The NVTRP groundbreaking ceremony for the Build to Thrive Capital Campaign project took place on Wednesday, January 10, 2018.
Attendees included Fairfax County Supervisor Pat Herrity; Kim Trotz, wife of Washington Capitals Head Coach Barry Trotz and honorary co-chairs of the Build to Thrive campaign; and Ric and Jean Edelman, major contributors to the campaign.
“We are very excited to be at this stage in the campaign where we can break ground on Phase I and set the footprint for the indoor arena and barn. A lot of hard work has gone into getting us to this point and we are extremely thankful to all our donors for their generosity,” said Barry and Kim Trotz, whose son, Nolan, is also a rider at NVTRP. “We still have a ways to go to see the project through to completion, so we continue to ask the community for support so that people with disabilities and recovering military personnel get to experience the possibilities that come from therapeutic riding.”
Other major donors in attendance were Debbie Piland, president of The O’Shaughnessy-Hurst Memorial Fund, and Lt. Gen (R) Richard Trefry and his wife, Jacque, one of the original leaders of NVTRP.
Phase I of the construction project commenced in December 2017 and will include extensive infrastructure and foundation work; a new, larger, lighted outdoor riding ring; expanded parking and improved access; and an accessible playground.
Phase II, the indoor arena, and Phase III, the new barn, will follow upon completion of additional fundraising.
To date, NVTRP has raised over $2.9 million, 73% of the total goal for Phases I and II of the campaign. (Phase III goal will be an additional $500,000.)
“We became aware of the power of therapeutic riding 14 years ago, when our niece, Samantha, was accepted into a program near her home in Colorado. We saw how riding helped strengthen her muscles and give her joy and boost her self-confidence. She would smile for days after spending time with the horses,” said Jean Edelman.
“We soon discovered that NVTRP is providing similarly outstanding services here in Northern Virginia, helping an array of those in need – from military veterans to at-risk teens. The volunteers are so dedicated, too! So we decided to get involved and help make a difference. We are very excited for the new arena and barn and look forward to NVTRP being able to be an even more important service to our community.”
Scott-Long Construction Inc. in Chantilly, VA is the general contractor.
NVTRP provides equine-assisted activities to 350 unique riders each year. The waiting list for therapeutic riding currently stands at over a year.
For more information on the Build to Thrive campaign and ways you can support the project, please visit www.nvtrp.org/capital-campaign or contact Development Director Wendy Baird at 703-764-0269.