Stillwater Stables   

Connie is the executive director of Stillwater Stables and is passionate about horses, children and teens and relates well with them. She has an AA degree in Early Childhood Education including psychology classes plus a 2 year degree in Bible. Connie has over twenty years of riding, and during that time has participated in many riding clinics, lessons, and competitions in both jumping and dressage. After a lifetime experience of working with kids (including teaching and management in preschool and after-school programs, being a Sunday School teacher and children's director at a church), she was finally able to combine her love of horses and kids in becoming a riding instructor and mentor. For five years she and her husband Mike ran a small training barn in Oregon full of children and teens who rode and went to shows. Towards the end of the 5 years the program had outgrown the property it was on and they began to pray as to how it could be expanded. 

Well, the prayer was answered, though not in a way expected.  Mike and Connie moved to Wilmington, Ohio July of 2005 due to Mike's job with ABX and were able to acquire over 18 acres with endless possibilities to develop a new training program/facility for kids and teens. Mike shares the vision with Connie for the  property and is excited to be able to be more involved since he is home more now. You'll see a lot of Mike mowing on his tractor, doing property maintenance, working on projects in the barn and helping out with the lessons/program and fundraising opportunities. He has a masters degree in ministry and is great with kids, though he does have somewhat of a reputation with them of being a jokester and a bit of a prankster.  

In May 08 Mike and Connie attended a training seminar at Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch in Bend Oregon. Kim and Troy Meeder who founded Crystal Peaks 15 yrs ago are now beginning to offer these seminars to help equip others who want to begin similar programs. We were blessed to be there and came away with so much that God showed us personally and for the future of Stillwater Stables.

Mike and Connie are both certified foster/adopt parents for Clinton County. They attend 20 hours of continuing education classes each year to maintain their certification. The classes are relevant to working with children and teens with topics ranging from trauma, teen drug and alcohol use and depression.

 In the winter of 2010, United Way became a sponsor of Stillwater Stables and their mission.

 In Spring of 2010, Stillwater stables began a partnership with the Clinton County Prosecutors office and Clinton County Family and Children First Council . These agencies send children and teens to the program as an "outside of the office" approach to find healing, hope and respite. 

Mike and Connie look forward to the students and families who will be a part of the program and the Stillwater family.