The Rise of Camelot: A Modern-Day True Tale of Horses, Dragons, and A Girl with a Dream
In February of this year, I had the honor of being asked to write the foreword for a new young adult nonfiction biography being written by children’s author Michelle Guerrero. When I first met Michelle she was working with former Reeve Foundation grantee, Camelot Therapeutic Horsemanship in Scottsdale, Arizona. Camelot’s mission is to improve the quality of life for children and adults with disabilities through programs of horsemanship and outdoor education, which develop self-worth, independence, and active participation in the community.
As a Grantmaker, I remember being intrigued by the name of the organization and impressed as I learned about the amazing services that Camelot offers free of charge to individuals living with disabilities. Although their riders aren’t charged for lessons, they’re encouraged to pay it forward through mentorship or other community service-related activities.
Michelle told me that she was writing a book based on the life of Eileen Szychowski, Camelot’s founder. Eileen was the first mounted ranger in the National Park Service to have a physical disability. I was immediately enthralled. But that first surge of excitement was nowhere close to what I felt after having read a draft of the novel! I was blown away!
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The book, The Rise of Camelot: A Modern-Day True Tale of Horses, Dragons, and A Girl with a Dream, is pure magic. I couldn’t put it down. It chronicles the path that brought Eileen from a young girl discovering how to navigate life with a disability, to the Grand Canyon in which she embarked on a career filled with great achievements and accomplishments, to ultimately creating her own mystical and enchanted Camelot in the Sonoran Desert. The book not only tells the tale of Eileen – a living hero, trail blazer, and role model, but it also shares lessons about life that teach us all to rise to our highest good.
As I state in my forward, “In the spirit of this book, may we each live our lives with courage and determination to pursue our dreams, and may we slay some dragons along the away!”
It is a captivating read for all. To purchase a copy and support Camelot, click here.
To date, the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation Quality of Life Program has provided 67 Quality of Life grants toward Therapeutic Horseback Riding totaling $673,766.
Author's Bio: Mark Bogosian is the Director, Quality of Life Grants Program at Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation.