Special to The Source Newspaper
This is an exciting year for Hobby Horse House of Jacksonville as our hard work in the communities we serve has been recognized by the Tracy Foundation as a positive, valuable support to families! This year we have the opportunity to have all funds raised matched by the foundation, which comes at a great time as it is our 3rd Annual Polar Bear Plunge!
The Polar Bear Plunge is happening on Saturday, March 28th at 12 noon at the Western Illinois Youth Camp, located at 2244 4H Club Lane, Jacksonville. The Jacksonville/ Morgan County Underwater Search & Rescue Dive Team again graciously agreed to supervise our brave plungers. To add to the festivities this year, we have a Jambalaya Cook-Off, a 50/50 drawing and an auction of various items that local businesses have generously donated, including a pair of St. Louis Cardinals tickets! Plus, Robert Sampson will be playing during the event. Everyone is welcome to attend! We hope you can come and support our agency by participating in the plunge, cooking up some hot jambalaya, tasting the creations or just enjoying the event and learning more about our agency.
Hobby Horse House has been diligently serving children and families in west/central Illinois for more than 20 years. Our mission is to continue to serve and support families and children in our community. We have a strong team of dedicated staff, who devote their time and energy to encouraging families to flourish, offering supportive services and promoting programs to help the prevention of child abuse in the many counties we serve. Hobby Horse House is family focused and child centered. Our agency has proudly served over 102 families since the beginning of 2015!
We currently focus our services on parent therapeutic education programs provided in a group setting and personalized in the home, with counseling and parent/child visitation. We proudly continue our Safe Start program helping all those who find themselves in a crisis pregnancy situation. Hobby Horse House has also successfully assisted in creating and extending families with completing over 110 adoptions.
Children are the center and future of our community and we aspire to protect and ensure their safety. We promote that Every Child Matters and deserves a safe, secure and loving home. Hobby Horse strives to do this by way of mending the family as a whole. Through fundraising and increasing awareness of Hobby Horse House and our efforts, we hope to be able to continue these services for our families yet to come.
There is a participation donation of $25 for those braving the Polar Bear Plunge or partaking in the Jambalaya Cook-Off; however, we welcome all members of the community to join us in this event as attendance is without charge. If you are unable to attend the event, please consider donating to our not-for-profit agency, helping us reach our fundraising goal of $15,000. We look forward to this exciting and fun day with your family and friends, and we appreciate your continued support. We value your commitment to the safety and protection of our children. For more information, please contact Lecie Brannan or Ericka Marshall at (217) 243-7708 or hobbyhorsehouse@hotmail.com.
