Special needs riders at the Children of Promise Stable (COPS) Barn can look forward to an indoor riding arena going up soon. Construction is scheduled to start during the week of June 15 and will take about three weeks with electric set to be added at a later date.
Fundraising for the indoor horse riding area has reached $87,000 of the $120,000 goal and approval for the addition recently arrived from the state. Board of Directors member Kathy McGovern said building an indoor arena for the COPS Barn special needs riders to use in inclement weather has been a goal since 2002.
“All our riders are special needs, either developmental or physical,” said Riding Instructor Catherine Heinzer. “It’s mostly children. We do have some adults.”
The addition will be named “The Thomas J. Foley Arena” in memory of New York City Rescue 3 Firefighter and West Nyack resident Tommy Foley who died on September 11, 2001. He was an avid horseman and bull rider and supported the therapeutic work done at COPS Barn. His sister Joanne Foley Gross produced a film, “Thomas J. Foley Legacy of a Young Hero,” about him.
Currently, the COPS Barn compound in Nanuet includes a barn with stalls, an outdoor riding arena and sensory riding trails with activity stations.
Approximately 64 riders are enrolled in its program, which also provides sessions for school groups of special education classes. Heinzer said they are excited because they will be able to give lessons through more of the year and will not have to cancel them because of inclement weather, strong winds or cold temperatures. The students benefit from the weekly lessons and are heartbroken when they miss one.
“Our sessions are eight weeks,” she said. “We serve 50 riders per session.”
Fundraising for the indoor arena continues with a Rockland Boulders game on Saturday, June 15 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $14 and can be purchased online www.rocklandboulders.com/tickets/fundraiser/ or by contacting copsbarn@gmail.com
Donations can be made to the not for profit organization at www.childrenofpromisestable.org. The equestrian riding program got its start in 2001 when Clarkstown police officers and community volunteers built the barn.
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