EIGHT ANNUAL QUIET CORNER’S RIDE FOR THE CURE®Sunday, October 5, 2008 at Tyrone Farms, Pomfret
  As
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, on September 30, 114
riders got a jump start on fighting the disease at the seventh
annual Quiet Corner’s Ride for the Cure® held at Tyrone Farm in
Pomfret, Connecticut. The Ride for the Cure®
is a unique equestrian fundraising event . All riders must raise
a minimum of $250 in order to participate. Riders could
not have asked for more perfect weather.
As trailers steadily arrived at Tyrone Farm, the
morning’s brisk temperatures gave way to a day custom made for
riding: dry and pleasantly warm, a vast improvement over last
year’s steady downpour.
Each year the Ride for
the Cure® acknowledges the rider who raises the most money with
the title of Platinum Rider.
This year’s Platinum Rider title went to Therese Hillman
from Sturbridge,
Massachusetts
who raised
nearly $7,500. Therese rode Apollo, a seven-year old blued eyed
cremello gelding. “My
trusty and ‘unusual’ looking mount is incredibly sane and calm
on any trail and through or over any obstacle. No fancy or
impressive lineage, just an incredibly good boy!” said Therese.
To reach her goal, Therese sent dozens of letters on note cards
asking for donations. “I must have struck a generous chord with
many of my friends. I personalized each note and I think that
makes a big difference in how folks respond.
It was lots of work but with obvious awesome results! The
perfect weather, the attention to detail and the hero’s welcome
I received made The Ride for the Cure®
an incredible experience. This is the first year I participated
but I am planning to become a regular attendee! I am grateful to
everyone who supported me and hope that my contribution saves
countless women from the suffering involved with a breast cancer
diagnosis.” In honor of her achievement, Therese will receive a
portrait of her horse by
Rhode Island
artist Betsey MacDonald.
The Ride has steadily increased in both attendance and donations
since its first Ride in 2001.
Since its inception, the ride has raised $370,000 in
donations. As many riders are “repeat riders,” unique and
creative ways to raise funds are revealed each year.
This year, rider and Committee member Diane LeDuc
received a special contribution from her brother. “My siblings
have always been great about supporting my efforts but this year
my brother went above and beyond. Married in July, the couple
decided to eliminate 'favors' from the wedding and instead
donate the money to the Ride. They made a beautifully framed
piece that they displayed on the gift table informing guests
that a contribution was being made in lieu of favors,” said
Diane.
 Each
year the Ride reveals stories of loss and triumph from those who
have been personally affected by breast cancer.
Rider Ronnie Green from Carlisle,
Massachusetts (pictured left), rode this
year in honor of her friend Lorraine Cosgrove Ware.
Shortly after Lorraine’s diagnosis, she shared her desire
to learn to ride with Ronnie. Ronnie then contacted friends Lois
and Gabe d’Annunzio, owners of Icelandic Horses, to aid Lorraine in her goal.
Regardless of weekly chemotherapy treatments,
Lorraine
indeed learned to ride and remained active in other physical
pursuits during her illness.
On September 25, 2007, five days before
the Ride, Lorraine
lost her four-year battle with breast cancer.
With both Lois and Gabe registered to participate in this
year’s Ride, the friends decided Ronnie should take Gabe’s place
in honor of Lorraine.
“For
me, doing something constructive helps at least temporarily ease
my grief. Lorraine
was 43 years old and we had been friends for 20 years. I will
miss her everyday. If the
Ride makes a difference in just one person or family’s life,
it’s been worth it,” said Ronnie.
The founders and organizers of the event, Amy Jakowski, senior
scientist at Pfizer Inc, in Groton, and Pam Townshend, a midwife
and women’s health advocate based in New Haven, thank all the
committee members, volunteers, equestrians and sponsors for
helping make this year’s ride such a success!
For more information on the 2008 event, please go to www.quietcornersride.com |
