By Mike McKenna
As tulips and forsythia are beginning to welcome back another spring with their colorful blooms, community events are also returning after the COVID hiatus. Here’s a rundown of three events happening this spring.
Most of us take for granted the freedom of going wherever we need to go, unless that freedom is taken away.
That’s one of the blessings that the inspiring team at Swiftsure Ranch Therapeutic Equestrian Center is able to share. The local nonprofit allows kids and adults with all types of physical, mental and emotional challenges the chance to enjoy the freedom of riding and connecting with horses.
Unfortunately, not everyone can ride a horse and enjoy that empowering experience. That’s why Swiftsure is excited to announce they are adding a new horse-drawn carriage as an option for their clients.
Thanks to the Spur Foundation, Swiftsure Ranch has purchased a wagon that can accommodate a wheelchair and up to four people. It will enable anyone to enjoy roaming around the 191-acre ranch just south of Bellevue.
“This is an amazing opportunity,” Paul Bennett, Swiftsure Ranch executive director, said. “It opens up the ranch for those who cannot ride a horse. It provides them a chance for the freedom to go wherever they want to go. They’re not bound by their mobility challenges anymore.”
The Chamber will be holding a ribbon-cutting for the new carriage on Friday, April 8 at 11 a.m. at Swiftsure Ranch at 114 Calypso Lane just south of Bellevue. Light refreshments will be served and the public is invited to join the celebration. For more information, contact Swiftsure Ranch at (208) 578-9111.
April weather in the Northern Rockies can be very unpredictable, so outdoor events like Earth Day celebrations can be iffy. That’s why the Climate Action Coalition and The Chamber have teamed up to create a new Earth Day 5K. The fun run and walk will happen, rain or shine, the day after the 52nd anniversary of the national holiday and will culminate a week of local activities meant to honor and protect the Earth.
The Earth Day 5K will take place on Saturday, April 23, at 10 a.m. at Hailey Town Square. The race course will follow the popular Turkey Trot route. To register or find out more, please go to ValleyChamber.org.
As the school year begins to wind down, The Chamber is teaming up with Blaine County School District to help students find jobs and ideas for career options as well as help our local employers find some much-needed staffers.
This is a great opportunity for local, valley-wide students to find good jobs and to start to think about possible career fields. It will also help local businesses and nonprofits find employees now and perhaps even in the future,” Julie Carney, from Wood River Middle School, said.
The Teen Job Fair and Business Expo will take place on Wednesday, May 4, from 5-7 p.m. at the Community Campus in Hailey. To get involved or for more information, please email Mike@ValleyChamber.org or call (208) 788-3484.