will help them provide all necessary medical expenses for kittens in their foster care program, provide working cat placements throughout the bay area to curb rodent and pest problems in residential properties and provide food, litter, and medical needs to the long term cats in our care.

For more information, visit www.towncats.org or contact [email protected].

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Nominations are now open through Aug. 31 for the 2017 Gavilan College Community Spirit Awards
Anyone who lives or works in the Gavilan Joint Community College District may nominate a business, individual, or organization for all they do that contributes to the quality of life in our communities.

Each year, three sets of awards are presented, for the communities of Morgan Hill, Gilroy, and San Benito County. In each community an individual, a business, and a nonprofit are selected for their history of service, their impact on the community, and the inspiration they provide. Nomination forms, more information, and a list of past award recipients are available online at www.gavilan.edu/news/announcement/spirit-awards.php. So, if you know of someone who has contributed to our community, nominate them, their business or nonprofit.