About Us

Office Hours: Monday, Thurday and Friday — 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Scroll down the page or click on any of the following topics to learn about us:

Mission
Vision
Values
Goals
Statistics
More Photos

Mission

The purpose of the Special Troopers Adaptive Riding School, Inc. is to provide persons with disabilities with an animal-oriented therapeutic, rehabilitative and recreational program that will contribute to their physical and emotional health.

Vision

The vision of the S.T.A.R.S. program is to provide a quality service to a maximum number of persons with disabilities. The goal is to improve participants' sense of well-being and help them achieve a greater potential through their association with horses.

Values

The Special Troopers Adaptive Riding School, Inc. is committed to the following values:

Respect and Dignity: We believe that all individuals, regardless of disabling conditions, have the right to enjoy the variety of benefits that the association with horses can offer.
Quality: We believe in providing high quality in all areas of our program, whether it is in instructional activities, horses, or equipment. Special equipment and training are provided to all participants to ensure a safe environment.
Service: We recognize the many contributions received from the community in the form of financial donations and volunteer time devoted to our riders/drivers. We in turn are committed to providing an environment that ensures personal enjoyment and satisfaction for all participants.
Personal Growth: We strife to offer services that maximize the potentials and talents of individuals with disabilities while considering their specific needs and preferences.

Goals

To increase community support by:

Increasing community participation
Investigating collaborative ventures with other organizations
Exploring alternative sources of funds, such as grants

To diversify and enhance our program by:

Further developing the hippotherapy aspects of S.T.A.R.S.
Obtaining additional horses, allowing for rotation
Providing certificates, awards, and graduation programs
Involving riders and volunteers in the care of the horses and facility

Statistics

Demographics

58% of the riders are currently from Sioux City
27% are from outlying areas in Iowa (LeMars, Remsen, Orange City, Sheldon & others)
5% are from South Dakota
5% are from South Sioux City
5% are from Sergeant Bluff, IA

Ages served has ranged from 18 months to 80+ years of age.

0-5 Years 9%
6-10 Years 29%
11-18 Years 35%
19-35 Years 14%
36-80+Years 12%

Disabilities served, and percentage of total riders*

Traumatic Brain injury	6%
Cerebral Palsy	17%
Autism	13%
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder	17%
Spina Bifida	11%
Other Chromosomal Syndromes	5%
Emotional Disorder	5%
Developmental Delay	4%
Mental Retardation	2%
Paraplegia	2%
Sensory Deficit	2%
Amputee	2%
Blindness	2%
Down's Syndrome.	6%
Congenital Lactic Acidosis	2%
Ataxia	2%
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy	2%

* 20% of Riders have multiple diagnoses and/or disabilities. Secondary diagnosis and/or disabilities include ADHD, Mental REtardation, Autism, Hearing Loss and Development Delay.

Financial: The STARS program is currently debt free.
The current budget for 2008 is: $127,700

2007 Funding Sources		2007 Expenditures
Contributions	38.96%	Wages & Payroll	54.4%
Fundraising	41.08%	Marketing & Fundraising	7.4%
Fees for Service	16.18%	Program Expense	26.89%
Bank Interest	3.3%	Operating Expense	8.05%
Misc. Income	< 1%	Audit Expense	3.26%

For more information call the STARS barn at 239-5042.

Volunteer/Board/Staff

S.T.A.R.S. operates with the assistance of over 300 volunteers, parents and contributors.

S.T.A.R.S. utilizes a Board of Directors of up to 13 volunteers.

S.T.A.R.S. employs 3 part time certified instructors and 1 part time marketing coordinator.

Expansion

Our goals are:

To serve more participants
To expand the program to achieve greater outcomes
To develop liaisons with other programs with similar values and goals