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Wednesday, January 16 2019 / Published in Weekly Feature

Kelsi Okun’s Childhood Dream Changes Lives

Kelsi with Consigliere and her puppy, Winnie

By Darlene Ricker with Carrie Wirth

Portraits by Shawna Simmons

Most kids on a family vacation in the mountains would be out in the woods making trails or finding some mischief to get into. Horse-crazy kids like Kelsi Okun would be out looking for a horse to ride, real or improvised. But Kelsi and her sister Rachel spent a good part of their 2008 vacation at the kitchen table dreaming up ideas and drawing pictures. Out of the imaginations of an 8- and a 10-year-old sprung a multimillion-dollar charitable foundation.

The organization, ThanksUSA (thanksusa.org), awards need-based college scholarships to military personnel and their families. Ten years later, it has provided nearly $13 million in scholarships to 4,500 students, and the two sisters continue to run it with a staff and a crew of volunteers.

elsie, with Consigliere, attends Stanford University, is captain of her school’s Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA) team and an active board member of ThanksUSA.

Sketches to Scholarships

What could spur two young girls with no connection to the military to take that on, much less think they could pull it off?

“Our parents let us dream it up and dreamed alongside us,” said Kelsi, who is now 20.

The idea took form on the Idaho trip. The sisters sketched a design for ThanksUSA’s logo with colored pencils and presented it to their parents, Deanna (whom Kelsi calls the “consummate horse show mom”) and Bob Okun. They were wholeheartedly supportive.

The sisters’ idea began as a national treasure hunt game based on American history that encouraged Americans to get involved through contributions and activities. It became ThanksUSA, which is short for “Treasure Hunt Aiding Needs of Kids and Spouses of Those Serving the United States of America.”

Kelsi’s first inkling about starting the organization came during a discussion around the family breakfast table when she was in second grade. A neighbor had just returned home severely wounded from his military service in Iraq and Afghanistan. Kelsi and her sister wondered how the family was going to be able to send their daughter, a friend of theirs, to college.

“We didn’t really know what college was, but we knew it was somewhere you went after high school and that it was important,” Kelsi said. “We wanted to help, and as young girls, the only thing we knew was school. It was the best way we could give back. People were very kind, and it snowballed into what it is today.”

ThanksUSA awards $3,000 scholarships to students for two- or four-year degree programs at universities and trade/vocational schools. Some students have received consecutive scholarships and after graduation earned a master’s degree or even a Ph.D.

The organization’s most recent initiative, Pathways for Patriots, takes the reach of ThanksUSA beyond college and graduate school. Launched two years ago to provide avenues to meaningful employment, it helps scholars establish careers in hard-to-fill occupations through mentoring, internships and employee engagement with partnering corporations.

“People picked up our mission as their platform and ran with it, which was really special. It started as a pretty good idea by two young kids, and we needed all the help we could get,” Kelsi said.

Kelsi with Consigliere and her puppy Winnie

The Drive To Do Good

Over the years Kelsi has been juggling school, horses and ThanksUSA. She’s still doing all three as a junior at Stanford University majoring in symbolic systems (a multidisciplinary program), captain of her school’s Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA) team and an active board member of ThanksUSA.

“What has allowed me to do everything is that I love everything I’m doing,” she said. “I wasn’t pushed into anything. It’s intrinsic motivation that drove me and still does.

Her schedule was intense even in high school. The household whiteboard had detailed scheduling every day, with hour intervals for the activities of each family member. A typical day for Kelsi went something like this: 6 a.m. boot camp with the family (outdoors, even in the dark, cold Virginia winters); then to school; leave school about 1:30-2 p.m., drive an hour to the barn and ride three to six horses into the evening.

“A lot of nights, I’d leave the barn at 7:30 p.m., change and put on makeup in the car on the way to D.C. to go to a gala or a dinner reception,” she said.

Kelsi and her mom Deanna
“I grew up with ThanksUSA,” she added. “I am who I am today because of it.”

Tackling Teamwork

At the same time, her riding career in hunters and equitation took on a life of its own. Kelsi was awarded 2016 Virginia Horse Shows Association (VHSA) Junior Exhibitor of the Year and won the 2016 VHSA Horsemanship Championship. For Stanford, she was 2018 IHSA Regional High Point Rider and qualified to compete in the USEF/Cacchione Cup at IHSA Nationals in Harrisburg.

“I really enjoy riding on my school’s IHSA team because it takes an individual sport and turns it into a team effort,” she said. “You develop an amazing camaraderie with your teammates. You’re riding for everyone on the team, not just for yourself.”

ThanksUSA, she says, is also a team effort. The organization has full-time and part-time staffers, along with a large network of volunteers. A team of eight to 10 people work for the organization on a daily basis.

Support also came from pro bono attorneys who helped them form a 501(c)(3) and have continued to donate their time.

In its first year, ThanksUSA got its first grant and raised $1 million. That figure (or higher) has continued to come in every year since, a substantial portion of it from fundraising events such as golf and tennis tournaments on both coasts.

The support is crucial for recipients of ThanksUSA scholarships, who are at a turning point in their lives, Kelsi said. “College is when you need the most support and financial freedom to make the decisions that will impact the rest of your life.

Photos by Shawna Simmons, www.sasequinephotography.com

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Annette Longenecker wasn’t just born into horses Annette Longenecker wasn’t just born into horses—in a way, she was born into her career. She grew up in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, where her parents ran a farm. Her mother taught, and her father had a jump business and then created one of the first horse show software programs: Ryegate Show Services, Inc.

Riding all her life, Annette spent many years as a groom and loved it, but knew it wasn’t what she wanted to do as a career. After she finished college, Annette’s father recruited her to help process entries at Ryegate. Since her father, Lloyd Longenecker, founded it in 1981, Ryegate has provided show management and office staff for some of the largest shows in the country. Now, Annette has taken over from her father and directed the company as it focuses on managing memberships and rankings for organizations such as the North American League, WIHS Championships and Equitation, Rolex/USEF Computer Ranking and National Medal Series (THIS NCM and Ariat NAM). Ryegate also provides scoring software for use with video walls, and production teams for hunter and jumper shows.

“Besides running Ryegate Show Services and its various organizations, I can be found in the show office, running a scoreboard or judging jumpers at most shows,” Annette said. “I love getting to wear a few different hats at the show.”

When she’s not busy at a show, Annette lives in Annville, Pennsylvania, with her “fur-baby,” Maggie Mae, and enjoys spending time with her many godchildren. Though she doesn’t currently own any horses, Annette rides when she can at Rolling Acres Farm with Patty Foster, Ashley Foster-Worthington and Mary Lisa Leffler.

Read this month unbridled with Annette Longenecker by clicking the link in our bio. Never miss a story by subscribing to Sidelines Magazine! 🦄
📸Photo by Sheryl Sutherby

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A column from Liz Halliday-Sharp herself The spor A column from Liz Halliday-Sharp herself 
The sport of eventing is a demanding and mentally challenging discipline that requires a combination of physical and mental fortitude from both the rider and horse. While having a coach can be incredibly beneficial, self-coaching can also play a crucial role in a rider’s success.

I think that given the opportunity, most riders would like to be coached every day. The reality of life in the horse world, however, is that the majority of us need to absorb as much from the lessons we have on a limited basis and then practice those skills at home to improve.

When I am riding, I try to have a plan for the horses each day and focus on what I’m looking to achieve. It’s important to be aware of the steady improvements rather than trying to solve everything all at once. This is especially important when teaching horses new movements or exercises that they might struggle with, and we need to give them time to learn and understand what we are asking for.

I have a couple of quotes that I use regularly when I’m teaching, and these are mottos that I hold myself to in my daily work as well.

The first is, “If you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always gotten.” This is a quote that was said to me many years ago when I was still motor racing and I keep it in the back of my mind each day. It’s easy to get stuck doing the same thing every day with your horse and bad habits are hard to break, from both riders and horses!

This leads me to my next quote, which is, “If what you are doing isn’t working, try something else.” It really is as simple as that! Many riders I see keep asking a horse to do something the same way over and over with an ongoing negative response and they wonder why things don’t get better. In these circumstances, I recommend that the rider change something, even if it’s wrong.

Read the full article by clicking the link in our bio! Don’t forget to keep your eye out for our April subscription!
📸Photo by Alex Banks Photography
The✨April issue✨ of Sidelines Magazine is here The✨April issue✨ of Sidelines Magazine is here and we are so excited to feature three-day eventer Liz Halliday on the cover! Big thanks to photographer Melissa Fuller for the beautiful photo of Liz and Cooley Nutcracker- Liz Halliday-Sharp - HS Eventing. Liz and her horses have taken the eventing world by storm - and find out how Liz is at the top of the sport as a female eventer! As the horse world gears up for the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event 2023, it's the perfect time to enjoy our eventing issue!! We also feature eventer and woman entrepreneur Frankie Thieriot Stutes, who is not only an eventer, but also runs Athletux and FRANKIE CAMERON handbags and accessories. And don't miss our eventing story on Robert "Bobby" Costello, who will be leading the US Eventing team to the 2024 Paris Olympics- and US Equestrian has named Bobby the eventing technical advisor/chef d'equipe!! Liz, Frankie and Bobby all have GREAT stories - don't miss any of them and don't forget to get your tickets for the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day event! We are also excited to introduce you to hunter-jumper rider Casey Lorusso Smith, who is not only a talented rider but also a psychotherapist and incorporates horses into her career. If you are up for adventure, then read the story on dressage rider Priscilla Baldwin who certainly doesn't let any grass grow under her feet! We also head to the west coast to catch up with hunter-jumper trainer Jim Hagman of Elvenstar Farm, we feature beautiful art by equestrian artist Tammy Tappan, and we get to know Miranda Jones and her family. Miranda is not only an attorney who spends a lot of time in the courthouse, but she's a rider and spends lots of time riding, and is joined by her daughters also! We are excited to feature Stephanie Lightner in our Unbridled column, and don't miss our columnists George Williams, Robert R.L. Jacobs and Margie Sugarman! It's a great issue - and you can read it online, but don't forget to go to the website and order a subscription and get every issue delivered to your mailbox!! Enjoy this issue and enjoy the ride: Link in bio!!
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