The Connection

A tour of a recently remodeled Oakton home will benefit the Northern Virginia Therapeutic Riding Program, a 30-year-old non-profit that provides horseback riding experiences to children and adults with disabilities. The tour and networking event will be held at the home of Bill and Ginny Craig on Jan. 10, noon-4 p.m. Craig, who is also an avid rider, serves on riding program's board of directors.

The Northern Virginia Therapeutic Riding Program is based out of Little Cry Farm, a 17-acre former equestrian facility which the group purchased in 2012. The program provides four teachers certified in equine-assisted therapy (also called hippotherapy) who help disabled children and adults gain confidence and improved physical control by learning the fundamentals of horseback riding. Developed in the 1960s, hippotherapy incorporates a horse's movements into treatments for a wide range of physical and developmental disabilities including cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis and autism. The Northern Virginia Therapeutic Riding Program also provides a speech therapist.

“I've seen remarkable successes from this program,” says Craig. “A non-verbal grade school girl who wouldn't make contact with anyone now laughs, smiles and reaches out to others after about four weeks of riding. The effect the horses have on the student's physical and mental health is awe-inspiring.”

THE OPEN HOUSE is sponsored by Sun Design Remodeling, a full-service design build remodeling firm that supports community-interest causes. Last year, the company hosted a tour of remodeled homes in Clifton that helped a local widow raise funds needed to re-pave the driveway to her home which is also a daycare center.

“We've been doing tours of newly remodeled homes for about 10 years,” said Bob Gallagher, Sun Design's president, and a long-time Clifton resident. “We've found that the open houses often become neighborhood meet-up opportunities where people naturally start exploring matters of mutual interest. A home tour is a great way to help the community.”

Better yet, Craig said Sun Design's enlarged and upgraded makeover to her 20-year-old kitchen and several contiguous rooms has made it much easier for her to host larger gatherings.

“It's really a perfect entertainment suite revolving around a gourmet kitchen and a large breakfast room,” Craig said. “Previously, the back rooms were too small to accommodate many people, and the space was dark and cramped.”

To make the changes Craig sought, Sun Design concentrated on strategic improvements inside existing walls: a better circulation plan which entailed creating a second pathway from the kitchen to the breakfast room; a food preparation island and dining counter that protects the cook's work space while facilitating in-kitchen socializing.

The plan also radically increased natural light by raising a formerly-hidden cathedral ceiling to its appropriate height and introducing three skylights. The elevation to the rear of the breakfast room now incorporates a course of five windows. Clean-up and storage are zoned away from the cook's work triangle.

“Visitors will appreciate seeing a well-conceived space plan close-up,” Craig said. “It works ...because it's so well integrated into the rest of the house. But the open house is also an opportunity to learn about a really innovative form of physical therapy that is helping a lot of our neighbors.”

Wendy Baird, Northern Virginia Therapeutic Riding Program's development director, said the organization plans to break ground on a 17,000 square foot indoor riding facility — the Center for Excellence — as funds become available. The program's “Raise the Barn” campaign is actively seeking donations (www.nvtrp.org). Funds are also used to help children such as Annabelle Bozarth, 8, who was born with a rare degenerative disease, but now rides regularly and even dreams of becoming a professional jockey.

Currently, the Northern Virginia Therapeutic Riding Program offers 3,349 lessons per year to 278 unique riders.

John Byrd (byrdmatx@comcast.net) has been writing about home improvement topics for 30 years.