Horse connections behind cancer calendar

BY SARA KEDDY

editor@berwickregister.ca

NovaNewsNow.com

“Affinity” is the name of a project that will extend goodwill to cancer patients and their families from people who have been there, but it describes also the connection between those same people and their horses.

“Horses are so honest. They live in the moment and if you don’t understand the horse, that’s your problem; they’re just being a horse,” says Rachel Argo.

The Millville woman’s saddle-making business is the nucleus for a group of horse-loving women. “They call themselves ‘Callan groupies,’ and they said ‘We should make a calendar’.”

With that, the women asked their friend, Katherine Morgan of Dartmouth, to capture them riding, playing, caring for and just “being” with their four-legged companions.

“It’s amazing how much horses help: they’re an hour I give away, somewhere I escape to,” Argo says. “I’ve had bad days, but I go out to the barn and my three mares, especially, will come up to me and just put their heads on me.”

Those bad days for Argo include her mother’s eight-year battle with cancer and relatives lost to the disease in past years. Another friend went through breast cancer treatments last year; another lost a dad to bowel cancer; a relative to spine cancer:

“Everyone who has taken part in the calendar has family or friends who’ve all had cancer. It’s so common.”

Proceeds to The Lodge that Gives

The calendar took on a purpose when the group decided to donate proceeds to The Lodge that Gives, a family and patient support house in Halifax.

“There are big corporations who give to research and specific cancers that get a lot of support, but we knew people with all kinds of cancers. We thought it would be nice to help the guys who support cancer patients, even if it’s paying their staff, buying a quilt for the Lodge or helping with operating costs.”

The Lodge that Gives was thrilled with the women’s calendar project, Argo said. She told them she could be convinced to deliver the final cheque by horseback through downtown Halifax if it would help generate more excitement and awareness of the Cancer Society’s program there.

“This might be bigger than we thought – I hope so. The more we raise, the better,” she said.

The calendars will be available after Oct. 1, printed at cost by T&S in Kingston. All the proceeds from the $15 sale price will go to The Lodge that Gives. To find “Affinity,” visit Scotian Gold in Coldbrook, Valley Shur-Gain stores, the Windsor Home Hardware or call Debbie Hennigar in Kentville, (902) 679-4421.

WEBLINKS

www.callansaddlery.com