EAST AURORA, N.Y. -- A therapeutic horse riding center that caters to people with special needs is in need of help.
One of Lothlorien Riding Center's barns, which houses an indoor arena, has been deemed unsafe since all the snow from this winter caused too much damage.
"We have our veterans groups, we have groups come in from hospice, children of bereavement," said executive director Maggie Keller.
They also help children with developmental needs.
"My oldest daughter was born at 24 weeks, she weighed just one pound," said Katy Steck, a mother of three.
Steck's daughter has physical challenges, so they came to Lothlorien to help her grow.
"When we found Lothlorien, we found such a huge improvement in her physical development, her overall coordination, balance," she said.
Now, Steck brings her other two children, and even though they don't necessarily need the physical therapy, it's benefited the whole family.
"They're learning, they're developing, and they don't even know it," she said.
Families like the Stecks are in danger of losing the therapeutic service because the barn is structurally unstable.
The weight of this winter's snow caused the roof to dip.
Posts and walls have sunken 10 inches into the ground.
An engineer evaluated it, and determined it must be replaced.
"It has to come down, it has to be repaired, we are at our limit, our capacity for insurance," said Keller.
The group works with only a small budget, so they're hoping the community can help raise the $115,000 that insurance won't cover.
Lothlorien has outdoor grounds, but its indoor arena allows those who need it to ride in all seasons, all year long.
"This really is a special place, and I hope that we can get this fixed," said Steck.
If you're interested in helping the folks at Lothlorien meet their goal, you donate online through their GoFundMe page by clicking here, or you can mail a donation of any amount made payable to "Lothlorien Riding Center."
That address is:
15 Reiter Road
East Aurora, N.Y. 14052
