(pictured above) Gerry Delaney poses with Desmond the therapy pony
We are excited to announce Gerry Delaney as our volunteer of the month! Gerry’s dedication and passion for helping others is truly commendable. His positive presence and caring nature make a significant impact on the children he assists weekly in hippotherapy. Gerry is an excellent role model for showing the importance of compassion, empathy, and patience to all, and we are so grateful to have him on our volunteer team here at the farm!
GET TO KNOW GERRY
Years of service / Total volunteer hours
7 months / 39 hours
How did you discover Ironstone Farm?
Another volunteer who was also a Volunteer of the Month, Karen Cappola encouraged me to become a volunteer at Ironstone Farm.
What is your fondest memory you have from volunteering?
My favorite memory is something I will never forget. I am very fortunate to work with the physical therapist, Kim, and we have two small girls that we are working with weekly.
One is hearing impaired, so we are learning to sign as we work with her. At the end of a recent session, she and her dad were walking out of the arena and I was talking with her dad. She was walking several feet in front of us when she turned around and first signed thank you to me and then signed a kiss. You have no idea what that did to me. Her dad said wow – that was very special – an unbelievable experience.
What does Ironstone Farm mean to you?
You have no idea what being a volunteer in the Challenge Unlimited Program at Ironstone Farm means to me. I am currently in a caregiver situation and I am also the parent of a cancer survivor. The two young ladies that Kim and I work with have brought so much joy into my life. They are like grandchildren to me as I, unfortunately, do not have any of my own. An interesting sidelight is that one of the girl’s great-grandfathers was my classmate in high school.
Thank you, Gerry, for exemplifying our mission and values in all you do!