Ryan Wood and Ruby, winners of the $20,000 Preliminary
Essex at the 2018 Mars Essex Horse Trials. Photo by i{mpack}t studio courtesy of Mars Essex Horse Trials.
We love seeing the sport of eventing giving back to its surrounding community. For 2019, the MARS Essex Horse Trials is once again showing love to an area organization that is making a difference in the lives of young people in partnering with the Greater Newark LifeCamp, an enriching day camp for inner-city youth, as its beneficiary.
The mission of LifeCamp, Inc. is to empower youth to succeed and excel in life by developing life skills, character and leadership through a summer enrichment program outside of an urban environment. At the LifeCamp campus in nearby Pottersville, a 90-acre spread of open fields, rolling hills and woodlands along the Lamington River, children are allowed to pursue their academic interests as well as learn to swim, ride bikes and express themselves creatively through the arts.
Campers are between the ages of 6 and 13 and come from the Greater Newark public school system as well as from Newark Charter School Programs. The program serves approximately 300 youth each day for six weeks during the months of June, July and August.
“We are extremely grateful to the Essex Horse Trials for their continued support,” says Kathleen Cree, Executive Director of LifeCamp. “Their donation will go a long way towards providing Newark-area youths the opportunity to participate in our unique summer program.”
“We are proud to once again support the LifeCamp,” says Ralph Jones, President of the Mars Essex Horse Trials. “The program is a wonderful opportunity for New Jersey youths to experience such an inspirational environment. It is a privilege to show our support through our donation.”
This year’s event will take place June 21-23 at picturesque Moorland Farm in Far Hills, New Jersey. For more information, visit www.essexhorsetrials.org.
