On the Receiving End of Kindness
by Karen Pickering
As Mark and I approach the one year anniversary of his stroke, I’m reflecting on the generous nature of the community we serve. From the “Go Fund Me” account, to auctions held by friends and neighbors, to work days at our small farm, we are truly blessed by all of you. Still, it’s been very difficult for me to accept help or gifts. I always worry that there is someone out there who needs the support more than I do. However, I’ve had to remember that it blesses the person offering the gift so simple, grateful acceptance is key. I deeply appreciate my friends, family and all who have helped us maneuver through this dark time.
As we bring you this issue, I know we are coming into a busy time of the year. Between the holidays and year- end stuff, I hope you have a chance to stop and simply enjoy the presence of others, including our equine friends. It is the essence of the season. One way to simplify this often stressful time is to give gift certificates.
Check out our Holiday Gift Guide this year for ideas to simplify giving. It goes live on November 15th and we’ll notify you by email, Facebook and on our website. We will have coupons, gift certificates and other great holiday gift ideas. Visit a little more and spend a little less. Another idea is to give the gift of labor. The work parties that have helped us around the house in the last months have been a godsend.
Fun places to shop for gift certificates include Bolender Horse Park. Our cover story this month focuses on Mark Bolender and his trail program. We appreciate his commitment as a columnist and client and recommend his program and his beautiful course in Silver Creek, WA. Read more on page 6. Have an amazing holiday season and remember to ride!
Quote: “We are each of us angels with only one wing, and we can only fly by embracing one another.” —Luciano de Crescenzo
Published in November 2015 Issue
Owner/Publisher Karen’s lifelong love of horses began at a very early age when she wore out a couple of rocking horses before convincing her parents to get her the real thing. That ill-tempered bay gelding, Brandy, was a challenge for the young horsewoman, but it drove her ambition to become a horse trainer. After attending Canyonview Equestrian College’s Horsemanship Program, Karen realized she needed work that was a little more lucrative than training, so she took a job with Customs Brokerage to pay the bills. There, she discovered an affinity for computers and a talent for creating informative, entertaining newsletters. The Northwest Horse Source began as such a letter in December 1995, with a distribution of 1000 copies for its 12 black and white pages. Now 29 years later, it’s an online magazine and website with a reach of over 10,000 per month and growing! Not bad for the results of one woman’s dream to work with horses!
Today, Karen remains involved with every aspect of the magazine and treasures the community of thousands who share a common passion.
