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Paying it Forward

Kristi's Kid Paying it Forward by volunteering

Posted: Mar 6, 2013 9:51 PM
Updated: Mar 6, 2013 9:51 PM


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TUCSON - Some of Kristi's Kids are paying it forward including one determined teenager. Haley Roughton knows helping others is a personal achievement.

"She got beat on the head and she has a big bump right here where the bone was dislocated." Haley is taking care of a horse named Ashley.

Ashley was left for dead but was rescued by the folks at Heart of Tucson. With care and love from volunteers like Haley, Ashley's healing.

Haley has several chores like keeping the horses fed, making sure the water and stalls are clean.

So what motivates a high school senior to muck horse stalls for no pay?
Haley used to be focused on herself and sports.

"And then when my mother got sick with rheumatoid arthritis, I started finding happiness in other things."

That's when Haley started volunteering. She also puts in hours at Therapeutic Riding of Tucson (TROT).

"The volunteers give emotional and physical support to our participants," says Mary Vardi, Program Director.

TROT provides therapy riding sessions to over a hundred clients each week. It couldn't be done without volunteer horse power.

Vardi says it means a lot to see young adults pitching-in and paying it forward.

"It does. Because I think that they're making a decision to give to their community."

For Haley, it doesn't feel like work. In fact she thinks other kids should join in too.

"And with volunteer work not only can you make your own schedule and you can help when you can, but you're doing things for other people," says Haley.

Click here for more information about HEART of Tucson.

And here for more information about TROT.

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