The George School Equestrian Center will hold a short opening ceremony on Tuesday, March 23 at 2:45 p.m. to celebrate the success of a parent initiative to raise the funds to resurface two outdoor riding rings.

The informal fundraising campaign was led by Shelley Bitzer, mother of Liz ’10 and Hannah '11, and Michele Peruto, mother of DeAnna Meckling ’12. Their efforts inspired parents whose children participate in the equestrian program to donate nearly $30,000, including two parent corporate gifts, for infrastructure repairs. The work to renew the footing on both riding rings should be completed during the school’s spring break.

Shelley Bitzer said: "It's been so rewarding. Michele Peruto and I saw that the riding rings needed to be upgraded, and we got such an incredible 'Let's get it done' response. The enthusiasm of the other parents has been wonderful. We would welcome other donations to get us all the way to our $30,000 goal."

“The new footing—with three inches of sand on top of a newly designed drainage system—will make jumping more comfortable for the horses and the riders,” said Equestrian Program Director Bonnie Takakjy, “This comes just in time for Term 3 equestrian team tryouts, since the rings were snowbound when we normally would have had tryouts at the end of Term 2.”

The George School Equestrian Center serves not only George School students but also offers a Community Lesson Program, with over sixty children and adults taking riding lessons throughout the year. The school also offers Equestrian Summer Day Camps.