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Congrats to Manes and Tails. ?????? The March 1 winner of the Scholarship Fan Club $100 drawing is "MT Bottles" That may sound strange but it was money from a bottle donation specifically designated to purchase a Scholarship Fan Club ticket that would help the Fund if chosen a winner. We actually have two like this. On the first of each month we go to the jar and pull out a number, then to the notebook where the name of the entry is recorded next to the number. From there the winner is notified and announced. Thanks to everyone who has entered, and especially the winners who have either re-donated their winnings or used the $100 to purchase five more entries. Entries are good for 12 months.

This is our latest News Release, which includes March meeting info:

{Every five cents counts. The Manes and Tails Scholarship Fund bottle drive has been under way for a month and bags are piling up around the (Aroostook) County. Response has been very good when MT volunteers ask for donations from friends and relatives. Even more inspiring are the donations dropped off at several county drop sites by caring people of Aroostook. "I was coming in from barn chores and there were four bags of empties in the driveway" states Nancy Dumond Violette of Van Buren. "We've had good reports of donations in the Houlton area also, the local media coverage has been a helpful factor"

Manes and Tails Aroostook is a County non profit which seeks to support the growth of Special Needs people using Equine Assisted Activities to improve their lives. A decision will be made at the March 7 meeting on how long the "Bottle Mission" will continue. The group already has six requests for tuition funding (scholarships of $100 to $250) for 2012 and expects to at least double that through the summer. Participants may apply funding to the equine facility of their choice in Aroostook County. A lot of work is still ahead. Scholarship 'Fan' Club tickets, requests from community organizations and independent donations, sometimes allocated for specific participants, or towns, grants and a spring barn dance plans are still in the works.

Meetings are always open to anyone interested in horses helping humans. The March 7 meeting is at the Oriental Pearl Restaurant in Presque Isle; dinner, networking and educational elements 6pm, business 7-8:30. The MT website is www.manesandtailsaroostook.webs.com and the organization can be found on facebook as Manes and Tail Aroostook. FMI Nancy Dumond Violette 207 868 5324, or 484 1231.}

WAGM aired a bottle drive segment shot in VB, thought I'd really messed up that interview but Randi must have done a wonderful job editing because the feedback has been good, Just in VB, I believe we have collected over 5000 empties.

Case Managers and Parents: Please give me a heads up if you are expecting scholarship requests. You help us set the $ goal for this year . Just send me an email of what you MAY expect so we have a better idea of the need and better influence when asking organizations and businesses to contribute.

New motto for 2012: "Times are tough, we are tougher"

The Scholarship 'Fan' Club needs A LOT more tickets sold!!! The Barn Dance needs music. The Bottle drive still needs contributions. We have many hopes to fulfill. The mission that is TOO rewarding NOT to do.

MT is all volunteer. We raise funds to send people to the facility they request, (regular full time lesson barns to PT family arenas,) that suits them best. (hopefully close to their home) We are happy to see new opportunities for special needs happening, and will travel to coach and support anyone wanting to begin therapeutic work, back yards or lesson barns, including bringing and donating props and equipment. We are NOT a governing organization, rather a networking group to increase the amount of time horses are allowed to improve lives.

When a parent comes back after sessions and tells you 'the child has three vertebra straightened in her back, or the worker says her client has stopped 'cutting' since his first session, the Autistic child has started to hug, the family is more cohesive.' When a child states what he learned (during horse lessons) is concentration, focus and planning for success............. We all know that any relationship with a horse is better than none, and that specifically planned therapeutic sessions can change lives even more.

Equine Assisted Psychotherapy news letter link: http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=spkluajab&v=001bNszPz862YwwPJbYpumxEaApx0IAUwXrFZK3J1KZGKJLMErQFuOC7IjsR0a1z0agOt7iHXGuhfzwDjM2VUAfL220X1uXi68Yiy2XWZ_vRKI%3D

Great sharing from Fort Kent, thanks Pat:

'Hi Nancy, have you heard of Rupert Isaacson? I just read his book, Horse Boy (his son is autistic and he took him to Mongolia to visit the shamans there) and found his website:

http://www.horseboyworld.com/horse-boy-world.html

A must see for anyone working with horses and autism especially.'

(The first two most recommended therapies for autism are water and horses respectively)

Parent to Parent Outreach Tuesday, March 6th. 6-8 PM at

The Cubby 40 Sweden Street, Caribou ME (enter through the back)

To bring together parents of children with disabilities.

Offer a network of support.

Educate on topics of relatable interest through speakers, workshops and trainings.

Direct parents to available resources in their community and state. fmi: Cindy Johnson - 492-1579 or Catherine Jandreau - 834-5867/[email protected]

Great wheel chair trade-in opportunity: VPG Cash for Conversion Clunkers Program for the MV-1 The Cash for Conversion Clunkers program begins on March 1, 2012 and ends on May 31, 2012 and will be in affect at all VPG dealerships nationwide. Visit www.vpgautos.com for a complete list of VPG dealers.

Women's Leadership Conference ( 2nd Annual) hosted my women work and Community! March 22. All women are leaders, especially in their families. FMI Erica Quinn Easter at WWC [email protected]

www.womenworkandcommunity.org WWC offers support to men and women.

Recent WWC newsletter link: http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=5odtftbab&v=0015_lm2NH4ZFJNdPnHM7yCNgCS7b6_s7g-XnK6iJJ7lhBJKsG8flaJCbBezde0VMFtiZpJb9dLS5qVA6gy3sO7pv1TmLNwyDeCe17Pqki1vaGbkGJjsJcVFLqneZKD91gXORm91wcQF8_dZrogK584vw%3D%3D

Elmer's and Kids In Need Foundation Announce K-12 Teacher Grant Program

Approximately two hundred and fifty grants of up to $500 each will be awarded to accredited K-12 teachers in the United States for classroom projects to be completed during the 2012-13 school year.... link:

http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/rfp/rfp_item.jhtml?id=370200038

Deadline: TBA Posted: February 14, 2012

Nonprofit Finance Fund Awarded $40 Million in New Markets Tax Credit Allocation

NFF will use the allocation to provide financing with flexible terms that enables small and midsize nonprofits in low-income areas to affordably complete facility improvements and better serve their communities

Link: http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/news/story.jhtml?id=372400026

New National Competition Launched to Identify and Support School Programs and Technology Innovations That Motivate Children to Be Physically Active

Awards of up to $100,000 will be awarded for school-based programs and technological innovations that promote physical activity among children and youth....

Deadline: April 2, 2012 Posted: February 13, 2012

Link: http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/rfp/rfp_item.jhtml?id=370200037

PB & J Bangor Savings Bank is excited to launch its first-ever Peanut Butter and Jelly Drive. During the month of March, join Bangor Savings Bank in the fight against hunger by donating peanut butter and jelly. Stop in at your local Bangor Savings Bank branch and drop off a jar of peanut butter, jelly, or both. All donations will help families right in your community through your local food pantry.

Hitachi Foundation Invites Entries for Yoshiyama Young Entrepreneurs Program

The Hitachi Foundation's Yoshiyama Young Entrepreneurs Program seeks to identify and support inspiring young entrepreneurs whose work helps alleviate domestic poverty. Link:

http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/rfp/rfp_item.jhtml?id=372100029

From The Horse’s Maine about Maine Equestrian Barn Open Day, May 27:

Maine Equestrian Open Barn Day is just for equestrian barns. We’ve often wondered why Maine didn’t have one and finally realized that it was because there was no one to “declare” it. So we did. My hopes are that there are tons of barns doing open barns that day, and we are going to send press releases to TV stations and newspapers that include the list of barns participating in hopes of turning out hordes of people. When the State of Maine tries to do something awful, like the hay tax, it is always surprised to find that there are tons of “horse people” in the State that they didn’t know about (and who vote!). I’d really like the State to realize just how prevalent equestrian barns are, and the people of the State to get into the horse scene more. I’m really hoping that if it’s big enough, newspapers and TV will cover the event and wouldn’t THAT be nice- to see horse stuff in the news!

Each barn can do whatever it likes for their open barn. We’ve got an article on giving an open barn in the March issue that might help. To take part all a barn has to do is email or send us their name, county, address and phone number to be added to the list (which we will carry in the March, April and May issues). No requirements and no charge. We aren’t charging anything for any of this; just want to promote horse barns in Maine.

FMI Lynda McCann, [email protected]