INDIANAPOLIS — It's been a long time coming at Agape Therapeutic Riding Resources in Greenfield. On its 35th anniversary, the center, which teaches riding and horsemanship skills to meet people's social, emotional, physical and cognitive goals, got its makeover after receiving a $50,000 All-Star legacy grant from the Indiana Pacers.
"We were able to construct this 120x60 covering over [the] outdoor arena and redo the footing in the arena," said Stephanie Amick, executive director at Agape. “[This] just kind of creates a better environment for the horses and for our riders."
The Pacers developed a $1 million legacy program, which finds 21 grantees across the state of Indiana to award for brick-and-mortar projects.
"We wanted diversity across the state," said Dianna Boyce, with the Pacers. "Geographic diversity, and we wanted diversity in the audience served, so inner city, young, old, people with disabilities, we're serving all of those through these 21 grants."
Agape serves about 50 therapeutic riders a week, ages 4 and up.
“We have children, adults and seniors that we serve with over 40 different diagnoses with different disabilities, ranging from Down syndrome to autism to social emotional challenges, like anxiety and depression," Amick said.
The 21 youth-serving grants will help an estimated 90,000 children across Indiana.
"Projects like this are here to stay there in the community," Boyce said. "They're of the community, and they're serving the community, and that will be long-lasting."
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