In a barn in Bainbridge, "silent equine counselors" are providing healing and hope to children. That's how Diane Strickland describes the horses that make up the heart of Hope's Haven Horse Rescue and Youth Camp. The organization will hold its fourth annual Hope's Haven Hoedown on Saturday, Oct. 16, from 1 to 5 p.m. at the farm, 114 Kissel Barrick Road.

The hoedown is a fundraiser for the organization, which pairs rescued horses with children who are going through trauma, abuse, loss or any type of conflict.

Festivities at the hoedown will include horse rides, a petting zoo, pumpkin painting, kids' games, hayrides, face painting, an obstacle course and a treasure hunt. Tours of the barn and property will be available, and attendees will have the opportunity to win gift baskets.

"We will be serving Grange milkshakes, and this will be your last chance to get one before the season ends," Strickland noted. "We'll also have a chili cookoff, where people will have the chance to sample the chili and then vote for their favorite."

The hoedown gives Hope's Haven a chance to show the community what the organization is all about, she said. "We focus on kids who are struggling and pair them with a mentor and then they choose a horse they are drawn to, or sometimes, the horse chooses them," she stated, adding that the horses - which are all rescues or surrenders - have been known to reach out and munch on the clothing of their chosen child.

Participants, who range in age from 7 to 17, come to Hope's Haven to bond with the horses and go for rides. "We don't charge anything for the mentorship," Strickland stated. "We strongly believe in offering this opportunity for healing to any child who needs it."

Strickland named the organization after Hope, the first horse she rescued. She modeled Hope's Haven after Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch, an Oregon-based organization that provided the training and structure she needed to get her nonprofit up and running. Hope's Haven was incorporated in 2018.

"I felt God calling me to help horses in need and to help kids who were hurting," she said, noting that both the horses and their human counterparts benefit from the program.

It's been proven that being around horses provides health benefits, from improving mood to lowering heart rates, said Donna Brubaker, a volunteer mentor. She's seen firsthand how the children who come to Hope's Haven begin to heal through the course of the six-week program. "The kids come into the program completely shut down, and by the time they leave, they're smiling and talking and laughing," she said.

Hope's Haven has no paid staff. It relies on donations from individuals and organizations to operate.

"Horse care is expensive. Hay, bedding and vet care are our biggest expenses," Strickland noted, adding that funds raised are also used to provide craft supplies for indoor activities on rainy days and other expenses. Ultimately, Hope's Haven would like to raise enough funds to put a cover over its arena to allow the program to operate in inclement weather. Hope's Haven is also looking for volunteer mentors.

For more information on Hope's Haven or the hoedown, visit http://www.hopeshaven4life.org.