I joined Helping Horse’s Board of Directors in 2019, although my Board membership is not my first connection with the program. I began volunteering in 2014, first, as a Side Walker and later, as a Horse Leader. I love being a part of this wonderful organization!

I grew up on a farm in South Georgia, so the country life was all I knew until I attended Georgia Tech in downtown Atlanta! After stints in Tucson, AZ, Paris, France, and suburban New York City, my husband and I settled in Raleigh in 1995, with our two children. We have definitely made it our home.

Although I barely rode as a youth, (my Dad wouldn’t buy us horses, though we begged.  They COST money, not MADE money, he said), my daughter started riding at age eight, and I spent many years as a horse mom.  I learned to muck stalls, and groom and tack, with the best of them!  When she finished college and moved onto other things, I volunteered at Helping Horse to get my equine ‘fix’. The connection with the riders was an unexpected bonus, and what is ultimately why I kept coming back.

I was delighted when asked to join the Board, where I have met a new group of dedicated folks who are as enthusiastic about the program as I am.  I cannot wait to see where we go in the next few years. I serve on the Development Committee and chair the Nominating Committee. If you or anyone you know would like to be considered for the Board, please let me know. We are always looking for good candidates to help with this special organization.  

I’m excited to be a part of this program and I believe we are on a path for an exceptional future. I look forward to seeing you at the farm!

– Donna Heffring
Member, Board of Directors