Sundance for Our Soldiers - SOS

10/16/2026

🐴❤️ **Help Keep Hooves Moving & Hope Growing at SOS!**

Our horses help us bring connection, comfort, and hope to veterans, service members, their families, and others in our community. Now, **Sundance for Our Soldiers needs your help** to keep that work moving forward.

🏠 **A place for winter:** We found a boarding facility near the Rock Island County Fairgrounds with an indoor arena! To use it, we must board our horses there at **$500 per month, per horse**. This would give us a place to continue our ground-based services during cold and inclement weather.

🌱 **A home for the future:** We have also found a property to purchase and are raising funds to make a permanent home for SOS a reality in **spring 2027**.

🚚 **Reliable transportation:** Our 1997 Ford F-250 needs maintenance—or replacement with a newer, more reliable truck. High Illinois diesel costs are stretching our budget, too.

🇺🇸 **Community connection:** At the Rock Island Arsenal’s September Su***de Awareness Event, **74 people signed liability waivers to get up close with our horses!** We are also planning to return to the **Davenport Veterans Day Parade**, but we need sponsorship to help cover fuel and transportation.

**Every donation makes a difference!**
🐴 $500 covers one month of boarding for one horse.
🐴 $250 covers half a month of boarding for one horse.
❤️ Any amount helps with horse care, truck maintenance, fuel, or our future home.

Businesses and individuals can also help through parade sponsorship or assistance with truck repairs or a replacement vehicle.

SOS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. **Donations of $250 or more will receive a written acknowledgment for tax records.**
Donate through PayPal at this link:
https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/TU5X4YZN9RLVL

📩 Message us to arrange a donation or sponsorship.
📞 309-945-7257
📧 [email protected]

Unable to give right now, we understand. **Please share this post.** Your share could connect us with someone who can help.

Thank you for helping us care for the horses who help us care for people. ❤️🐴

10/16/2026

Rock Island Arsenal Su***de Stand Down Event 2026!

10/15/2026

We were honored to be a part of the Rock Island Arsenal Su***de Stand Down. In just two short hours over 70 people signed waivers to get up close with the horses!

It is always a special feeling being on the island and this year we were blessed with these beautiful photos. There are some really cool ones yet to come with the First Quarters and the Mississippi River!

Thank you so much to MJ Pawtography for taking these amazing photos! The professionalism shows because capturing these moments is difficult to do while juggling horses and they knew exactly where to be be. Highly recommend them for getting your pet photographs!

10/12/2026

🐴 **NEW PROGRAM AT SUNDANCE FOR OUR SOLDIERS!** 🐴

We are excited to introduce our new **8-Week Equine-Assisted Body Regulation and Leadership Program**, designed for children, teenagers, adults, and older adults.

Participants receive **one private, one-hour session each week for eight weeks**. Every session is personalized according to the participant’s age, abilities, comfort level, and individual goals.

Through hands-on, ground-based activities with horses, participants can strengthen skills in:

• Recognizing body signals and emotions
• Grounding, breathing, and emotional regulation
• Confidence and personal accountability
• Healthy boundaries and routines
• Listening, communication, and empathy
• Trust, cooperation, and problem-solving
• Goal-setting, reflection, and life balance

All activities are completed from the ground. **No riding is involved.**

**Program Cost**

$1,200 for the complete eight-week program
**Save $200 when paying $1,000 upfront in cash**

A sliding-scale fee is available based on household income. Proof of income is required.

Grant-funded scholarship assistance may also be available for eligible **Rock Island County residents**, depending on household income and available funding.

Space is limited because every participant receives private, individualized sessions.

Click on the link to reserve a spot to start working on your healing journey!
https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/NU6JAK8VBWP3Q

To ask questions or reserve a weekly session time, contact:

📞 **309-945-7257**
📧 **[email protected]**

Photo by: MJ Pawtography!

Help us spread the word by sharing this new opportunity with someone who may benefit from learning, growing, and connecting with horses.

Want to support someone's healing journey?
Donate Today through Paypal .... https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/ZRCBU6Z6K9NLU

09/10/2026

The heat and humidity last week called for the horses to get a bath from a veteran. We use retired Standardbred racehorses like the one in the video that are used to it and love to get a bath.

For SOS bathing horses before greeting public is usually behind the scenes, but when a veteran needed us in that heat we knew it would call for a relaxing session.

It always turns out the way it is meant to. Trusting the horses and the healing process unfolding is essential to this type of therapy for humans. Love my Standardbreds!

08/31/2026

08/31/2026

To continue providing services we need the help of donations! We haul horses to the QC because transportation for people to rural areas was more difficult. Fuel, hay, vet care … are all expenses to keep this going.

Please donate … even a fuel card is helpful!!

PayPal or Venmo
for Our Soldiers

08/26/2026

🌟 **NEW MENTORING PROGRAM — FIND YOUR DIRECTION. BUILD YOUR FUTURE.** 🌟

Are you or someone you know feeling stuck, disconnected, uncertain about the future, or struggling to find purpose and direction in life?

Sometimes we all need someone in our corner to help us recognize our strengths, set meaningful goals, and discover where we want to go next.

Sundance for Our Soldiers (SOS) is now offering a mentoring program focused on personal growth, self-discovery, and building the skills needed to move forward with greater confidence and purpose.

Through supportive mentoring and experiential activities, participants will have opportunities to:

🐴 Experience Self-Discovery
Recognize personal strengths, interests, values, and possibilities for the future.

🎯 Set Meaningful Goals
Turn ideas and dreams into realistic goals and manageable next steps.

🤝 Build Social & Communication Skills
Practice healthy communication, relationship building, teamwork, boundaries, and problem-solving.

💪 Develop Confidence & Resilience
Learn from challenges, recognize progress, and build confidence in making positive life choices.

🧭 Explore Purpose & Direction
Discover what matters personally and begin creating a path toward a more meaningful future.

Our approach is hands-on, encouraging, and individualized. When appropriate, participants may also have opportunities to work alongside our horses through ground-based activities designed to encourage reflection, communication, problem-solving, and personal growth. No horseback riding is involved.

You don't have to have everything figured out.

Sometimes finding your direction begins with having the right person, and maybe the right horse beside you while you take the first step.

📩 Interested in learning more or referring someone to the program?

Contact Sundance for Our Soldiers (SOS)
📧 [email protected]
📞 309-945-7257

Find your strengths. Set your goals. Discover your purpose.

08/26/2026

Public Demonstration
Horses Helping Humans!
Services available at the fairgrounds by appointment only.