News Release
WARSAW – Kosciusko County’s sheriff and prosecutor, along with a crew of local first responders, are going head-to-head with The Magical Meadows team in a unique fundraising showdown.
On Aug. 7, Sheriff Jim Smith and Prosecutor Brad Voelz and other participants will rock in a chair at The Magical Meadows for 12 hours straight — or until they individually raise $10,000 in support of the organization’s Growing with Heart Capital Campaign.
Together, they have a combined goal of raising $100,000, according to a news release.
All funds raised will go toward building a dedicated riding arena for veterans and first-
responders — a space for healing, connection, and growth.
The building project aims to enhance and expand the Warriors Mount Up program, which is designed to help veterans and first responders work through the stressors and trauma they live with on a daily basis.
“We’re honored to have the support of Sheriff Jim Smith, Prosecutor Brad Voelz, and
other warriors in our community who believe in the life-changing mission here at The
Magical Meadows,” said Michael Kuhn, Executive Director.
“We look forward to seeing the transformational impact this fun and unique fundraiser has on the men and women who have served our country and communities so faithfully.”
Each participant will have their own fundraising page for people to donate to their
$10,000 goal. The public is also welcome to stop by in person during the Rockathon
event to drop off donations, encourage the participants, and observe riding lessons
happening in real-time at The Magical Meadows.
The current participant fundraising pages can be found by clicking here.
The new veterans/first-responders arena is one of two new buildings that will be
constructed this year as part of the non-profit’s Growing with Heart Capital Campaign.
The east arena will boast 14,000 square feet and will consist of a large dirt floor riding
arena, a lounge room, accessible restrooms, stalls for horses, a tack room, and storage
for veterinary supplies and materials.
The west arena will have the same dimensions as the east facility, but its focus will be
on serving individuals with disabilities and expanding the capacities of the non-profit’s
legacy therapeutic horseback riding programs. The west arena will also include a
spacious observation room for families and caregivers of the riders, accessible
restrooms, a tack room, and storage space.
The project will cost $2 million, with approximately $1.7 million allocated to construction
costs. The other $300,000 will help cover anticipated increases in operating expenses
like utilities, depreciation, insurance, and the addition of two new full-time staff members
for two years to help continue growth in programming.
The Magical Meadows expects to see significant increases in participant numbers
thanks to the expansion of available service space. The new facilities will also be fully
equipped to accommodate year-round programming.
Historically, therapeutic horseback riding at The Magical Meadows has only run from April through November each year.
The new arenas will both be insulated and fully heated so there will not be any
interruptions to services throughout the year except for holidays and cases of severe
weather.
Program numbers for individuals with disabilities are expected to grow from 120 to more
than 400 annually, while veteran/first-responder participation will likely grow from 50 to
250 annually.
In addition to the growth in individual participants, the organization anticipates this
project fostering new partnerships with schools, service providers, non-profits, and other
organizations to expand the types of services that will be offered on-site at The Magical
Meadows.
Construction is expected to begin this fall to be completed by the summer of
2026.
You can learn more by clicking here.
