Happy New Year!
It’s that time of year when you reflect on the past 12 months and think, wow, that went by fast! This is true for me as well. It has been a little more than a year since I became a part of the board at Victoria Acres and it really has flown by. Perhaps it’s because there is never a dull moment!
I’m thinking of 2025 as the rollercoaster year. We had both great successes and great challenges and losses. We started off in April with the 3rd Annual Barn Dance Gala being our best one yet! We had so much fun while raising donations to keep the barn and the mission going. We were also floored by the fact that, unbeknownst to us, Victoria Acres was recommended for two grants (Ballston Spa National Bank and Key Bank) which we were awarded! This means others believe in our mission and trust us to carry it out and we are so appreciative!
We also had challenges and losses. Sadly, we lost both Winne and Ellie this year. We were helped immensely by our community to help us overcome many critical challenges.
- When we had a long heat wave in July causing us to cancel many weeks of lessons, our community stepped up and helped us recoup about half of the income that we lost.
- When we were low on volunteers, our community spread the word so we could be fully staffed again to run our lesson programs.
- The ongoing saga of the well (IYKYK) persisted until this fall when we FINALLY were able to get it dug thanks to one very dedicated volunteer and a fairly priced contractor. Phew!
Looking ahead to 2026, we are in the midst of planning the 4th Annual Barn Dance Gala for Saturday, April 25. Please save the date! We always need help with planning and running the event so let us know if you’d like to help!
We continue to pursue bringing the Horses4Heroes veteran program back to the facility. In line with this, we are searching for new therapists (horses) to become part of our lesson programs.
As our lesson programs don’t come close to covering the costs to feed, house and give quality medical care to our horses, we rely heavily on grants and fundraising. In 2026, we will be forming a FUNdraising committee! If you have a passion for, or are skilled at fundraising and grant writing, please contact us!
Volunteers and staff are the backbone of this organization. Nothing happens without your dedication, so you have my deepest appreciation. And to my family and friends who love my daughter, know my passion for VAEF, and always give their support when called upon, there aren’t enough thanks in the world!
Happiness, good health, and all the best in 2026!
With gratitude,
Kim Kelly