INSIDE THIS ISSUE

2 Ike Deals a Big Blow to SIRE

5 Meet Wyatt

6 Why NARHA Accreditation

7 Serving SIRE

8 Ride-A-Thon

9 SIRE Fort Bend

10 Donor Thank You

SURVIVINGIKE

Greater Houston’s largest NARHA premium accredited center providing equine-assisted therapy to children and adults with disabilities Fall 2008

SIRE, Inc. is a non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization

s predicted by local forecasters,

Hurricane Ike blew in during the

predawn hours of Saturday,

September 13th. And like so many

individuals living on the Gulf Coast, SIRE

too has its own Ike story. It is one of

courage, determination, and generosity. But

before we get to that, let me reassure you

that all the SIRE horses, at each of our sites,

weathered the storm without injury and are

doing well.

IKE REVEALS UNYIELDING COURAGE

It was some time after midnight when the

winds began to howl and the ominous

sounds of splintering wood echoed through

the dark night. Several large oak trees

standing sentry by the front gate of SIRE

Hockley now lay across the driveway. Then

somewhere around two a.m., a strong gust

lifted the tin roof off the barn, causing it to

flap in the wind like a weathered flag. As the

deafening sound of shattered metal blared

ever louder with each forceful gust of air,

Jim Brewer, our Hockley facility manager,

his wife Peggy, and daughter Tori grew

increasingly concerned for the horses. This

apprehension urged the Brewer family from

the safety of their SIRE home, through the

high winds and heavy rains, and into the

barn. Jim said, “I believe it was the horses’

natural herd instinct that helped to keep

them calm during the crest of the deafening

noise. And I’d like to think that maybe our

being there may have helped just a little.”

For five hours through the height of the

storm as the roof damage continued to

worsen, the Brewer family remained in the

barn to monitor and calm the horses.

Finally, dawn broke, offering just enough

light for Jim to inspect the damage: the

middle section of the barn roof was gone

Ike Deals aBig Blow to SIRE

A

leaving three rows of stalls open to the sky

and elements. Working as a team in the

wind and rain, the trio carefully led the

horses out of the battered barn and into the

safety of the far pastures. Trees and fences

were down; the front gate and several

majestic oaks lining the drive were gone as

well as the SIRE sign.

SIRE Hockley was without electrical

power for three days, and during those long

days the weary Brewer family continued

their heedful watch and unrelenting care of

the horses. No electricity means no water;

an electric pump sends water from the water

well to the faucets, and, in addition, the

generator was damaged. The horses were at

risk for dehydration and colic, and

dedicated personnel took action in the rain

to haul buckets of water.

In humble response to the outpouring

of praise and gratitude for his family’s

courage, Jim responded, “We are not heroes.

We did what anyone would have done in

the same situation.” SIRE gives a big “thank

you” to the Brewer family for their

overwhelming dedication.

GENEROSITIES MUCH APPRECIATED

As the storm continued to rage during the

early hours of Saturday morning, Jim

Brewer’s cell phone rang out. The voice of

his friend, Carl Benge, from Santa Fe Ranch,

could be heard reverberating through the ear

piece. Carl asked if everyone was okay and

if they were in need of help. Jim shared his

concern about the debris-blocked driveway,

and before long Carl came rolling down

Spring Drive in a large tractor and made

While insurance covered the

physical damage at SIRE,

the loss of income of over

$15,000 from cancelled

classes was not covered.

To donate, please send

contributions to SIRE at

24161 Spring Drive,

Hockley, TX or go to our

website www.sire-htec.org

for other ways to support

SIRE (at no cost to you).

Ike Recovery

SUPPORT

quick work removing the trees. Another call

came from the area veterinarian; Dr. Chris

Boutros inquired not only on the safety of

the family, but on the safety and needs of

the horses. By mid-morning on Saturday,

Eddie Martinez had driven over to check on

the Brewers and to help.

SIRE’s main electrical box located on the

damaged barn was a major concern—D & L

Electric Company was on-site before 9 a.m.

Monday morning, checking the lines and

straightening the boxes. The D & L

employee, Chris, then offered his assistance

in any capacity needed.

Karen Gardner and her husband, John,

cleaned out the therapy room which had

sustained water damage when the roof blew

off the barn. A crew of staff and volunteers

focused on clean-up. Molly Sweeney, Joelle

Devlin and Deborah Gottselig helped feed

the horses.

SIRE SPRING & SIRE FORT BEND

During the storm, SIRE Spring’s Daniel

Narvaez and his family kept a watchful eye

over the horses, arena and their home.

Several trees were down, the toy shed lost,

run-in shed damaged, and all the sand in

the arena vanished with the wind.

There was no substantial damage

reported at SIRE Fort Bend. Kudos to Molly

Sweeney for helping to evacuate these

horses and bringing them home again.

PRAISING DEDICATION

Through contributions of time and effort by

staff and volunteers, we have been able to

take those first steps toward recovery from

the Ike storm damage.

We sincerely thank you all for your

heartfelt generosity and unyielding

dedication—hope has been renewed

through the kindness of your spirits.

—Deborah Gottselig

JAN. 7, 2009Volunteer Orientation

JAN. 10, 2009Volunteer Training

FEB. 23-25, 2009Top Hands Horse Show

MAR. 28, 2009Horses &ResearchPresentation

MAY 9, 2009Annual Shindig

MAY 30-31, 2009State SpecialOlympics

June 3, 2009Summer Training

June 6, 2009Volunteer Orientation

Important

DATES

SPONSOR A HORSE

Each winter during the holiday season,we

honor the horses that giveso much joy

and therapeutic healing to the special

riders of SIRE. It is only through

the

generosity of others that we are granted

the funds to care for our amazingfriends.

So, be on the look out for thisvery

special mailing.And please open your

hearts to help these remarkable heroes

continue the miraculous work that they do.

Your support isgreatly apprecia

ted and

will help keep our horses happy and

healthy throughout the year.

4 The SIRE Crier

What do you say when you meet someone for the first

time? You make eye contact, reach your hand out for a

firm handshake, and you say, “Hi, my name is ___.”

Then you wait for the other person to respond. We all

do this on a regular basis without giving it much

thought. Yet, when a person with disabilities enters the

picture, suddenly people do not know what to do.

Confusion settles in, your mind begins to panic, and

you think, “What do I do, what do I say?”

So, the next time you come upon someone who

has a disability, stop. Look at the person in front of you

and appreciate that this is an individual—a real person,

someone who has feelings and emotions just like you.

Then, as you would do with anyone you would meet:

lean in a bit closer, make eye contact, and reach your

hand out and say, “Hi. My name is ___.” Wait patiently

for the response; you will be pleasantly surprised at

what that person may share.

Sometimes the person will not indicate that they

heard you. They may not be able to make eye contact,

or talk back to you, or reach their hand out to you. But

just because their body won’t do what they want it to,

they are glad to hear you. And either way, you have

given the right message: “Welcome. I care, and I am

interested in you.” Believe me, these people and their

families do not experience that often enough. So, go

ahead do the right thing, and offer a simple “hello.”

Just Say “Hi”

The SIRE Crier 5

Meet Wyattyatt Womack is a beautiful three-year-old boy

with Down Syndrome. He came to SIRE as a

very timid and dependent little boy. During

his evaluation he would hardly associate with the therapist,

choosing instead the comfort of his mother’s arms. He could

walk a little, but preferred to be carried. At home, his mom

referred to him as the “King”—any time his wants were not

met, he would plop down on the ground and refuse to move

until he got what he wanted.

Wyatt started riding at SIRE during the fall of 2007. At

first, riding would exhaust him after only 30 minutes. But it

wasn’t too long before he had built up his strength and

endurance to complete the entire 45 minute class. And boy,

has that stamina paid off! Now when Wyatt walks into the

arena, he looks for the horses. His focus, strength, and

participation have all improved immensely.

And the benefits are beginning to show. Since riding at

SIRE, Wyatt has become a different child. He now walks

everywhere he goes, exploring his world with renewed

curiosity. His shy, timid demeanor is disappearing, and he is

becoming aware that people outside his family can be

trustworthy, too. Although Wyatt continues to be strong-

willed, he now abides by his family’s rules of respecting

others and doing more for himself.

What is more exciting is that Wyatt’s story does not stop

with him; SIRE has become a family affair. Both Wyatt’s

mom and dad attend most of their son’s classes—and many

extended family members have come to watch. In fact,

watching Wyatt ride was a special event scheduled into a

family member’s wedding weekend. One of Wyatt’s uncles

pays the SIRE tuition through his company. And last but not

least, Wyatt’s grandmother was so impressed with the

improvement he experienced that she now volunteers at

SIRE. (We just have to remind her, from time to time, that

Robert is not only “Wyatt’s horse!”)

Wyatt’s family is excitedly sharing their story throughout

the Down Syndrome community in an effort to educate

others about the powerful benefits of SIRE. But to Wyatt,

riding is simply something he looks forward to each week!

—Lee Ruonavaara

W

Why NARHA Accreditation?You will have seen on some of our literature thatSIRE is a NARHA Premier Accredited Center. Weare proud of that, but what does it mean to you?

NARHA is the North American Riding for theHandicapped Association, the nationalorganization for therapeutic horsemanship. Themission of NARHA is to provide nationalstandards for facilities and programs and tocertify instructors and therapists. Being NARHAaccredited is necessary for the public to knowthat our services meet national standards ofquality and safety.

Going through the accreditation process is bothchallenging and rewarding; we spent over a yearin preparation. Each of our locations— Hockley,Fort Bend and Spring—had their own site visit byNARHA evaluators to review the organization,program, facility and horse care, and we passed100% as a Premier accredited Center.

Being part of SIRE means being part of a topquality program. SIRE means success!!!—Karen M. Gardner

DevelopmentalDelay11%

Mental Retardation

11%

Autism24%

Cerebral Palsy23%

Down Syndrome4%

Other27%

A

Disabilities Served

Based on 2007 Annual Report

Age 3-54%

Age 6-1763%

Age 18+33%

Ages Served

Based on 2007 Annual Report

By this time next year, SIRE may well be the largest

therapeutic equine-assisted center in the United States.

Or should I say, centers. In the movie, Field of Dreams,

Kevin Costner’s character believed, “If you build it, they

will come.” Here at SIRE, we believe, “If we build it, they

CAN come.”

As our rider capacity grows, so does our need for

unrestricted operating funds; this is even more critical

after Hurricane Ike. SIRE needs your financial support

now more than ever.

In October, I celebrate my fourth year at SIRE, and

all I can say is, “What a ride!” It has changed my life.

With increased ridership comes the need for new

instructors, support staff, volunteers and, of course,

horses. The balance of growth, fund-raising and donor

cultivation continues to be my goal as SIRE’s executive

director.

—Jimm Williams

Molly the Miracle Ponyprovided inspiration at arecent visit to SIRE. Theplucky pony survivedHurricane Katrina, survivedabandonment, and surviveda horrible injury thatresulted in amputation andan artificial limb—now sheis giving hope to others.

The dream of a new arenaat SIRE Spring wasrealized by grants fromthe Humana Foundation &the O’Neill Foundation,increasing our capacity forriders from 51 to 150.

Roger Kopp proudly shows hisaward at the Special Olympics.36 SIRE riders participated atRegional Special Olympics, andeight riders exhibited at State.

Momentum

6 The SIRE Crier

The SIRE Crier 7

Serving SIRE Through the Boardo… what exactly does it mean to

serve on the SIRE Board? The

process begins with a candidate’s

recommendation to the board of director’s

Board Resource Committee for the vetting

process which involves an application,

background check, and face-to-face

interview with the committee. The

committee makes a recommendation for

consideration to the full board. Then the

prospective director

attends a board

meeting for a final

interview and approval.

The interview process

is the easy part, now

begins a two-year

commitment to SIRE.

The “official” role of the

board is to serve and

advise SIRE so that it,

in turn, can best serve

its clients and the

greater Houston

community. While

preparing for and

attending our bi-

monthly board

meetings is a very visible aspect, some of the

other less obvious roles include participating

on board committees and hosting a Round-

up at home or chosen venue for recruiting

friends, family and business associates to

hear the SIRE story. Also, a very important

responsibility is assisting in our major

fundraising events such as client

sponsorship at Ride-A-Thon, or hosting a

table at Shindig and/or our Trailblazer

Luncheon.

To focus directors’ talents on specific issues,

the board has both standing and ad-hoc

subcommittees. Standing committees such

as audit, finance, board resource,

development, and executive have ongoing

responsibilities and their work continues

uninterrupted year to year. Ad-hoc

committees, created for a particular

need, tend to be time specific until a

project or task is completed. These

include Shindig, Ride-A-

Thon, and Trailblazer

Luncheon; the Spring

expansion; and our

strategic planning initiatives

such as Medical Research,

Training and Education,

and Best Practices.

Our current board consists

of homemakers, executives,

consultants, retired college

professors and engineers,

business owners, non-profit

executive directors,

attorneys, CPAs, and some

who are just committed to

seeing SIRE’s mission

realized. We are in need of

directors that have experience in accounting,

real estate, IT - computer software and

systems, insurance, as well as marketing and

sales. If you have or you know someone that

has these skill sets, please let us know. I can

tell you from personal experience, you will

find the entire process extremely

rewarding—knowing you have played a

significant role in helping SIRE reach its full

potential and ensuring our future success.

—Richard ‘Whitey’ White

IT’S MORE THAN A TOUR!Learn about SIRE byjoining us for one hour

HOCKLEY - 10amSaturday, Jan 17, 2009Saturday, Feb 21, 2009Saturday, Apr 4, 2009Saturday, May 16, 2009Saturday, July 18, 2009Saturday, Oct 3, 2009Saturday, Nov 14, 2009

SPRING - 10amSaturday, Jan 31, 2009Saturday, Mar 7, 2009Saturday, Apr 18, 2009Saturday, June 13, 2009Saturday, Sept 12, 2009Saturday, Oct 17, 2009Saturday, Dec 5, 2009

FORT BEND - 10amSaturday, Feb 7, 2009Saturday, Mar 28, 2009Saturday, May 2, 2009Saturday, June 27, 2009Saturday, Sept 19, 2009Saturday, Nov 7, 2009

Round

UP

S

SIRE President Whitey Whitewith Nicole Larson at the 2008Saddle Up for SIRE Ride-A-Thon

Erin thinks it is a lot more fun to dotherapy exercises on a horse!

Erica Haase focuses on herreins while out on the Trail

Allison Funk enjoys ridingthe popular SIRE horse Jo

Chloe Creel was the secondtop client fundraisers

The Denmark family, Martin, Milliann &Erin, follow behind the trailriders

Client Nicole Larson rides as Trail Boss, a covetedtitle she earned by raising the most funds

Breaking RecordsThe 16th annual Saddle Up for SIRERide-A-Thon broke records again thisyear! Over $95,000 was raised byclients, trailriders, volunteers andunderwriters. There were 243 riders,including the 15 top fundraisingclients.

Client rider Nicole Larsonearned the title of Trail Boss by

raising $13,425. The second- to sixth-place top client fundraisers were ChloeCreel, Will Trulove, Nathaniel Hunter, Casey Aulenbach, and Allison Funk.Other top fundraisers included the team of Gleannloch Gals, raising $3245;individual Rebecca Cohen with $1200 in donations; and volunteer Julie Mostgarnering $5295 in funds for SIRE. $61,770 was received in Platinum, Gold,Silver and Bronze donations. And, a big thank you to the 100+ volunteers!

Our riders head to the end of the trail

Spotlight on SIRE Fort BendHelping Our Students Reach for Their Star

all 2008 is an exciting time at the

Fort Bend site. Combine new

programming, a wealth of

wonderful volunteers, almost 50 clients and

20 horses, and we have all the elements for

an outstanding semester.

VA CASE STUDY

Derrick Perkins is an Air Force Veteran and

our first rider sponsored by the Paralyzed

Veterans’ Administration (PVA). Derrick

recently completed a PVA case study at SIRE

on the benefits of therapeutic riding—the

proposal for which was submitted by two

recent SIRE

volunteers, Glennys

Asselin and Rebecca

Neri, who are nurses

at the Michael

DeBakey VA Hospital.

With hopes of

publication, the case

study will be

presented in

Cleveland, Ohio;

Dayton, Ohio;

Houston and San

Antonio.

NEW PROGRAM

SIRE’s newest

Instructor, Aedan Sprung, comes to us in

the midst of his studies toward a Masters

Degree in Education. We are taking full

advantage of his expertise by initiating a

formal Educational Program for our riders

from Avondale House. While half the group

of ten students is riding, the other half will

be working with Aedan on reading, writing

and math skills in our “barn classroom.” All

study topics will be related to the horse and

will be augmented by the skills taught in the

arena, offering a double dose of learning

supplemented by movement.

EQUINE TEAM

A few of our long-time volunteers have

teamed up to work with the horses Sienna

Stables provides for our program. The team’s

goals include assessing horses for future use;

addressing equine behavior issues; and

introducing new therapy toys and tools to

the horses. This team

will also form the

basis for a Leader-in-

Training Program.

A GREAT GROUP

All of this would not

be possible without

the hard work and

dedication of

Maryanne Gerity, our

Volunteer

Coordinator. Her

talents, her laughter

and wonderful sense

of hospitality have

created an

atmosphere that is both welcoming and

professional.

We have a great group down here, all

devoted to “helping our students reach for

their star!” That’s why we do what we do.

—Joelle Devlin

Veteran Derrick Perkins enjoys a therapysession on Scarlett with instructor,Joelle Devlin, and volunteers, GlennysAsselin and Bob Hass.

F

The SIRE Crier 9

Derrick Perkins TellsHis SIRE Story

I’ve never enjoyed artificialexercise. Prior to my injuryI had been involved withvarious sports, my favoritebeing the martial arts. Aftermy injury, I still do not likeartificial exercise so Iparticipate in variouswheelchair sports likearchery, quad rugby,bowling, etc. Even athome, my most consistentexercises are lawn careand therapeutic walking.

Recently, I’ve had theopportunity to enjoytherapeutic horsebackriding. In the process I’verediscovered muscles that Ididn’t know that I still had.After nine weeks of riding,my sitting balance andmuscle tone has noticeablyincreased. Overall I’m justhaving a blast being acowboy (from Houston...not Dallas). That’s right...I’m a Texan!

I’m thankful for the TexasParalyzed Veterans ofAmerica’s sponsorship aswell as the SIRETherapeutic Riding Programat Sienna Stables and theirmany volunteers. I’d like toextend special thanks tomy instructor, JoelleDevlin, and SIREvolunteers, BillCunningham, Bob Haas,Chuck Schwartz andHouston VAMC Nursevolunteer, GlennysAsselin—and, of course,“Scarlet” the horse.

We’re now preparing forthe Top Hands Horse Showcoming up in March 2009during the HoustonLivestock Show andRodeo.

Thank You, Donors

These donations were received February 2008 to August 2008.All donations are appreciated, but space does not allow us to list donations less than $250.

$5000 and above

Amegy Bank of Texas, Jim Lykes

Associated General ContractorsInc., Houston

D & L Electric Co. Ltd., Bill &Jackie McDonald

Fort Bend Cares Foundation

Kiwanis Foundation of Houston

The Lanier Law Firm, P. C.

Liatis Foundation & RobertBorick

Bill & Jackie McDonald

OYO Geospace

Shackouls Family Foundation

TGS-NOPEC GeophysicalCompany

Pat Toppenberg

Howard & Alyce Ann Wagner

Wedge Group

Richard & Nancy White

White Oak Energy

Jane & Jim Wise

$1000 to $4999

American Speed Inc., JohnnyMancuso

Apache Corporation

Fred Arnold

Philip & Denise Bahr

BHP Billiton

Jenny Booth

Charlotte’s Saddlery, Mark & MissyRaisbeck

Chevron Pipeline Company

Christian Captal Group, Ltd.

Compass Pointe Homes

Peter Costa

Angela & Reginald Dampeer

DCS Interests, LP

Dixie Services

John W. Elder

Embroidery, Inc.

Engineering Science Contract Group

En-Touch Systems, Inc.

ExxonMobil Foundation

James & Carmen Fitzpatrick

Randall & Hollis Grace

James Guild & Philippa Warfield-Hine

J.B. & Elizabeth Henderson

Suzanne Hinds

Horse Sense Trading Co.

Dave & Cynthia Huber

Guy & Judy Hunter

Janet Jeanes

Junior League of North HarrisCounty

Peter & Jeanne Kinnear

Konica Minolta Imaging USA, Inc.

Kruger Associates Inc.

Larry & Cynthia Lange

Robert Lukefahr

Rosemary Mahony

Mason Resources LLC

Jim & Rhetta McAlister

Barbara McLaughlin

Metzger Construction Company

Millennium Opportunity Foundation

Cowboy KIA of Conroe

Nomad Consulting, LLC

Pipeline Machinery Int’l

Dennis and Nancy Proctor

Mrs. Isla Reckling, III

Republic National Distributing Co.

Pat Roddy & Bob Creasy

Sentinel Trust Company

Jan and Thomas Simmons

Specified Lighting Sales, Inc.

Sterling McCall Lexus

Urology Associates of Tomball

Susman Family Foundation

Molly Sweeney

Dr. Steven Swisher, M.D.

Sysco Corporation

Gene & Donna Tromblee

Howard & Alyce Ann Wagner

Steven & Kristin Ward

Curt & Sharon Webb

The Lord’s Servants

Westside Lexus

Whitley Ranch

Williams

James & Linda Williams

Steven & Kirsty Williams

$250 to $999

Assoc of Rehabilitation Nurses South EastTexas Chapter

Basic Builders, Inc.

Larry & Vivian Bickle

Wayne Brent & Megan Bushnell-Brent

James & Peggy Brewer

David & Terri Bright

Luis & Carol Cardenas

Carrie Conlon

Ted Cox

Kenneth Culotta

Cuocci Enterprises, LLC

Reginald Dampeer

Bruce Darlow

Dayspring Resources, Inc.

Valerie Depew

Eileen Doehring

Dr. Ralph & Dr. Judith Feigin

The Forrest Foundation

Frost National Bank - Westchase

Roland & Kaye C. Fulton

Jacko & Nancy Garrett

Garrett Cattle Co.

Joseph Giovanniello

GLAMCO

Grandpatch Texas Longhorns

Krisanne Graves

Gulf Coast Combined Fed. Campgn.

Gulf Coast Paint Horse Assn

The Haley Co., LLC

Thomas and Jeanette Hix

Houston Memorial Gardens, Inc.

Lisa Johnson

Diane Jones

JP Morgan Chase Foundation

Junior Guild, Inc

Knockout Sports

Kroger

Richard Lindermanis

Melanie Little

Margo Loeffler

Madisonville State Bank

Magnolia Healthcare Center

Manti Resources

Marathon Oil Company

John and Catherine Meese

MGM Aurora Holdings Limited, Inc.

Daniel Miller

George P. Mitchell

Danny & Kathy Moore

Michael Moore

National Charity League, Inc. Cypress

Cheryl Nelson

NextPage Communication

Bob & Elizabeth Nickles

Northwinds Construction

Omni Energy Services

The Edward and Helen OppenheimerFoundation

Paloma Energy Consultants LP

Peter & JoLinda Papadakis

Charles Parker

Perry Training Soultions, Inc.

Edmund & Ada Perwien, BluebonnetFarm

Proximity Systems, Inc.

Dr. Carlos Rivera

Janice E. Rogers

Larry & Penny Schofield

Melvin See

Shady Brook Animal Hospital

Shrieve Chemical Company

Matthew & Sabrina Shumsky

Stuckey’s Contract Services, L.P.

James and K.D. Sword

Patti Szopiak

Tanglewilde Veterinary Clinic

Cheryl Taylor

United Galvanizing, Inc

Lou and Wanda Waters

Jim and Jane Wise

10 The SIRE Crier

TTrraaiillbbllaazzeerrss SSoocciieettyy

Connie Abbs, Global Santa Fe CorporateServices

Becky and Hunter Adkins

Ed Ayres

Philip and Denise Bahr

Elyse Brady

Luis and Carol Cardenas

Steve and Michelle Crawford

David Culbreth, Commercial Fence Co.Inc.

Carol Curran

Marion Danna, City Wide Injury&Accident

J.T. Davis

Mike and Carol Dillingham

Leslie Elkins, Leslie Elkins Architects

Karen El-Tawil

Genna & Jon Evans

J. Warren and Carol Evans

Tilman and Paige Fertitta, Landry'sRestaurant

James and Carmen Fitzpatrick

Meridith Ford

Susan Gaeta

Phil and Carol Garner

Becky and David Gochman

Randall and Hollis Grace, Jr.

Chris Hallman

William E. Hanlon

Bobby and Janet Horton

Guy and Judy Hunter

D. Blake Jackson

Paige Kinkade, Medcare Pediatric Group

Rick Kruger, Kruger Associates, Inc.

Michael and Jenny Lambert

E.D. Lester, Stewart Title

Johnny Mancuso, American Speed, Inc.

Jim and Rhetta McAlister

Bill and Jackie McDonald

Mary McKay, M.D.

Barbara McLaughlin

Hon. & Mrs. Robert Mosbacher

Sue Mundy

Bryan and Cheryl Nelson

Pat Roddy and Bob Creasy

M.E. Wise Sand

Jeanette Shaw

Bill & Sally Slick

Molly Sweeney

Steve Swisher, M.D.

James Walker, Walker & Hunter P.C.

Richard and Nancy White

Jimm and Linda Williams

Vivian Wise, VMW Ventures LLC

William and Marie Wise

Trailblazers have pledged a minimum of $1000 peryear for five years

In Honor of DonationsAnonymous in honor of Karen Gardner

Philip & Denise Bahr in honor of Eileen Hricik

Danaher Oil Company in honor of Saracen Merchant Energy, LP

Kitty Edwards in honor of Jenny Booth

Deborah Gottselig in honor of Jean Gottselig

Thomas & Anita LaHouse in honor of Julie Taylor

Lennis Landry in honor of Cade Zimmerman

Julie Redding in honor of Alexandra Dumas

Julie Redding in honor of SIRE horseRobert

Sentinel Trust Company in honor of Molly Sweeney

Bradley & Sheila Shoff in honor of Becky Shoff

Spectra Energy Foundation in honor of Holly Freeland

William J. & Dorothy K. O’Neill Foundation in honor of Molly Sweeney

In Memory Of DonationsSusan Abouhalkah in memory of Bint Gassar, horse of Susan Watson

Laura Genung in memory of Jean Lykes Grace

Halliburton - Global Impact in memory of Vance Vineyard

Guy & Judith Hunter in memory of Gregory Esch

IRS - Dallas Office in memory of James Kvello

Meridian Resources USA, Inc. in memory of Don Caldwell

Parvion Ltd. in memory of Billye Rees-Jones

Brent Savage in memory of Vance Vineyard

James & Linda Williams in memory of K. C. Coopwood

James & Linda Williams in memory of James Kvello

James & Linda Williams in memory of M. C. Braun

James & Linda Williams in memory of Austin Tong

In Memory of Eleanor Radcliff GrayNed HardenRon & Carol MoodJames & Blanche ScherschelConnie WamplerGary & Sandy Wisecup

In Memory of Logan HendersonKevin & Lisa AncellR. H. & Lou Ann ArnettCarol BillsWayne & Diana BrowningRenelle CadenaJohn & Mari CooneyJames & Jan CooperJohn DavidsonFederal Metal Company, TheGene & Dana FooteMark & Dena GainesJohn & Karen GardnerJames & Carmel GieseJohn F. & Maria M. GrayGary & Becky GroschkeRussell & Teresa GroveOlin & Mrs. Olin JacksonJerry JungelsKenneth & Susan KollisterChing & Jenq Lin

Brendan McCormickDean NolanO’Rourke PetroleumRandy OsburnTony & Susan PultzStuart & Patricia RaeJohn & Wanda RippleMallary RobinsonMichael & Tami SandlinDean & Ruby ShaferArthur St.ClairGary StefaniakJ. TaylorCourtney ThomasJohn & Kimberly TiptonWayne & Elizabeth WilcoxEugene & Rita WilkenfeldJames & Mary Wilson

In Memory of Marcelene RoddyJohn & Karen GardnerGuy & Judith HunterWilliam & Jacqueline McDonaldCarolyn & Rudy MikulecTim & Julie ReddingJames & Linda Williams

In Memory of Shanna ScardinoAnonymousBill & Jo Ann ChunnPat & Jamie CrandallFort Bend County Emergency Services Districe #2

Barry & Sandra JonesJerry & Marsha LeGardJames & Lee Ann MedfordMichael & Annette RobertsonGene & Lynn SlaidEdwin GarnerWood Group Logging Services, Inc.

In-Kind Donations – Goods &ServicesJames AllenJessica AntashDonna ArnoldKate BlackburnBarbara BollingMary BrezinaJo Ann BridgeSuzanne BurkeholderMelissa ClapperCollier Equine Vet AssociatesMoira CooperKaren CrumJoelle DevlinLauren DiggansEquine Health & Livestock ServicesEquine Sports MedicineAngie FrankBob HaasMargaret HaaseSharon HippDebra JenkinsBernard & Deborah JonesMargo LoefflerCarole MahfouzJerry & Mike McLennanMelody BizegoBeth & Lillie MuyskensKaren PerryRobert & Barbara PettyRachel PoyskyNick RaissisDeepthi RajuEileen ReichertCarl & Lisa RiccoRudy & Christine RodriguezDavid RogersRosehill Vet ClinicPine Hill - Philip SawinPenny SchofieldKourtney Teer

Lauren WaddellWaller Equine Clinic

In-Kind Donations – Shindig7 on Fulton RestaurantA. D. PlayersJoetta AdkinsAlley TheaterAlways In SeasonFred ArnoldAsleep at the WheelKrysia & Jadwiga BarnesBay Oaks Country ClubBeau Rivage ResortBill Clarke, Deb & Wayne BennerBickerstaff GroupBistro Le CepJoyce BlackburnJulie BlakePatty BrownBud Light/Silver Eagle DistributorsSally BuftonCarmelo’sSuzanne CarsonKate ChambersCharlotte’s SaddleryChildren’s Museum of HoustonThe Club at Falcon PointThe Company OnStageThe Country PlayhouseCourtyardDa CameraDawn Davidson-ChmielewskiMike & Carol DillinghamKelly DobbinsDoubletree HotelKermit EisenhutLaura EskridgeEventsEvin Thayer StudiosSally FantaFeathered Horse Ranch B&BArlene FierroFish City GrillFlagship Hotel GalvestonFriend’s Clothing & Gift BoutiqueMary GabelGabriel TranNancy GarzaAlvin Gee PhotographyShah & Carol GhaniCarol GlassThe Grand 1894 Opera HouseHarold GreenElaine GreggGuadalajara HaciendaGulf Greyhound ParkGymboree Play and MusicHaney and Whipple PortraitsHarrah’sThe Health MuseumHemline SugarlandKelly HendersonMary Ann HendersonJaden & Jeff HillHilton NASA Clear LakeSuzanne HindsGloria HogueHoliday Inn San Antonio DowntownMarket Square

Home Depot #6819Houmas HouseHouston BalletHouston Grand OperaHouston GymHouston Gymnastics AcademyHouston Museum of Natural ScienceHouston SymphonyHouston TexansHoustonian HotelLinda Sue HulmeGuy & Judy HunterLadana Igler

Isle of Capri CasinosJ.W. MarriottJames Coney IslandJimmy Ellis ArtJust for the BirdsFriend of SIREKaye Marvin PhotographyLucille KearneyJennifer KingNancy KroningLarry & Cynthia LangeCherie LegerLorenzo’s El Tiempo CantinaLuxotticaMagic IslandMama’s CafeMark’s American CuisineMary MassaCandice McAdamsJacqueline McDonaldCatherine MeeseThe Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavillion

Ingrid MonroyNancy’s Fancy’s CeramicsNatural Bridge CavernsNatural Woman DesignsCheryl & Bryan NelsonOmni Houston Hotel WestsideJoel OppenheimPeneske Racing, Inc.Pepperoni’s New York Style PizzaPerry’s SteakhousePinebrook FarmRadio Music TheatreRebecca Lankford DesignsJulie ReddingREIRick Staudt Portrait DesignRiverwalk HotelMason & Tammy RizzoCarrie RobicheauxRuth’s Chris SteakhouseSAGA Lifestyle PhotographySambucaSan Luis ResortSatya Shepherd, TMTSchlitterbahn WaterparksWinston ScottSensia Studio and Japanese Day SpaSherlock’s Pub CompanySiemens Industrial Turbomachinery, Inc.

Sienna PlantationSix Flags Fiesta TexasSix Flags Over TexasDarryl SmithSouthwest AirlinesSpanish Flowers Mexican RestaurantStages Reperatory TheatreStar PizzaSabrina StrawnDebbie StuberSugar Land Ice and Sports CenterDebbie SukinMark SweeneySwim JimTaste of TexasDr. Clarence TelleyTexas Rangers Baseball ClubTrendsetters Hair and Body Care Studio

Two Rows Restaurant and BreweryJan Van OonkVincent Ford Custom ApparelVisible ChangesWaller Equine HospitalWesternGeco, Inc.The Whistle Stop Tea RoomKirsty WilliamsWitte Museum

SIRE, Inc.24161 Spring DriveHockley, TX 77447281-356-7588

TO: A Friend of SIRE

NON PROFITORG

U.S. PostagePAID

Permit No. 110Tomball, TX

SIRE Board of Directors

President Richard “Whitey” White

Vice-President Mike Dillingham

Secretary Glenn Aker

Treasurer Guy Hunter

Members Fred ArnoldAngela DampeerJ. Warren Evans, PhDJ.B. (Trey) Henderson, IIISuzanne HindsJudy HunterJames R. LykesJackie McDonaldMark RaisbeckPat RoddyJennifer WebbDoug O. Williams

Advisors Dana HartwellJohnny MancusoJim McAlister, Sr.Molly SweeneyGio TomasiniAnn Wilde

SIRE Staff

Executive Director Jimm Williams

Managing Director Pat Roddy

Director of Development Harla Kaplan

Director of Finance & Technology Sherry Flores

Director of Volunteer Services Peggy Wagner

Financial Assistant Deborah Gottselig

Administrative Assistant Jo Ann Trepl

Office Assistant Susan Sanders

Director of Equine Services Molly Sweeney

SIRE-HOCKLEY

Site Director/Director of Therapy Karen Gardner

Director of Competition andHead Instructor Karen Abbott

Instructors Jeanie GardnerRebecca GribbenMary LoweRuth SawinAedan Sprung

Therapist/Instructor Lee Ruonavaara

Volunteer Coordinators Kassie CollinsPenny Kvello

Facility & Equine Manager Jim Brewer

Facility Manager II Rogelio “Roy” Figueroa

SIRE-SPRING

Site Director/Facility, Equine Mgr Truman Alexander

Head Instructor Lorraine Ostrowski

Instructors Jessica AntashShayna BoltonAedan Sprung

Volunteer Coordinator Robin Maxwell

Facility Manager II Daniel Narvaez

SIRE-FORT BEND @ SIENNA STABLES

Site Director/Head Instructor Joelle Devlin

Instructors Barbara CesariLaura EllerVivien SavageAedan Sprung

Volunteer Coordinator Maryann Gerity

© 2008 SIRE, Inc. – All Rights Reserved

How to Reach Us • www.sire-htec.orgSIRE-HOCKLEY (Administration)

281-356-758824161 Spring Dr. • Hockley, TX 77447

Fax 281-356-9462 sireoffice@sire-htec.org

SIRE-FORT BEND @ SIENNA STABLES

281-778-02028255 Camp Sienna TrailMissouri City, TX 77459

Fax 281-766-1212joelled@sire-htec.org

SIRE-SPRING

281-353-61604610 Sloangate • Spring, TX 77373

Fax 281-766-1302headinstr.spring@sire-htec.org

Donating to SIRE—At No Cost To Youf everyone receiving this newsletter

designated SIRE as their charity

when grocery shopping or

Christmas shopping, over a year’s time it

could mean as much as a $100,000 for

SIRE—at no cost to you!

Shopping Online

This holiday season, you can support

SIRE when you shop online. Make your

purchases through www.igive.com or

www.buyforcharity.com, and they will

give a donation to SIRE. Choose from

more than 700 online stores, such as

Best Buy, eBay, Apple Store & iTunes,

JCPenney, Ralph Lauren, Nordstrom,

Barnes & Noble, Office Depot, QVC,

HSN, 1-800-Flowers.com, Expedia,

Home Depot, 1-800-PetMeds, and more.

You’ll be surprised by the comprehensive

list, and up to 35% of your purchase

goes to SIRE’s cause!

Grocery Shopping

Every little bit adds up! Your grocery bill

could bring SIRE more than $50 a year!

Kroger will make a donation to

SIRE, matching up to 1% of your

purchases when you use your KrogerPlus

card. All you need to do is get a

Customer Letter from any SIRE site or

from our website and and take it to any

Kroger to have the barcode scanned and

linked to your KrogerPlus card.

Your Randall’s card can be set up so

that a matching percentage of all of your

purchases is sent to SIRE. Visit Customer

Service in your Randall’s store and ask to

have SIRE set up as the charity you

support. We are organization “2164”.

I