Please help Equestars through these sponsors:

Volunteers are the core of the Equestars program.  Our board of directors is made up of a dedicated group of volunteers who enable our program to exist.  Also, most of our riders need help to get their horses tacked-up & ready to ride, volunteers are there to help.  Many riders need someone to lead their horse for them, and some riders prefer to have side-walkers (volunteers) walk next to them as they ride for added support & comfort.  Volunteers also give our horses the extra attention & exercise they deserve, plan birthday parties, answer phones, plan birthday parties, decorate the bulletin board, make copies, plan birthday parties, clean tack, sweep the floor ...did I mention we really like parties!?!?!

2007 Board Members:

President - Marla Kokesh

Vice President - Linda Cohen

Secretary - Rosemary Thompson

Directors at Large - Lynn Baker, Greg Brouillette, Maya Pool, Carol Robetson-Lopez, &  Will Waggoner

Here are just a few of our awesome program volunteers:

Barby Murray

Barby has been a volunteer since 2006!  She rode horses as a child, and volunteering for Equestars was a perfect fit for her to get back into the barn.  "What motivated me to become an Equestars volunteer was my memory of my grandfather saying, when watching me ride for the first time at about 10, that I looked like I owned the world, and my hope that I could help others feel that joy and magic.  I have seen the smiles...the magic continues."  When Barby's not volunteering she is caring for her three dogs & cat, and she is a staff moderator on www.groww.org the web's premier grief recovery site.

Dennis Martinez

Dennis has been volunteering for Equestars for over a year now!  He's a veteran, and an experienced horseman, but most importantly to Equestars he knows how to fix tack!  Anytime something isn't working quite right or needs some repair Dennis takes it home & brings it back looking & working better than new!  When you ask Dennis about his favorite Equestars story he likes to remember the first time one of our riders remembered his name.  Come out to the barn on Tuesday mornings to see Dennis at work with the horses & riders!

Jenny Leyba

Jenny is one of our younger volunteers, she just got her first horse for her Sweet 16th birthday!  And we are proud to say that Jenny learned many of her superb horse skills while volunteering at Equestars.  She is very understanding with our riders & makes the extra effort whenever she is caring for our horses, especially her favorite, our beloved Stella, who passed away this last winter.  Jenny is a senior in High School (yes she skipped a few grades!), and she's looking forward to becoming a NARHA certified instructor as soon as she turns 18!  So keep your eyes peeled for her on our staff page someday in the future! 

Janet Polis   *photo coming soon!*  janet has been volunteering for Equestars for 3 years now!    Janet says, "Being involved with Equestars is very therapeutic for me.  I get great joy out of helping the students build confidence within themselves from riding, not to mention the physical benefits that are obvious.  I lvoe being around the horses, they are amazing animals and I enjoy being with the people...that is what keeps me coming back!"

**We're working on collecting more info & pictures!  Check back soon!**

If you would like to become a volunteer please check out our Volunteer page for volunteer job descriptions (under Get Involved!)  and also contact us for more information & to find out when the next training is!