Auction benefits Higher Hopes
Randi Roberts shows off one of the items that were auctioned off at the 17th annual Higher Hopes Therapeutic Riding Center Auction held Dec. 2 at River View High School. Josie Sellers | Beacon
WARSAW – Peggy Roahrig was overwhelmed by the amount of people who came out to support the 17th annual Higher Hopes Therapeutic Riding Center Auction.
“This is a very huge turnout,” she said. “We opened at 4 p.m. and at first I didn’t think there were a lot of people here but then I looked out and saw the line was backed up for food and people had their coats on chairs saving spots at tables. It gives you a really good feeling to know that all these people are here to support Higher Hopes.”
Peggy and her husband Tom operate Higher Hopes, which provides therapeutic riding opportunities for children and adults with disabilities.
“This helps us with feed, hay and a lot of times new equipment,” Peggy said. “In the past as our kids have grown up we’ve also had to buy different horses that they could grow with. This also helps when we have people who can’t pay to participate because we don’t turn anyone away.”
The auction was held on Dec. 2 at River View High School and was sponsored by River View FFA. Attendees had the chance to bid on toys, tools, tack, donated items, travel packages, theme baskets, fruit baskets, and more.
Peggy was happy to see many people donate items they bought and ask that they be placed in the sleigh set up by the auctioneers.
“They do the A Touch of Country Christmas here (at River View) and I’m not sure how they pick, but they send everything in that sleigh back with one of the schools,” she said. “The teacher can keep it for their classroom or send it home with the kids. Every year a different school gets picked.”
The auction also features a 50/50 drawing, cake auction, saddle raffle, door prizes and silent auction that Cherie Reveal and her family worked on.
“Higher Hopes is an amazing group of people and they give people with special needs the chance to shine,” she said.
Her son Riley Reveal has been involved with Higher Hopes for at least 10 years now.
“This gives him confidence, friendships and support that he might not get otherwise,” she said. “The volunteers that run the program care and you can tell they want to be there.”
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