HOLLIDAYSBURG – The ninth annual Lehman Engineers Horse Trail Ride & Trail Walk to benefit Dreams Go On was held on Sept. 27 at Canoe Creek State Park.

The event generated $21,310.45 for Dreams Go On, a nonprofit therapeutic horseback riding organization for adults and children who are physically challenged, receive mental health, behavioral health or family therapy services.

Riders and walkers had the opportunity to meet 14-year-old Lavender Capenos-Paolucci, the 2015 Dreams Go On Trail Ride and Walk Ambassador.

Lavender has been riding for more than 10 years with Dreams Go On and is working on becoming a more independent rider.

She enjoys all aspects of working with the horses, from grooming to riding.

The Dreams Go On Celebrity Emcee, Joe Murgo (chief meteorologist at WTAJ-TV10), along with Lavender, Ethan Weyant (event committee member and marketing assistant at Lehman Engineers) and Debbie Kelly (program manager for Dreams Go On), hosted the early morning activities by welcoming all to the event.

Dreams Go On volunteers and riders and their families greeted the riders and walkers. A commemorative flower toss into the lake honored the memories of special friends of Dreams Go On who passed away this year.

Riders enjoyed a 2.5-hour trail ride led by therapeutic riding instructor Karen Strayer and guides MaeLena Grazier, Jessica Stevens and Mariah Librandi. All trail riders and walkers received a free event T-shirt.

Event participants and the children and adults who ride in the Dreams Go On therapeutic program and their parents or guardians were also invited to a barbecue chicken lunch provided by Imler’s Poultry.

Landon Focht of Imler’s Poultry cooked the chicken on location the morning of the

event with help from and Tom and Tommy Gearhart of Gearhart’s Meats.

Other in-kind food donations and talent to support the event came from the following sponsors: Hoss’s Steak and Sea House, Sheetz, Always A Party Rentals, Gority Construction, Blair County Beverage, Roaring Spring Water, Troutfitters, The Press Box and Prime Design Solutions.

Benjamin Jones, DGO board member, provided barbecue pork, and Ruth Keller baked homemade cookies for all participants.

New for this year, the Sheetz Brothers Coffee Truck was on sight providing free coffee, raspberry smoothies and their new MTO milkshakes to event volunteers and participants.

The Sheetz Coffee Truck staff also collected donations for Dreams Go On at the mobile beverage station.