Dear RTI Friends and Supporters,
As we slowly start to wind down for the year, we are overwhelmed with what we have been able to accomplish. We have almost doubled what we did last year!
36 Assisted Living Visits to 18 different residences in a 2-hour radius of Newport, NH
26 Community Events – Parades, Farmers Markets, Fairs
3 Library Visits
8 School Visits – preschool to High School
To date we have provided 95 hours of supervised lessons at the farm in approximately 57 sessions.
We partnered with New England Healing Sports Association for a “Hike with the Donkeys” on the Rail Trail in Newport on October 16th with great success. We look forward to partnering again in the spring.
We spent a day at the White River Junction Elementary School as part of their Farm Day. We introduced the entire student body to our donkeys in 8 twenty minutes sessions throughout the day.
A Halloween visit to Valley Terrace Senior Living Community in White River Junction, VT.
Katherine working with Ike to train him to walk alongside her wheelchair. I is our youngest donkey and joined the herd in August.
We provided a Reading to the Donkeys program in September at Olive G. Pettis Library in Goshen. We read books about donkeys and walked with the donkeys in their new Discovery Park. To watch the library video of this event, copy and paste this link into your browser. https://www.facebook.com/goshenlibrary/videos/1930052364174019/
Thank you to our 8 newly recruited volunteers! Their enthusiasm and support have been evident as they help us to fulfill our mission. Their comments indicate that volunteers are getting as much or more out of their experiences as they are putting in. We are always looking to increase our volunteer group, please reach out to us. Click here to find our volunteer application, Volunteer Program | Road To Independence (rti-aurora.org). No experience necessary, we will train you!
We have completed 73 On The Road visits this year, and we have commitments through December. We are already booking for 2025. Requests are coming in from various groups that we have never worked with before, such as veteran’s groups, and women’s groups. As we transition in our new donkeys and tend to the aging herd, the budget for donkey care has increased substantially (medical care, dental care, special diets, need for pasture space, and storage). Our fundraising request this year is for donations that allow us to provide that care. We can then continue to provide and expand the empowering experiences that come from interacting with the donkeys. You can help support our mission by making a secure donation on our website. Scan the QR Code to go to our donation page or text Independence to 26989. Support Us | Road To Independence (rti-aurora.org)
We would also like to introduce two new members of our RTI Donkey Team
Blossom is a miniature donkey and has been a pasture pet for 19 years. She has enthusiastically entered our farm and On The Road Programs, even participating in our Halloween themed visits.
Ike is a brown gelding who came to us from a farm in NH. He is approximately 2 years old and will be a standard or possibly a mammoth size donkey. With training and patience, we expect him to join our farm and On The Road programs in the future.
Our upcoming events
December 7th we will participate in the Holiday Party at Full Circle Farm Therapeutic Center. We and the donkeys will be in full holiday attire. 5:00-7:00 p.m.
December 14th is the annual Wassail Parade in Woodstock, VT. We will walk in the parade festively attired with our donkeys, participants, and volunteers. 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
December 17th we will bring donkeys to visit patients, staff, and visitors at New London Hospital. 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Road To Independence, Inc. – 596 Bradford Rd, Newport, NH 03773
603-454-6102 - rtidonkeys@gmail.com - rti-aurora.org
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