AND IT HITS SHELVES TODAY.
♪
>> Jason: WE SHARE A LOT OF
INSPIRING STORIES WITH YOU ON
"LIVE IN THE D."
AND SOME WHO HELPS US DO THAT IS
MITCH ALBOM.
>> Kim: HE FINDS LOCAL
ORGANIZATIONS THAT HIGHLIGHT THE
GOOD BEING DONE IN AND AROUND
DETROIT AND HE’S TALKED TO SO
MANY PEOPLE AND CHARITIES AND
DECIDED TO CHECK BACK IN AND SEE
WHERE THEY ARE NOW.
>> Jason: HE CAUGHT UP WITH
OATS, AN ORGANIZATION CONTINUING
TO GIVE KIDS THE RIDE OF THEIR
LIFE IN "THE HEART OF DETROIT."
♪
>> Mitch: WE HAD THE PRIVILEGE
OF MEETING BETH AND FRED IN
SEASON 6 OF "THE HEART OF
DETROIT."
THEY HAD JUST TAKEN OVER OAT, AN
EQUINE THERAPY ORGANIZATION FOR
CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH SPECIAL
NEEDS.
HOW HAS COVID-19 BEEN A
CHALLENGE FOR YOU IN OPERATING
OATS?
>> IT’S BEEN A CHALLENGE JUST
TRYING TO START THINGS UP WHICH
WE DID AT THE END OF JUNE.
WE CLEAN EVERYTHING AND LEAVE
ALL THE TACK OUT AND SPRAY IT
DOWN, LEAVE IT OUT FOR 24 HOURS,
WANTING TO MAKE IT SAFE FOR
EVERYBODY AS FAR AS OUR RIDERS
AND OUR VOLUNTEERS AND OUR
INSTRUCTORS.
WE STARTED WITH PRIVATE LESSONS
FOR A WHILE FOR ABOUT A MONTH,
AND THEN WE WERE ABLE TO ADD ONE
MORE RIDER.
AND NOW WE’RE UP TO THREE AND
THAT’S PROBABLY WHERE WE’LL
STAY, THAT’S WHERE WE’RE
COMFORTABLE AT.
>> IT’S VERY IMPORTANT TO
CONTINUE HELPING PEOPLE AS WE
HAVE DONE FOR THE LAST 22 YEARS.
>> Mitch: HOW HAVE YOU GROWN AND
GOTTEN ACTUALLY BIGGER AND MORE
INVOLVED BEFORE COVID BUT SINCE
THE LAST TIME WE DID A "THE
HEART OF DETROIT" WITH YOU?
>> WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT HAVE
EXPANDED OUR SERVICES, SO IT
HELPS A LOT OF CHILDREN WITH
AUTISM OR ADHD AND ANXIETY.
IT’S BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND
TRUST, THAT TYPE OF THING, WITH
THE HORSES.
THAT’S SOMETHING THAT’S GROWN
SINCE WE LAST MET YOU.
>> Mitch: THANKS FOR CHECKING
BACK IN WITH US.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING US AND WE
INTEND TO KEEP THE SMILES GOING.
>> Kim: SO SWEET!
JOINING US NOW ARE FRED AND
BETH.
THANKS FOR BEING WITH US!
THANKS FOR HAVING US.
>> Kim: OF COURSE, I LOVE THE
TREE IN THE BACKGROUND THERE.
LET’S START WITH GETTING AN
UPDATE ON HOW THINGS ARE GOING
AMIDST THE PANDEMIC.
HOW HAS IT IMPACTED YOU?
>> WE CLOSED IN MARCH FOLLOWING
THE CDC ORDERS, LIKE WE HAD
SAID, AND WE WERE ABLE TO OPEN
IN JUNE AND WE WERE UP TO 38-40%
OF OUR REGULAR RIDERSHIP, AND
THAT WAS REALLY HELPFUL AND
EXCITING TO HAVE OUR OLD RIDERS
AND MANY NEW RIDERS COME INTO
THE PROGRAM, BACK TO THE
PROGRAM, OR TO START THE
PROGRAM.
>> OF COURSE, UNFORTUNATELY, ALL
OF OUR FUND-RAISERS HAVE BEEN
CANCELED BECAUSE OUR CLASS
RIDERSHIP ALSO IMPACTED OUR
INCOME AND NOW WE’RE PAUSED
AGAIN.
WE HAVE HAD TO CLOSE DOWN AGAIN
AND WE’RE HOPING TO OPEN AGAIN
AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BUT ALL OF
OUR INCOME HAS STOPPED.
EVERYBODY IS LAID OFF.
WE’RE HOPING THAT WE CAN GET
BACK TO PROVIDING THE SERVICES
THAT WE CARE SO MUCH ABOUT.
>> Kim: ABSOLUTELY.
WELL OBVIOUSLY IT’S A TOUGH TIME
FOR INCOMEDY STIMULUS SHOW IN.
IS THERE A WAY PEOPLE CAP DONATE
TO YOU?
HAS THERE BEEN ANY SILVER LINING
WITH THE WHOLE PANDEMIC?
>> I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT
SOME OF THE SUCCESSES WE’VE HAD.
THESE ARE SOME OF OUR NEW RIDERS
SINCE JUNE.
AND WE’VE HAD AMAZING THINGS
HAPPENING.
WE HAVE A LITTLE GIRL, 6 YEARS
OLD, THE CUTEST LITTLE THING.
SHE HAD OPEN-HEART SURGERY AT
TWO DAYS OLD, THEN A HEART
TRANSPLANT, A DEBIT TATING HEART
ATTACK AND COULD HARDLY KEEP HER
EYES OPEN OR SIT UP FOR 10
MINUTES.
AFTER WORKING WITH US, IT’S
AMAZING!
EVEN THE DOCTORS ARE AMAZED AT
THE PROGRESS.
WE’RE CHEATING AND EXTENDING HER
LESSON BEYOND WHAT IT SHOULD BE
BECAUSE SHE’S DOING SO WELL AND
WE’RE THRILLED TO BE PART OF HER
RECOVERY.
WE HAVE ANOTHER LITTLE GIRL DEAF
AND BLIND ADOPTED AND BROUGHT
HERE BY A WONDERFUL FAMILY FROM
CHINA.
SHE DOES PRETTY WELL, A PRETTY
GOOD RIDER.
HER INTERPRETER HAS TO SIGN INTO
HER HANDS.
IS IT TUESDAY YET?
IS IT TIME FOR ME TO GO TO OATS?
AND WE’RE SO HAPPY TO PROVIDE
JOY AND EXCITEMENT IN HER LIFE.
>> WE HAVE OTHER RIDERS WHO COME
TO US WHERE ONE, FOR INSTANCE,
WAS IN CRISIS.
AND E-MAILED ME AND SAID I NEED
TO COME IN AND WORK WITH YOU.
AND I SAID, I’LL WORK WITH HER.
I WORKED WITH HER ON THE GROUND,
LETTING HER GET IN TOUCH WITH
HER FEELINGS AND OUR THERAPISTS
ARE HORSES, OF COURSE.
SINCE SHE’S BEEN COMING WITH US,
SHE WAS IN A VERY, VERY DARK
PLACE, AND NOW IT HAS OPENED UP
HER WORLD TO REACH OUT TO OTHER
THERAPIES THAT WOULD HELP HER
LIKE ART THERAPY, MUSIC THERAPY,
AND IT MADE HER CHANGE HER WHOLE
PERSPECTIVE OF LIFE AND IT’S
OPENED DOORS FOR HER, AND A
REASON FOR HER TO LIVE.
>> Kim: AWESOME!
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
YOU’RE DOING AMAZING WORK.
WE’RE RUNNING A LITTLE SHORT ON
TIME.
OATS IS A GREAT ORGANIZATION TO
CONTRIBUTE TO IF YOU’RE LOOKING