From Rose of Sharon Equestrian School:
On Sunday, Aug. 29, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Looney’s Pub North (312 South Main St.) in Bel Air will hold a Dine Out event to help the non-profit Rose of Sharon Equestrian School, Inc. (ROSES) raise funds needed for the completion of an all-season riding arena.
The bar/restaurant will give ROSES 10 percent of the proceeds from all checks when customers present an event flyer, along with their payment. Customers can pick up a flyer when they are seated at the restaurant or obtain it in advance by contacting ROSES at roses@iximd.com.
“It is our pleasure to host the Dine Out for ROSES, which is a wonderful program that really makes an impact on the lives of children with disabilities,” said Adriane Kleiman, general manager of Looney’s Pub North.
Founded in 1998, ROSES offers therapeutic horsemanship programs for people with disabilities, volunteer openings for retirees and others, internship and research opportunities for college students, service learning hours for middle and high students, and remediation classes for students academically at risk, as well as workshops and projects for Scouts.
Situated on 12 acres of farmland adjacent to Gunpowder State Park in Glen Arm on the Harford/Baltimore County line, ROSES serves students from surrounding areas and maintains an ever-growing wait list. Additionally, inclement weather and the shorter days of fall and winter limit the availability of services, thereby disrupting the students’ progress.
To meet this challenge, ROSES has begun construction of a $365,000 all-season, indoor riding arena. Following in the footsteps of the existing ROSES facility, the 8,400-square-foot arena is designed to meet United States Federal Accessibility Standards, as well as those set by NARHA (North American Riding for the Handicapped Association).
Students will be able to develop their skills in the arena’s insulated riding space regardless of weather. Sixteen large windows will bring in ample natural light, while energy-efficient overhead lighting will illumine the arena for nighttime use. When students aren’t in the saddle, they will learn how to handle and control a horse on the ground, and become aware of how they and the horses can communicate with each other through body language.
The arena also will include a classroom and family observation/waiting area and restroom. Overall, the facility will house a variety of functions including individual lessons and student exhibitions, informational workshops and educational seminars, team building activities and after-school programs.
To date, ROSES has raised approximately one-third of the funds needed for the arena from private donors and corporate contributions, as well as through in-kind donations of building materials and labor (see attached list). The walls are up, the roof is on and the windows are in, but further construction is on hold until the additional funds are raised.
“We thank Looney’s and their customers for helping us spread the word out about ROSES and for contributing to our capital campaign,” said Joan Marie Twining, founder and executive director of ROSES. “Every contribution, no matter how small, makes a tremendous difference in helping us get closer to our goal of being able to expand services and help more people with special needs in a uniquely non-traditional learning environment.”
For more information about ROSES or to contribute to the capital campaign, contact 410-592-2562 or www.roseofsharonschool.org.
I think it is a great benifit that Looney’s is helping to give back to the community and those in need Adraine kleinman and stay as well as the owner’s of Looney’s Pub should be commended
I think it is a great benifit that Looney’s is helping to give back to the community and those in need Adraine kleinman and staff as well as the owner’s of Looney’s Pub should be commended