A Saugus equine therapy facility for veterans thanked several supporters for their recent help Saturday, presenting plaques at Jump for Joy, which is the new home for Blue Star Ranch.
Nancy Pitchford-Zhe, executive director of Blue Star Ranch, gathered the group to thank everyone for their help in moving Blue Star Ranch into the stalls off San Francisquito Canyon Road, a process that provided several challenges after years in Placerita Canyon.
When Blue Star Ranch found out its home had a new owner was looking for a different use of the property, Pitchford-Zhe put the call out for help: She needed a new home for her therapy animals.
The nonprofit provides free sessions in a program for veterans battling post-traumatic stress, she said, with licensed therapists whose patients report significant improvement in their symptoms afterward.
A few things happened pretty quickly after word began to circulate in the Santa Clarita Valley’s equestrian community, she said Saturday.
A longtime friend, Linda Luger, who owns Jump for Joy, reached out and said she had a space for her; Luanne Simon and Melissa Blaseck contributed a trailer for the moves; and when the new owner, Marco Molina, a veteran himself, learned of Pitchford-Zhe’s operation and situation, he was extremely helpful. While Pitchford-Zhe said she was feeling better and moving around Saturday, Molina also was there when she was injured in an accident during the move.
She also presented a plaque to The Signal, which she credited for helping to spread the word about the challenges she was facing, which helped garner the support.
She said Blue Star, which recently hosted its annual fundraising ride, has already added new volunteers since the move, and greatly appreciates all the support it receives from the SCV community.
