Our Featured Volunteer of the Month is Lynn Knapp!
Lynn is quite simply the barn sweetheart. She is unbelievably kind, positive, and enthusiastic. You can always tell how much she loves it here because her face always lights up when she talks about Lancers.
Lynn has now been riding at Lancers for twenty-five years. She started riding at the age of twenty-nine when she first got married. In fact, she and her husband, Rob, enrolled in the Lancer adult beginner course together. Rob’s allergies eventually got the better of him and he had to stop riding but Lynn kept on! When she had children she moved to into the Friday morning ride and has never left! She said, “it is such a privilege to be in that ride”.
Growing up in a horse-environment had an impact on Lynn. Her father was a harness race fan so she spent three nights a week at the race track. She always wanted to learn to ride and be around horses. Fast forward twenty years she and Rob were out for a walk one day and they came across the barn and walked in. They couldn’t believe that stables existed in the centre of Halifax. Lynn recalls, “I didn’t know much about this place but I knew I wanted to be a part of it”. And so she did - in a very big way.
Lynn became deeply involved with volunteering at Lancers about ten years ago when her daughter Emma attended a Lancers summer course and then started the Junior Beginner Course (and graduated from Ride 1 last year)! Over the years, Lynn has been involved with many things. She is both a current and past board member, she used to organise and run the Saturday canteen, has helped with the Musical Ride, and has always been involved in fundraising efforts and events like the Open House. Lynn is also our recycling fairy; every week she collects all the recyclables from the barn and takes them to the depot so that the deposit money goes to Lancers (so don’t forget to drop off your bottles to the barn)! Volunteering has strengthened Lynn’s relationships with the kids and parents, particularly during her four or five years doing the canteen - she knew ever rider!
When asked what she enjoys most about Lancers, Lynn quickly replied that it’s the time spent with the horses and with the people she rides with. “I can’t describe why I love Lancers so much”, she said, “I think it’s a wonderful organisation and I think it’s great to be involved in something that you think of so highly. The friendships I have made have been so important to me”. Comparing her Lancers volunteer work with other experiences, Lynn appreciates that under Angie you’re always thanked. “Lancers never forgets to thank you for what you do”, she added.
In the future, Lynn hopes to continue riding for the rest of her life and she hopes that she can still help where she can! Hopefully, she can keep riding her current favourite horses Oliver and Rainey (credit also to her past favourite horses Pumba and Phyllis). She will definitely be looking forward to her Friday morning ride on Halloween because she is always surprised by the creativity of her fellow riders! When not at the barn or volunteering with Lancers, Lynn enjoys Zumba fitness, scuba diving, and more recently, African drumming! Lynn ended her little interview by saying that she was thrilled to be chosen this month because she just loves the initiative and she loves to read each feature every week!
Well, Lynn, we are thrilled to count you as a Lancer. You are always a breath of fresh air and your dedication to Lancers is so cherished and makes a big difference to our community. Thank you for being a Lancer for the past quarter century! 😋
#featurefriday
