MILLBROOK, N.Y. (Jan. 2, 2017) – The Millbrook Horse Trials, a non-profit organization that runs the largest equestrian event of its kind in the Northeast, and Coole Park Farm have donated $2,500 to the Pine Plains Community Food Locker (PPCFL) to support area families in need.
The donation was made possible with proceeds from the Millbrook Horse Trials (MHT), a four-day equestrian event, held every summer, that has come to attract more than 500 horses, top-level competitors from around the nation and thousands of spectators. MHT made its first annual donation to the food locker in 2014 with a gift of $2,500.
“Once again, we are deeply appreciative of this very generous donation from the Millbrook Horse Trials,” said Patricia Nannetti, who heads PPCFL. “We are committed to helping our local families who need food and other critical assistance.”
Founded in 1951 and operating out of the basement of the United Methodist Church on East Church Street, PPCFL depends on volunteer energy and each year spends about $15,000 on food purchases. Volunteers serve the entire Pine Plains school district, which includes nine towns, and visit about 40 local families every month to assess their needs and provide assistance.
“We try to provide a very broad safety net all year round, not just at holiday time,” Nannetti said. In addition to food, assistance can include purchasing much needed medicines, clothing and help paying utility bills.
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“We are pleased to be able to give back to the community in which we live and which is always unwavering in its support of the Millbrook Horse Trials,” said MHT President Louise Meryman, who co-founded the event 16 years ago.
“Although the Millbrook Horse Trials is a nationally recognized event of the highest caliber, our roots have always been local, and we do everything we can to support our community.”
Food and shelter are “the most basic of human necessities, and we want to help ensure that no one in our community is hungry or going without heat in the winter months,” Meryman continued.
The MHT has grown significantly since the first event was held in 2001. The event now features activities for equestrians and non-equestrians alike, including tours of the Millbrook School Zoo through a partnership with the school. In 2016, MHT was the designated viewing site to watch the U.S. Eventing Team compete at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janiero, through on-site live streaming which was made possible by the United States Equestrian Federation.
The Millbrook Horse Trials is held at Coole Park Farm on Bangall-Amenia Road in Millbrook. This year’s event will take place from Aug.3 – 6, 2017.
