Page 12 - Palm City Spotlight - October '21

Page 12, Palm City Spotlight

nonprofit news

Horses Help Military Vets The all-volunteer organization only uses

Recover From Physical And professionals to conduct its counseling.
Marie Ferri, LMHC, an accomplished
Emotional Trauma equestrian and licensed mental health
therapist, teams up with Karen Woodbury, a
By Jackie Holfelder certified Equine Specialist and owner of three
The credo of Horses and Heroes of Southeast Florida is horses, to bring the eight-week program to
Camaraderie, Connection, Collaboration and Community. veterans.
The mission of the nonprofit is to connect veterans who Woodbury says that the majority of
struggle with physical and emotional (PTSD) trauma with them have no experience with horses. “Our
horses that help the military heroes relearn how to build program is on the ground,” she says. “During
successful inter-human connections. the first meetings, participants learn to
observe horses to safely build an appreciation
for the human/horse relationship. The innate
trait of horses as herd animals correlates Board member/volunteer Marci Meyerowich, Horses and Heroes Chief
beautifully with the bond of brotherhood Executive Frank Libutti, volunteer Mark Woodbury and Veterans Advocate/
shared by service members.” Events Coordinator Tom Brown
Marci Meyerowich, a board member/
volunteer at Horses and Heroes, says, “Learning to build The need for its services is great, as more and more stories
bonds and relationships with horses leads to being able about the difficulties faced by so many returning heroes
to be comfortable doing the same with people.” become more openly discussed.
The program has already been tested successfully with As retired Marine Corps Lieutenant General and chief
several veterans who continue to maintain the progress executive of Horses and Heroes of Southeast Florida Frank
they’ve made after finishing the sessions. Libutti says, “We have a great team, an honorable mission,
Since Horses and Heroes is waiting for its 501(c)(3) and veterans who need our support. Connecting horses with
status to be formalized, most of its outreach to date has our heroes creates a healing environment.”
Certified Equine Specialist Karen Woodbury, Jeanie Libutti been word-of-mouth, with Veterans Advocate/Events For more information, contact Frank Libutti at (256) 529-
and Denise Brown with Bailey, one of the horses in the program Coordinator Tom Brown scheduling and supporting 7642 or libuttifrank@gmail.com.
presentations to interested groups. Photos by Jackie Holfelder

Certified Equine Specialist Karen Woodbury and Jeanie
Libutti with Bailey, one of the horses in the program

Horses and Heroes Chief Executive Frank Libutti, Veterans
Advocate/Events Coordinator Tom Brown, Jeanie Libutti
and Denise Brown

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