In November 2010, Wellington The Magazine featured a story on our charity, Horses Healing Hearts. I wanted to update you with some incredible news we received last Sunday. HHH’s name was been drawn at the Trump Invitational Grand Prix to be awarded a $25,000 grant from the FTI Great Charity Challenge!
This is the first time they’ve decided to do this “surprise grant,” and how incredibly fortunate and blessed we feel to be the recipient. It’s ironic: The initial night that we did not get drawn to be one of the competing charities represented, of course we were disappointed. However, one of our little girls from our charity got a hug and an autograph from Margie Goldstein Engle. And later, as the same girl was standing by the fence line at the end of the event, Todd Minikus cantered straight up to her and tossed his second-place ribbon to her like it was a Frisbee. She stood there holding it in shock. He smiled and cantered off. Julia will not forget that night, and I won’t ever forget the look on her face.
These moments inspire our kids, truly. Where else but Wellington could a child be so lucky as to get such up-close-and-personal attention from these champions (people and horses)? I walked away thinking that was our gift this year from the charity challenge; we’ll try again next year. Little did I know how much better it would soon get!
I would like to thank Mark Bellissimo, Donald Trump, the FTI Great Charity Challenge and Cassadee Pope for her support and performance. The FTI Great Charity Challenge has set record numbers in terms of donations for our county, but most importantly, our town of Wellington.
Lizabeth Olszewski, Founder
Horses Healing Hearts Inc.
