“Sacrifice is a surprising paradox that serves the server as much as the served.” – Chris Brady
Life on Life events continue to make a difference all over the world. At Life Corporate, we are committed and intentional about organizing events that are specific to the cause of setting people functionally free in society. In fact, on June 7th, 2017, a large group of Life employees took time out of their busy workday to serve at a local organization called CORRAL Riding Academy in Cary, North Carolina.
CORRAL is a Christian nonprofit where girls in high-risk situations experience healing and transformational life change with a rescued horse and a loving community. They believe that anyone who has been broken can be made whole again and that horses can reach the heart of an at-risk girl in a way that others in their lives often cannot.
The Life staff started out the morning with an introduction and tour from the CORRAL team and were thoroughly educated on the services they provide. Then, everyone dispersed into groups where various tasks were completed all around the property. Some of the assignments involved intense physical labor, while others required precision and attention to detail.
“The Corral Riding Academy is doing a great job serving young women in our area, and it was a pleasure to be able to pitch in and give a small assist to their efforts.” – Chris Brady (CEO and Creative Director)
If you were to survey the beautiful landscape that morning, you might have seen Chris Brady, Rob Hallstrand, Jake Hayes, and Jordan Woodward using machetes to clear brush and debris on the farm’s newly donated 10 acres of land. In the large grass fields, you might have noticed Gaby Theriot, Rachel Hoover, Camille Walker, and several others pulling weeds so the horses would have clean grass to eat. Near the farm house, you would have seen Anthony Morgan power washing the deck, while in the hay barn Renee Turner, Renauda Thompson, and Katlyn Sloop-Kwiatkowski were dusting, washing, and detailing the 45 newly donated saddles.
“The ability to help disadvantaged and at-risk girls was an amazing feeling. I had a fantastic experience at Corral Riding Academy and look forward to the next opportunity we get to make a difference in others’ lives!” – Kevin Bubacz (IT Support)
“I loved it and really enjoyed serving.” – Barbara Wolosonowich (Customer Support Manager)
“After this Life on Life event I can say that pulling weeds was fun for the first time in my life, we were “secretly” competing to see who would pull the weed with the biggest root, I don’t want to show off but, I won :). Life on Life events always reminds me that helping others without expecting anything in return always brings joy!” – Gaby Theriot (Spanish Media Editor)
“I had no idea Corral even existed until we had spent a day there. Being involved with people who care so much about being a positive influence in young girls’ lives was truly inspiring. Learning about more ways to help in our own community is what makes me proud to work at Life.” – Jennifer Headley (Audio/Video Editor)
“What a blast serving for such a great cause. Super blessed to be a part of it!” – Steve Kendall (Director of Video Marketing)
“When we volunteer our time & energy to “serve one another in Love”, we ultimately leave with so many more benefits of our own than we even thought possible! When we arrived, we were given an extremely enlightening tour of the Corral Academy: a therapy horse farm for at-risk girls, most times utilizing rescue horses!!! We were then given a few choices of volunteer tasks, of which we got to choose. I chose to clean, recondition & detail donated saddles! I absolutely loved working with & detailing the well-worn leather & being in the old hay barn with the sights & smells of my childhood surrounding me along with the farm dogs & feral cats (even some that are lazy & afraid of mice)! Feeling the cool breeze of the gorgeous early summer day & getting to converse with our college intern & my own teammates was marvelous & priceless! From telling stories of building hay forts with (my) cousins decades ago, to my fellow Life-mates who had both ridden horses extensively as teenagers (one right here in North Carolina & the other in her homeland of the Congo!) It was an amazing team-building time! Even though we did not see or interact with the young women whose lives our ‘time spent’ would eventually touch, our acts of service are not about the being ‘seen’ while doing, but about the ‘heart’ of the doing! And then, all too soon, it was time to quit ‘horsing around’ & get back to work!!!” – Renee Turner (Corporate Support)
The Life Corporate team was proud to support CORRAL Riding Academy for the Life on Life Initiative and is dedicated to organizing more events that align with the mission of setting people functionally free in society.
The inspiring work being done at Corral Riding Academy was the actual site for the filming of an upcoming motion picture entitled, Unbridled.
Brandon Perry says
I love the enthusiasm our office staff leads with in doing life on life events like we do in the field. You guys are highly appreciated.
Chris Brady says
Great job to everyone who contributed and served. We appreciate your selflessness!
Chris Brady