"Keep up the wonderful work you do. I often tell
people that Lassie was the first therapy dog--the
first to be allowed in hospitals more than 50 years
ago!"
Jon Provost, Appeared as Timmy Martin on Lassie
"...Gentle Carousel, you are wonderful, gentle,
caring people! "
Marlo Thomas,
Actress, producer, best selling
author, four-time Emmy winner
and activist for children's causes
Rainbow with THE DUKES OF HAZZARD star Tom Wopat.
Sundance reading at a Boys and Girls Club with
former NFL and University of Florida quarterback
Doug Johnson for an Associated Press photo and
literacy poster.
Gentle Carousel was selected a charity partner in
Disney's volunteer program "Give a Day. Get a Day."
"Your
Reading Is Magic program and volunteers are heroes
every time they walk into a school or library.
Using little miniature horses to inspire young
children to read is most creative. Congratulations
on your wonderful charity, spirit and service to
your community."
William
J. Bennett,
Former Secretary of
Education
Magic was selected AARP's Most Heroic Pet In America
and appeared in two AARP magazines.
James Gurney,
Best-selling author and illustrator of the Dinotopia
book series.
Canine movie star Benji working with Magic.
"What they are doing
is just so incredible. They are making a
difference. These people are the real deal. They
are down there in the trenches doing it."
Joe Camp, film writer, producer, director,
bestselling author and man behind canine superstar
Benji.
"Gentle Carousel... Thank you for all of your hard
work!"
Joan Lundon, Journalist, author and television host
Magic with four-time Olympian and ten-time US
Female Equestrian Athlete of the Year, Karen
O'Connor.
Magic with David O'Connor, president of the United
States Equestrian Federation, Olympic gold medalist
and Pan American Games and World Equestrian Games
medalist.
Gentle Carousel was featured in Woman's World
magazine.
"Reading Is Magic!
Every child you inspire to read is a life forever
changed. Thank you for that and for bringing books
to life...It can take you from outer space to the
Outer Banks of North Carolina. Either way, the
journey is magical.
...Wow. Love those little horses... Great job
you're doing. I'm proud of you."
-Homer Hickam, #1 New York Times Bestselling author
and NASA engineer
"What you have to get across is that these are
highly trained horses. They go into an environment,
a situation, circumstances where only a trained
horse such as this can navigate himself... They seem
to have an innate sense of how to go to the person
they are there to comfort."
Ilene Silverman, Executive producer and host of the
The Ilene Silverman Show.
"...I think
that the use of horses is wonderful for children
with self-regulation and attachment issues (the
classic problems with so many children in the CPS
system as you are aware)...Keep up your work.
With Respect"
Bruce D. Perry, M.D., Ph.D.Senior Fellow
The Child Trauma Academy
"...I just wanted to take the opportunity to write
you a letter expressing my amazement with your
miracle miniature horse "Magic". As I read about all
the miraculous things that have happened in her
presence, I was absolutely stunned. It is amazing
that despite the modern marvels of medicine and how
much that field has advanced in my lifetime, that
sometimes there remains an unexplained element to
health and recovery that is covered by miraculous
creatures like your horse..."
Senator Steve Oelrich
"Magic and Gentle Carousel, Inspiring children to
read is magical. You are making a difference."
Chris Soentpiet, Acclaimed children's book author
and illustrator
Presenting a
library with one of the signed posters donated by
Christ Soentpiet to Reading Is Magic.
; "Life in the Galloping Lane, O'Connor")
