Sheila Tweedie, trustee emeritus of Mane Stream in Oldwick, N.J., passed away May 2.
For more than half a century, she had been involved with Mane Stream and its predecessor, Somerset Hills Handicapped Riders Club in Bedminster, N.J.
Trish Hegeman, Mane Stream’s executive director, said those involved with the organization are “saddened by the loss of Sheila Tweedie. A vital volunteer since our founding in 1972, Sheila served as a member of the board of directors from 1998-2014.
“We are grateful for everything she contributed to Mane Stream over the years, helping to ensure that hundreds of children and adults with special needs were able to access Mane Stream’s important programs.”
Mrs. Tweedie once recalled how she began her relationship with Mane Stream, which has a mission “to improve the quality of life for individuals with physical, developmental, emotional, and medical challenges through a diverse program of equine assisted activities, therapy services, and educational initiatives.”
She was waiting in her car for her son, Craig while he was volunteering at SHHRC, when its founder, Octavia Brown, knocked on her window.
“Craig had told Octavia that I was a pediatric nurse and an equestrian, and she needed help, so I was drafted to be a substitute sidewalker. The next week, Octavia sent my son out to ask for help again.”
Mrs. Tweedie continued, “When winter came and lessons ended until spring, Octavia told us (volunteers Sandy Dota, Judy Marpet and Natalie Gallagher) that we needed to become official instructors before riding lessons started back up in the spring.”
The four women spent the next eight weeks at Octavia’s kitchen table, learning all the material provided by the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (now PATH International).
One of Mrs. Tweedie’s favorite early memories of Mane Stream was the one-week summer program that SHHRC offered at the Hunterdon Developmental Center near Clinton, N.J.
“Each summer, we would trailer over two horses and we would give 20-minute rides for three hours, right along Route 78. There was a groundhog den underneath the mounting area, which also made things interesting,” she recalled.
“The whole setup was rustic but extremely rewarding. We were told by the caregivers and nurses that the residents were more aware and brighter in spirit after these short rides. And these benefits lasted for more than just the day. After providing this summer service for five years, the school was finally able to arrange transportation for their residents to attend weekly lessons at the SHHRC facility.”
A long-time instructor, Mrs. Tweedie joined the Mane Stream board and over the years, she held every officer position, including president. She remained an active board member until 2014. In addition to giving her time, Mrs. Tweedie and her husband, John, also supported Mane Stream through their donations over the years, helping to build the organization into what it is today. Shea co-chaired many fundraising events over the years, helping to raise much-needed funds and spread the word about Mane Stream’s programs.
In 1994, having outgrown its space, Mane Stream purchased its current home, a 12-acre farm. Mrs. Tweedie was part of the capital campaign to fund the new facility, as well as a key part of the crew who helped to bring it to life. She, along with many other staff and board members, picked up paintbrushes and hammers to help create the facility. As she says, it was a labor of love knowing that at the new farm, the organization would be able to serve more participants.
In addition to her volunteer work for Mane Stream, she was a long-time member of the Far Hills Borough Council, and also served on both the planning board and board of health.
In addition, she was a president of HRH of NJ (Health and Recreation through Horses of New Jersey). She also was the secretary and one of the founders of the National Fjord Horse Rescue Network. Mrs.Tweedie fell in love with Fjords through her work at Mane Stream and bred Fjords at her farm in Far Hills.
Arrangements for Mrs. Tweedie are pending and will be posted on this website when they are available.