web1_Murphy.jpg

Happy birthday, Annie Murphy!

web1_casale_edit.jpg

To Your Health: Exercise in short bursts can have positive effect on health

<p>HARVEYS LAKE &#8212; Four-year-old Johnny Bryk didn&#8217;t say much as he rode a horse named Piper around an indoor arena last week, but his smile spoke volumes.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s almost miraculous,&#8221; his mother, Kelly Bryk, of Dallas, said, explaining her son&#8217;s muscle strength, speech and fine motor skills have improved since he began riding six months ago with the Serendipity Therapeutic Riding Program.</p><p>Best of all, she said, his scoliosis has not progressed since he began riding and she is hopeful the exercise might decrease the curvature of his spine.</p><p>Also riding on a recent Friday afternoon was 23-year-old Damon Szatkowski, of Shavertown, who suffered a brain injury in a car accident six years ago.</p><p>&#8220;At first I thought, &#8216;these people are crazy,&#8217;&#8221; said his mother, Karen Pyros, remembering her reaction when she received a gift certificate to Serendipity. &#8220;He couldn&#8217;t even sit up, and they wanted him to ride a horse? But he can ride, and we can see his core strength improving.&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;I feel like I&#8217;m on top of the world,&#8221; Szatkowski said as his recent ride on a spotted, or &#8220;paint,&#8221; horse named Zoey, came to an end.</p><p>&#8220;There are so many people it (riding) can help,&#8221; said Serendipity owner Sarah Russoniello, who is certified as an instructor by the Colorado-based Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH) International, explaining she has seen horses help people who have conditions raising from autism, ADHD and anxiety issues to post-traumatic stress, addictions and muscle weakness.</p><p>&#8220;He&#8217;s getting to an age where he resists &#8216;work,&#8217; Bryk said of her 4-year-old son. &#8220;But for him this is fun. I love it because it&#8217;s work, and he loves it because it&#8217;s fun.&#8221;</p><p>Russoniello will host an open house from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday at the Serendipity stables, so the public can see demonstrations of therapeutic riding and learn about the program, which she is working to register as a non-profit.</p><p>She&#8217;s hopeful people will become interested in volunteering or in making donations to sponsor ridership. &#8220;If people get behind it, it could be awesome,&#8221; she said.</p><p>Yoga instructor Lisa Galica will also be on hand Sunday to demonstrate equine yoga, which can be practiced on horseback or just in the vicinity of a horse.</p><p>While visitors are at Serendipity, which is located at 300 Route 29, Harveys Lake, they&#8217;re sure to enjoy meeting the gentle horses and learning their varied histories &#8212; how Zoey, for example, took part in barrel racing competitions and Daisy had two babies during her &#8220;career&#8221; as a brood mare.</p><p>A sadder story belongs to a horse named Victory, who apparently worked hard plowing fields and later was found starving in a barn with no food or water. &#8220;Veterans love him, and they love Phoenix,&#8221; Russoniello said, describing Phoenix as &#8220;a thoroughbred who was born with a cleft hoof. They raced him anyway and he won $90,000, but when he broke his leg, he was &#8216;useless.&#8217;&#8221;</p><p>Phoenix was a rescue too, Russoniello said, stroking the animal&#8217;s silky nose. &#8220;I feel good about giving them a home.&#8221;</p><style>
.neFileBlock {
	margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
	margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
	border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
	padding-bottom: 5px;
	padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
	font-size: 85%;
}
</style>
<div class='neFileBlock'>
<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/web1_TTL060518serendipity1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Damon Szatkowski and Zoey the horse are silhouetted as they make their way around an indoor arena at Serendipity Therapeutic Horse Farm. Szatkowski suffered a traumatic brain injury in an automobile accident six years ago and has been improving his strength with horseback riding. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/web1_TTL060518serendipity1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Damon Szatkowski and Zoey the horse are silhouetted as they make their way around an indoor arena at Serendipity Therapeutic Horse Farm. Szatkowski suffered a traumatic brain injury in an automobile accident six years ago and has been improving his strength with horseback riding. </caption0><photoCredit0>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/web1_TTL060518serendipity2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Demetri Rinaldi and Brent Post help their friend, Damon Szatkowski, out of his wheelchair and onto Zoey the horse while volunteer Jessica Shuler holds the horse steady. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/web1_TTL060518serendipity2.jpg</photo1><caption1>Demetri Rinaldi and Brent Post help their friend, Damon Szatkowski, out of his wheelchair and onto Zoey the horse while volunteer Jessica Shuler holds the horse steady. </caption1><photoCredit1>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/web1_TTL060518serendipity3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Johnny Bryk is held by his mom, Kelly, while he gives Piper the horse a piece of candy after riding her. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/web1_TTL060518serendipity3.jpg</photo2><caption2>Johnny Bryk is held by his mom, Kelly, while he gives Piper the horse a piece of candy after riding her. </caption2><photoCredit2>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/web1_TTL060518serendipity4.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Sarah Russoniello, who runs the Serendipity Therapeutic Riding Program, keeps a watchful eye on Damon Szatkowski, who is riding a horse named Zoey, while Brent Post throws Szatkowski a ring during a ring toss game that helps with balance and coordination. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/web1_TTL060518serendipity4.jpg</photo3><caption3>Sarah Russoniello, who runs the Serendipity Therapeutic Riding Program, keeps a watchful eye on Damon Szatkowski, who is riding a horse named Zoey, while Brent Post throws Szatkowski a ring during a ring toss game that helps with balance and coordination. </caption3><photoCredit3>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/web1_TTL060518serendipity5.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Equine yoga instructor Lisa Galica and Serendipity Therapeutic Riding Program volunteer Jessi Vesy stand on either side of Piper the horse while Johnny Bryk works with rings from a ring toss game. Somehow, a ring has ended up around Piper&#8217;s ear. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/web1_TTL060518serendipity5.jpg</photo4><caption4>Equine yoga instructor Lisa Galica and Serendipity Therapeutic Riding Program volunteer Jessi Vesy stand on either side of Piper the horse while Johnny Bryk works with rings from a ring toss game. Somehow, a ring has ended up around Piper&#8217;s ear. </caption4><photoCredit4>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit4></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/web1_TTL060518serendipity6.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Karen Pyros holds her son Damon&#8217;s arm while staff and volunteers help him off Zoey the horse. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo5>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/web1_TTL060518serendipity6.jpg</photo5><caption5>Karen Pyros holds her son Damon&#8217;s arm while staff and volunteers help him off Zoey the horse. </caption5><photoCredit5>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit5></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Families see benefits at Harveys Lake stable</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Mary Therese Biebel</p><p>mbiebel@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta><p><strong>IF YOU GO</strong></p><p><strong>What: </strong>Open house for Serendipity Therapeutic Riding Program</p><p><strong>When: </strong>1 to 3 p.m. Sunday</p><p><strong>Where: </strong>300 Route 29, Harveys Lake</p></factboxMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Mary Therese Biebel at 570-991-6109 or on Twitter @BiebelMT.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Local families see benefits of horseback riding at Harveys Lake stable