Construction, Fundraising Gaining Momentum At The Magical Meadows

The Magical Meadows is celebrating major progress on its Growing with Heart Capital Campaign and expansion project, as both construction and fundraising efforts gain significant momentum, according to a provided news release.
Site work on the long-awaited expansion is now fully underway. Excavation crews are actively preparing the land, the horses have moved into their new fenced-in pastures, and the Jim and Jean Northenor Hay Barn is currently being moved to make room for the future facilities. In just two weeks, concrete foundations will begin going into the ground.
This physical progress mirrors the campaign’s fundraising success, the release states. The Magical Meadows is honored to announce a recent $250,000 pledge from Cameron and Shannon Silveus, whose generosity brings the project significantly closer to its goal. In addition, the Zimmer Biomet Foundation has awarded a $25,000 grant, reinforcing the community’s belief in the life-changing impact of therapeutic horseback riding.
These commitments, alongside incredible support from donors throughout the region, have helped drive extraordinary advancement toward the $2 million campaign goal. As the year draws to a close, The Magical Meadows is also working toward a critical milestone: raising an additional $140,000 by Dec. 31. Achieving this target will unlock $200,000 in funding from the K21 Health Foundation, accelerating construction. Community support during this period will play a pivotal role in ensuring the project’s timely completion, the release states.
“In this season of Thanksgiving, we are overwhelmed with gratitude for the individuals, families and organizations who are investing in the future of The Magical Meadows,” said Michael Kuhn, Magical Meadows executive director. “Every gift is helping us expand our capacity to serve more riders, provide more programs, and transform this community to better serve people with disabilities, at-risk youth, veterans, and first-responders.”
Construction is expected to continue throughout the winter months, with the organization’s goal of having at least one of the new buildings completed by the start of the riding season in April.
Phase 1 of the Growing with Heart expansion project and capital campaign will include the construction of two new indoor horseback riding arenas. The east arena will boast 14,000 square feet and will be dedicated to serving veterans and first-responders through The Magical Meadows’ Warriors Mount Up program. The 70-foot by 200-foot facility will consist of a large dirt floor riding arena, a climate-controlled lounge, accessible restrooms, stalls for horses, a tack room and storage for veterinary supplies and materials.
The west arena will have the same dimensions as the east facility, but its focus will be on serving individuals with disabilities and expanding the capacities of the nonprofit’s legacy therapeutic horseback riding programs. The west arena will also include a spacious observation room for families and caregivers of the riders, accessible restrooms, a tack room and storage space.
The Magical Meadows expects to see significant increases in participant numbers thanks to the expansion of available service space. The new facilities will also be fully equipped to accommodate year-round programming. Historically, therapeutic horseback riding at The Magical Meadows has only run from April through November each year. The new arenas will both be insulated and fully heated so there will not be any interruptions to services throughout the year except for holidays and cases of severe weather.
Program numbers for individuals with disabilities are expected to grow from 120 to more than 400 annually, while veteran/first-responder participation will likely grow from 50 to 250 annually.
In addition to the growth in individual participants, the organization anticipates this project fostering new partnerships with schools, service providers, nonprofits and other organizations to expand the types of services that will be offered on-site at The Magical Meadows.
The first phase of the expansion project also includes the addition of nearly 40 parking spots, relocation of the existing hay barn and chapel, and fencing for approximately eight acres of new grazing pastures. Construction is expected to begin by late summer or early fall of this year and be finished by spring 2026.
Phase 2 of the project will begin after the completion of the two new arenas. That project will cost an additional $1.5 – 2 million and will involve a complete remodel of the existing indoor arena and office building that was built in 2011. The building will be converted into an accessible recreation space specifically for children and adults with disabilities. It will include a high school regulation sized basketball/volleyball court, therapy rooms, a sensory room, new accessible restrooms, a new family restroom and remodeled office space. More details about phase 2 of this project will be released at a later time.
To learn more about The Magical Meadows and the Growing with Heart Capital Campaign, visit www.themagicalmeadows.org/growingwithheart or contact Michael Kuhn at michael@themagicalmeadows.org.