ACCESS ADVENTURE VOLUNTEER

As a child my favorite animal was a horse. However, growing up in the San Francisco area, the thought of having a horse was only a dream. Instead, I collected Breyer Horses. In junior high I saved enough money for a couple of horseback riding lessons. I had very little experience with horses. That changed when Randie Boardman contacted the 4-H group that my two daughters Brianne and Melissa were members of. They were both very excited about volunteering for Access Adventure. As a result, I started volunteering too and have been loving it. Michael Muir and Susan Hassett are wonderful teachers aiding us in grooming, harnessing, and driving.

Horses were my favorite, but I liked all animals. Thus I graduated from U.C. Davis with a B.S. in Zoology. My first job was working in a research laboratory for the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. The department was experimenting with drugs, exercise, and electrical muscle stimulation in hopes of improving muscle function in people with muscular dystrophy and other types of neuromuscular disorders. I no longer work at a university, but rather at a junior high school. I am no longer assisting with research, but Access Adventure has provided me with an opportunity to help people with disabilities in a different way, helping them to see the wild on horse carriage rides.

Debbie sits on the carriage (left) with two neighborhood children, Susan Hassett, Randie Boardman, and Michael Muir. Standing in front of the carriage are Mr. and Mrs. Hanna, Michael's parents.