Horse Sense to Raise Literacy Awareness – Journey-or-Not
While many Americans are sheltered from the reality that there are still a large number of people in the nation who cannot read or write, one organization is unveiling an interesting approach to raising awareness. Literacy Orange is teaming up with horse trainer, Hugo Huesca, and a Selle Francais mare to bring the nation’s illiteracy problem to the attention of more people.
Sati de la Violle, a jumper who has competed internationally, will be featured as the face of the group’s Journey-or-Not Campaign for Literacy outreach. Anonymously donated to Literacy Orange, she will appear at several events as the center of the drive to fight illiteracy including the upcoming Middlesex County Horse Show.
Christine Rolando, Executive Director of Orange Literacy and a respected Equine Appraiser, says Sati’s presence will bring awareness to the issue of illiteracy. “We wanted to take a different approach to raise the consciousness of the economic impact that illiteracy causes; Sati can help us attract more people to join or help us in our efforts to eradicate it, and pointing out that an estimated 30 million people in the U.S. over the age of 16 read at or lower than an elementary school level.”
Sati de la Violle is an 8 year old Selle Francais sired by Lux Z, one of the world’s most successful stallions in international show jumping. Lux Z participated in the 2000 Sydney Olympics and won the Pulsar Crown competition in both Valkenswaard and Cannes amongst his long list of honors.
Also part of the Journey-or-Not literacy campaign, Sati will also be featured as the mother for the central character, “Journey” for an upcoming children’s book accompanying the campaign. The story, being written by, McCauley Tawpash, is about the adventures a fictional young horse. The book is touted to be an educational and fun learning activity for children and adults, creating interaction and communication while enhancing literacy and writing skills.
Huesca says he is excited to join forces with Rolando’s literacy campaign because as an immigrant to the United States, he could not read or write English when he came to the country. “We want to make sure everyone has a chance to compete with the power that the ability to read English brings them. Illiteracy leaves people behind,” says Huesca.
Literacy Orange provides over 15,000 volunteer tutor hours annually to adults and families. It is an affiliate member of Pro-Literacy Worldwide. In addition, Literacy Orange has created the Prowess Program, teaching financial literacy, and has helped hundreds of thousands of people learn to read and write English.
Literacy Orange is a 501 C 3 not-for-profit organization established nearly 34 years ago.
www.LiteracyOrangeNY.org 845-341-5460
