Bill Rube, the former funds development director for the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association Foundation, is the new executive director of the Gleneayre Equestrian Program that utilized horses to help, teach and heal people in difficult situations, from at-risk youth to those taking advantage of equine-facilitated mental health care.
The Merchantville resident, who most recently was executive director of the Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund, noted about GEP, “This is a very special non-profit because their mission means so much to me.”
“Simply said, if this were available to me as a teen, it could have helped change my path,” noted Bill, who successfully battled drug and alcohol addiction after suffering through it in the 1970s and ’80s.
Of GEP, he noted, “Their mission statement , ‘Bringing Children and Horses Together for the Betterment of Each Other’s Lives’ really resonates with me. I look forward to helping expand the awareness of this amazing program.”
Established in 1998, the GEP’s offerings include Equine Facilitated Learning, Equine Facilitated Mental Health and a unique Working Student Program that matches horses with youth seeking to learn about horses and caring for them. It’s “horses helping children helping horses.”
At-risk youth learn so many things from horses during the time they spend at Gleneayre. (Photo by Stephanie Enoch)
The mission statement for the GEP, which is located in Lumberton, reads in part: “We exist to provide a hands-on, experience-based learning environment for people in difficult situations, including children, families, and military personnel. We believe that the powerful connection between people and horses is transformational. Through horsemanship, we develop character, learn ethics and responsibility, grow physically and emotionally, and discover ourselves. Our own lives improve as we improve those of our horses.”
The GEP also provides a safe haven for their donated program horses to live with dignity, peace and veterinary care for the remainder of their lives. When the horses are unable to continue being ridden in the Gleneayre programs, they are transitioned to become equine ambassadors in the GEP’s non-riding activities.
“Bill is a wonderful partner to have, and we’re so excited to have him join us,” said GEP Founder Ellen Healey.
“We started some in-depth conversations about what horses mean and do and how they change people’s lives. I saw in Bill a very kindred spirit to the mission we have for this program. It’s a leap for us to jump from our local and regional community to be nationally known, but we’re ready for that and so confident in Bill’s guidance.”