AUBURN, Ala. – For most of the two dozen children visiting the Auburn University Equestrian Center on Oct. 26, it was their first time riding a horse.
Guests of the 40-member Auburn equestrian team and Auburn's IHSA club equestrian team, the kids are part of Project Uplift, a program that has connected Auburn students with local children for 50 years.
Hannal Lemel, a Project Uplift mentor and western rider on Auburn's equestrian team, organized the outing.
"It was an easy thing to meld the two together," said Lemel, a graduate student who earned her animal sciences degree from Auburn University's College of Agriculture. "Both are awesome parts of my week."
A recent talk about gratitude from former Auburn women's golf coach Kim Evans further inspired Lemel to organize her teammates to share their love of horses with Project Uplift mentees.
"We on the team really value our time with the horses," Lemel said. "We're so grateful to be able to do this every day and we sometimes forget that other people might not be able to.
"Getting to share what we love with the future generation is a privilege for us. Coach [Greg] Williams always stresses us to plant a seed for a tree that we'll never shade under, and I think we're doing that today."
Horse rides comprised only part of the activities. A cookie walk with decorating, Halloween bingo, pin the tail on the donkey, a scavenger hunt, pony painting ("which is always a highlight") and a grooming station allowed the children to learn how equestrian team members provide daily care for the horses they ride.
"It's nice that it fell around Halloween so we had a few trick or treating stations," she said. "Just a big, fun day for the kids."
The event was the first of its kind but judging by the smiles on the children and the team members, it will likely not be the last.
"One of the most rewarding things we get to see is a kid falling in love with a horse just like we did when we were their age," Lemel said. "It's a cool progression to watch. We hope they come to our meets and get to ride a horse again and again until one day they're in our shoes riding for Auburn equestrian."
Lemel encouraged Auburn University students to consider mentoring children via Project Uplift.
"It's an incredible opportunity to make a huge difference in this community," she said. "It's genuinely the most rewarding part of my week. I've been a mentor for three years with the same kids. We've grown into best friends and it's something I wouldn't trade for the world."
'We get to see a kid falling in love with a horse just like we did'
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer