At its year-end celebration last month at Zion's Stone Church near Snyders, Horses & Horizons Therapeutic Learning Center Inc. named Amy J. Worrell,

V.M.D., the organization's Volunteer of the Year for 2014. Seth Grube received the honor of "Volunteen" of the Year.The celebration is a way to show appreciation to the many volunteers and to recognize the achievements of its riders.Worrell has volunteered for many years for the nonprofit therapeutic horseback riding program for the disabled. She has served as a lesson volunteer and is a former member of the board of directors. She currently serves on the center's advisory board and is also responsible for the veterinary care of the special lesson horses. Worrell owns and practices from Penn Haven Equine Veterinary Services.Grube was a volunteer for the 2014 season, serving as a side aide to help riders during their lessons. In 2013, before reaching the minimum age for lesson volunteers, he helped with various chores at lessons."Horses & Horizons is strictly a volunteer organization," said Harvey Smith, executive director. "We have numerous teenagers who volunteer to help with lessons, usually for only one or two sessions to satisfy their school's volunteer or graduation requirement. Seth not only assisted with riders in all three sessions of lessons this year, he was always asking what else he could do to help. We appreciated his willingness to do whatever was needed."Grube is a student at Blue Mountain High School. Although he has already completed his graduation project by volunteering at Horses & Horizons, he found the experience so rewarding that he plans to continue volunteering.As part of the year-end celebration, the organization's more than 50 volunteers were awarded certificates of appreciation. Smith, presented the program's riders with certificates of achievement.Since its founding in 1993, Horses & Horizons has operated from Harvey and Elaine Smith's Helping Horse Farm, located between Tamaqua and New Ringgold. The lesson program is staffed entirely by volunteers. The riders range in age from 3 to nearly 70 with a wide variety of physical, mental and emotional disabilities.Therapeutic horseback riding has been shown to improve balance, posture, strength and coordination. It also helps to increase self-awareness, self-confidence, attention span and independence. Riders often gain improved social skills as well.Horses & Horizons holds riding lessons from April through October. During its months of operation it also needs volunteers to assist with grounds maintenance, cleaning saddles and bridles and help with fundraising.For information on becoming a volunteer or enrolling a rider, visit

www.horsesandhorizons.org or call Harvey or Elaine Smith at 570-386-5679.