Coleta
& Nick
Corey of Silverdale, Wash., have reveled in the spirit of
selflessness and giving back for the past 39 years. They are the
founders of Corey's Day At The Farm, an event during which
special-needs children can enjoy a day of horseback riding,
petting farm animals, being outside, taking hayrack rides and
eating grilled hot dogs. The annual event takes place the Monday
and Tuesday
following Mother's Day and evolved after Corey's
special-needs son, Danny, participated in a “show-and-tell” at
his school in 1968.
“We took some puppies in for some of his classmates to see, and
it was pretty obvious they didn't always have a chance to be
around animals. They didn't know how to hold the puppies,” she
says. “So we decided on the way home that we'd invite them out
to see more animals so they could see what it was like to be
around animals.”
That first year, 26 children took part in the day on the farm,
riding on ponies with the aid of three of Corey's five sons, all
of whom had their own horses and participated in rodeos. It went
so well
that
the Corey's invited the class back for the next year, and some
of the other schools heard about it and asked if they could
bring their children. The event has grown exponentially to
include over 1,000 children from four counties.
“It's really a big thing,” Corey says. “It's excellent therapy
for the children. We've had some breakthroughs with the autistic
children.”
Autism is just one of the special needs confronted by children
who come to the farm. Kids with emotional, developmental and
physical problems are all welcome. Even youngsters in
wheelchairs are hoisted up on the backs of the horses and given
rides. Each school
is responsible for deciding which students need and would
benefit from the day at the farm and busses them out to the
event.
Seven years before Corey opened her own embroidery shop,
Monograms By Coleta, in 1986, Corey's Day At The Farm outgrew
the family farm and had to be moved to the Kitsap County
Fairgrounds in Silverdale. What has also grown with the event is
the spirit of volunteerism and giving associated with making the
two days successful. Local merchants donate food and
beverages—enough to make 2,000 lunches—while Silverdale civic
organizations donate money and time. In addition to the teachers
and parents who take part, anywhere from 150 to 200 people
volunteer their time with the children. Many bring animals for
the children to pet or ride for the day.
“Everybody
is very good to give to us. If they can't donate the whole
thing, they give us a bare-bones price on anything we have to
have,” Corey says. “Everybody has such a good time that it's not
really work.”
The days at the farm involve work year-round for the former
Department of Defense torpedo-builder-turned-embroiderer. At the
beginning of the year, Corey sends letters to the merchants and
organizations which have previously donated time, money, goods
or all three, asking for their help again—and she rarely gets
turned down. Corey's Day At The Farm won her Bridgewater,
N.J.-based, Brother International Corp.'s first “At Your Side”
award for community service in June. It has become a community
event that the children look forward to from the first day of
school, and that breaks down the walls which sometimes separate
people from the truth about what it means to be a special-needs
person. Some of the uncertainty about how to handle
special-needs people, especially children, is lost by helping at
Corey's Day At The Farm. After working the event, volunteers
understand that all it takes to make a disabled person's day
brighter is a simple “hello.”
“People know about it,” Corey says. “I've been asked, ‘Are you
the ones who do the day on the farm?’ They all know about it and
are very proud of what we do. As are we. I'm so happy we are
able to give this to the children. They need a lot of
experiences, this is ours we're able to give.”
that
the Corey's invited the class back for the next year, and some
of the other schools heard about it and asked if they could
bring their children. The event has grown exponentially to
include over 1,000 children from four counties.
es—while Silverdale civic
organizations donate money and time. In addition to the teachers
and parents who take part, anywhere from 150 to 200 people
volunteer their time with the children. Many bring animals for
the children to pet or ride for the day.