Wild Hearts Horses for Heroes Benefit Dinner Fundraiser A Tremendous Success

Shown: Keith Jermyn with his wife Lisa (on left) and Keynote Speaker Major Earl Weigelt, Army Chaplain (right) at Wild Hearts Horses for Heroes Benefit Dinner fundraiser.

With the generous support of businesses, institutions and individuals throughout southeastern Massachusetts, Wild Hearts Therapeutic Equestrian Program's Wild Hearts Horses for Heroes Benefit Dinner fundraiser held at the Easton Country Club on May 20th, was a great success.

Wild Hearts Therapeutic Equestrian Program, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the fight against veteran suicide by providing therapeutic horsemanship programs free of charge to veterans returning from deployment, relies on donors and sponsors to support their programming.

"Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors and donors, our Wild Hearts Horses for Heroes Benefit Dinner raised $15,290, which will enable us to continue to provide life-changing programs to veterans free of charge," said Julie Lovely, Executive Director and PATH Certified Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning. All proceeds from the Benefit Dinner directly benefit Wild Hearts Horses for Heroes therapeutic horsemanship programs.

Major Earl Weigelt, Army Chaplain who deployed to Afghanistan 2009–2010 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom was the evening's keynote speaker. Veteran Fred Moody, who is a Maine resident, spoke about his experience with therapeutic horsemanship. Guests enjoyed a creative multi-course gourmet meal, a silent auction, and musical entertainment by The Bleeding Hearts - Sean Coleman (a Wild Hearts board member) Bob Allard, Laurie Ellington, Bill Danylik, and Jim Clements - playing danceable classic rock and Motown-era songs.

Wild Hearts Therapeutic Equestrian Program would like to thank Major Weigelt, and the following people and organizations for their sponsorship and generous donations to the evening's event: Sean and Susan Coleman, Bridgewater Savings Bank, Good Samaritan Medical Center, Marlou Designs, Sheppard Leger Nowak, Inc., David Bergers, Town of Hingham Veterans Council, Upland Riders Motorcycle Group, Fred & Polly Beste, Jillian Bither-Landry & Beechplum Floral, Fred Moody and all who donated tickets to veterans.

Wild Hearts would also like to thank the following for their generous donations to the Silent Auction: Cynthia Mann, Boston Celtics, Dorothy Walsh, Hedy Cheshire Fine Designs, Jamie Grant and PartyLite, Jane Shinberger, Jessica Normand and SmartPak Equine, Karen Laude and Simon, Karen Lovely, Kathleen Doe and James Joseph Salon, Kristin Swan and Swan Communications, Lisa Miller and The Foal Project, Lorna Palmer and Spring Willow Farm, Margaret Loughlin, Michael Tondorf and Riva Restaurant, New England Revolution, Nicole Long, Nicole Ribeiro and adASTRA Training and Pet Care, Taunton Home Depot, Providence Bruins, Red Sox Foundation and Sean Coleman.

In addition to the $15,290 raised at the Wild Hearts Horses for Heroes Benefit Dinner, Wild Hearts extends heartfelt appreciation for the $15,000 donation made in memory of Paul DeMatteo by his family.

Lovely continued, "We are extremely grateful to all of our supporters, as the success of our Benefit Dinner is essential to the continuity and expansion of our programming and to making a real difference in the lives of the men and women who put their lives on the line to preserve our freedoms."

Military veterans returning home from deployment may suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and other psychological challenges that make it difficult to return to duty or readjust to civilian life. Wild Hearts Therapeutic Equestrian Program addresses these wounds of war through their Wild Hearts Horses for Heroes therapeutic horsemanship programs offered to active-duty and veteran service members at no cost. For more information, visit www.wildheartstherapeutic.org or call 508-857-1737.

(Any opinions expressed by Major Weigelt are solely his own do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency of the United States government or any branch of its military, nor does Major Weigelt’s participation in this event constitute an endorsement thereof by any agency of the United States government or any branch of its military.)