December 2019
Dear Friends,
As 2019 comes to a close, I want to wish you and your loved ones a warm and wonderful holiday season and all the best in the year to come. It has been a remarkable year for me personally and for NCEFT. Last January, I made the journey to NCEFT after more than 30 years of service at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital. The move has been everything I hoped for and more. Everyone welcomed me as if I were a long-lost friend, something I have since realized is the way all new people are treated at NCEFT. Gari left an incredible legacy and many families and friends continue to speak of him fondly. Thank you, Gari, and everyone at NCEFT for trusting me to take the reins and lead this wonderful organization.
It has been an honor to get to know many of our patient/client families and our volunteers and to experience their incredible strength of spirit and dedication to a common goal. Many times I have witnessed the infectious smiles and heard the squeals of delight that spread from our patients to the entire team during sessions. I often think about the deep meaning and impact of the work done at NCEFT. It is not just about healing the body, but equally the heart and the soul.
I am grateful to be surrounded by an amazing staff, each one so talented and truly devoted to the mission of NCEFT, as well as a generous and supportive Board of Directors with a deep, unwavering commitment to the organization.
I am amazed by our donors’ generosity and compassion and really don’t have the words to adequately express my appreciation for all that they do. Because of their contributions to NCEFT, we tackled some significant facilities projects that would not have been possible without their kindness. We built a round pen, replaced much needed fencing, repaired the drain pipe under the arena, graded the upper pasture, and replaced dry rotted windows. Their donations have also enabled us to make program improvements by offering more clinic time, expanding the Veterans program, establishing a collaboration with Packard Children’s Hospital and piloting a First Responders program which laid the foundation for upcoming resilience workshops.
In the coming year, I look forward to deepening relationships, enhancing services, and partnering with all of you.
With warmth and best wishes,
Nancy Contro, NCEFT Executive Director