Local business looking to refresh Strathmore’s youth
Shannon LeClair
Times Reporter
Spiritual Equine Connection, owned by Strathmore resident Kari Fulmek, is currently in the running for $100,000 in the Pepsi Refresh Project.
As of May 16, her proposal was sitting in 20th place. She is hoping to win the $100,000 to be able to provide 125 youth in the area with equine-assisted learning.
“Even if you don’t know the kids, it doesn’t matter. If you’re helping a child you are going to benefit the world, and that’s why Pepsi is doing it. It’s to refresh the world one community at a time, and we can win this,” said Fulmek.
“With our interactive program it would just be such a benefit for any of our surrounding area, even Calgary… any kid we can help.”
Out of the $100,000, $72,000 would be spent to provide 80 children in Strathmore schools with a 12-session program. $14,400 would be for 16 youth in the community from non-profit groups and the final $13,600 would provide 27 youth with three-day summer camp workshops.
The goal of the program is to teach empathy and kindness to bullies, while building confidence and empowering victims of bullying. Equine therapy also helps youth build essential life skills, and empower them to prevent bullying.
“That $100,000 we’re getting, we’re bringing it back into our community and area. We bring it all back into the schools, and then the kids can come and be a part of the program,” said Fulmek.
“Also individuals who are maybe being homeschooled, or having real trouble in their life, they’re allowed to come to us and we can make our own groups up. Again it will be paid for and the parents don’t even have to worry about dishing out any money, just helping the child, and if we can’t help the child in this community then what are we doing?”
Schools have budgets for speakers to come in, and she said that is great, but if they want to be thinking outside the classroom, then they need to literally be interacting with the kids.
“It is the interaction, and the actual hands-on experience that makes such a difference. Rather than just listening to someone’s life lessons, I mean, we learn everything by just doing it ourselves. That’s the best way that people learn, so to come in, and be able to do that is fantastic,” said Carolyn Charles, who is helping Fulmek with the project.
Fulmek said the schools are getting involved with helping promote the project. She said Holy Cross Collegiate has been doing an amazing job of participating by having kids voting in media class for the idea, and there are posters all over the school. There are incentives for the schools now too. Spiritual Equine Connection is offering a pizza party for the classroom that votes the most, and a digital camera for the high school student that votes the most. The students can also get a volunteering certificate from Fulmek for their portfolios if they are going to university or college.
“Bottom line is, if you can help someone you don’t even know, for the benefit of nothing, just to help, I think that’s precious,” said Fulmek.
Voting runs until June 30, and Fulmek and Charles would like to see people vote for the idea every day, but understand it may not be possible for some people. If people are willing to allow Fulmek and her volunteers to use their email, they will spend the time voting for them. Every email address will have the same password code.
“So that way we don’t need to worry about anybody’s code being given to us or anything like that. We just need an email address and we’re more than happy to vote for everyone,” said Charles.
“We know it’s hard, sometimes people forget. If they want to just send us their email addresses we’re more than happy to take that off their plate.”
To vote for Spiritual Equine Connection’s idea go to www.refresheverything.ca, and the idea can be found under education, or email kari@equineconnection.ca to find out more.