Church youth group pitches in at Stirrup Courage
Salem Mennonite Church’s youth group recently pitched in at Orrville’s Stirrup Courage to help put together a playset and assist with morning classes, make horse trails and host a cornhole tournament to help cover the cost of the materials.
When you hear of church youth having a mission trip, you may picture a faraway place. But while the world has many needs, places right in the area also could use some support.
This summer Salem Mennonite Church’s youth group served locally at Stirrup Courage on South Kohler Road in Orrville.
Stirrup Courage partners horses and support children who have experienced difficult life situations, and about 15 of Salem’s youth partnered July 8-11 with Stirrup Courage to help with morning classes, put together a playset, make horse trails and to host a cornhole tournament to help cover the cost of the materials.
“The kids did an awesome job with helping out and building the playset. Everyone jumped in and stuck with it ‘til we were done,” said Karey Lehman, a young adult who gave his time, tools and talent to help head up the project. “They took a two-day project and made it a one-day project. Hopefully, this playset will serve its purpose for many years to come.”
On Monday morning some youth helped with classes while the majority of the group cleared sod and prepared an area for the playset, which will be used by kids who are waiting for their siblings during the equestrian classes. By the afternoon power tools could be heard putting it together and into place.
“I cannot say enough about this incredible group,” said Shannon Gerber, one of the youth’s sponsors. “The complaint I heard most often over the course of the week, if you can call it that, was that there wasn’t enough hard work, and they would have preferred having more to complete.
For context, this group transformed a section of the yard into a landscaped playground in one day — good luck keeping up. I saw youth and leaders teaching one another how to use power tools and tractors and even using scraps of materials they found in the barn to build decor for the new bathroom.”
Lillian Ediger and Hannah Austin found materials onsite to make the handicapped-accessible bathroom more welcoming and usable. They hung a mirror over the sink and made a table using power tools, desk legs and a live-edge board to hold towels.
Tara Steiner, executive director of Stirrup Courage, said the youths were the most hardworking group of teens she could have asked for and fun to work with on top of that.
“We gave them bigger and more difficult projects to tackle than we’ve ever given to adult volunteer groups, and the youth group would knock them out in a single day or less and then keep coming up with new creative projects to jump into,” Steiner said. “We now have a beautiful playground area for our clients, cleared trails to start riding, a second bathroom ready to use, pastures mowed, windows washed and more.”
Stirrup Courage offers one-hour small group lessons in four- to six-week sessions for $25 a lesson. Children who have experienced trauma due to adverse childhood experiences, difficult socioeconomic situations and other factors that place them at risk have the opportunity to develop connections with horses alongside volunteers as they learn about horse care, safety, grooming, leading and riding. All applicants have the opportunity to request scholarships to cover all or part of the cost of sessions.
“We have personally experienced the powerful, positive outcomes that interactions with horses can have in a child’s development and the unique invitation horses offer for children to connect emotionally,” Steiner said. “We feel called to make that connection with horses available to more children who could benefit from it. Because the costs and demands of owning and caring for a horse or even just taking lessons are so great, many children who could benefit and find healing through equine activities do not have access to them.
“We feel called to help remove those barriers for children who would not have the chance to be with them otherwise.”
Stirrup Courage also takes donations of dependable, well-trained horses, helping the animals have a new purpose as they interact with children.
“The youth from Salem and the adults who lead and serve alongside them know how to serve and give it their all, and we are thankful they choose to serve with Stirrup Courage this summer,” Steiner said.