PRESS RELEASE!

Chesterfield, Virginia, June 24, 2023 - Friends and family of Sheryl Brown threw her a surprise event at Making Strides of Virginia, an adaptive/therapeutic riding center, to celebrate her 60th birthday. The event was not only a celebration of Sheryl's milestone birthday, but also a fundraiser for the center.

For months, Sheryl's loved ones worked hard to raise funds. Sheryl’s significant other, Jim Foley, and her daughters, Sarah and Rebecca Brown led fundraising efforts with the hopes of reaching $5,000. They were thrilled when they hit this number one week prior to the event. What was even more exciting was the influx of donations just days leading up to the event. With the support of a leading renewable energy company, AMERESCO, and dozens of individual contributors the total donation reached over $6,000! The money raised will be used to purchase a mounting lift for physically disabled clients, as well as a mounting ramp. Both of these items will be installed at the center's new expanded location, which will allow them to serve even more people with special needs.

"We wanted to do something special for Sheryl's birthday, and we knew that she would be thrilled to support an organization that works with horses and helps people." said Sarah Brown, Sheryl’s daughter. "It was amazing to see the outpouring of support from our friends and family. We are so happy to be able to make a difference in the lives of the center's clients, not just through this donation, but through our family’s continued volunteerism."

Making Strides of Virginia is a 501(c)(3) that provides adaptive therapeutic riding to individuals with special needs and veterans, helping them to improve their physical, emotional, and cognitive well-being. They rely on donations and fundraising efforts to continue their important work, and the donation from Sheryl's birthday event will make a significant impact on the center's ability to serve their clients.