TIMMINS - A fun night serving up thrills is helping children in need.
Firecrest Stables is hosting a Night of Terror on Saturday, Oct. 26, from 2:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., and owner Ashley Calderwood hopes that the event will not only entertain families in Timmins but help her collect some riding gear for at-risk children.
“We decided to do this event to help bring extra money in for the farm so we can buy riding helmets and boots and stuff. That way, when kids come, if they don’t have the proper equipment or proper footwear, well, they can borrow it and it’s always going to be there for them,” she said.
The stables, located at 2965 Kamiskotia Rd, is being transformed and there will be games, pumpkin carving, and a haunted walk in the bush. There will also be local vendors, and photo booths, including one with the horses for $5.
“It’d be a great way to get people to come out and do stuff and bring some life back to the horse world in Timmins,” said Calderwood. “ And if you don’t have anything to give, you can still come!”
For the program that the eerie-sistible event's supporting, Calderwood's teamed up with Cast Clinical in Timmins to bring Indigenous youth to the farm for therapeutic activities. They're introduced to horses and how to care for them and learn about what goes into that care, and riding.
The impact on the children that have come through the program is amazing, said Calderwood.
Seeing people find their niche is fulfilling, and she hopes some people at the event will have a chance to have a new experience.
“People who haven’t been around horses before will get to do it for free,” she said.
Any donations at the event will go toward keeping the youth program going.
“If we don’t have funding and we don’t have money that comes in, then we can’t do the program,” she said. “It’s a nice way to give people something to do.”
She and her partner have spent the last month cleaning up the grounds. Volunteers are also coming out to help with the event.
If someone wants to donate, they can drop off donations at Timbermart on Airport Rd, or Calderwood is willing to pick things up if people reach out at [email protected].
“As long as it’s closed-toe, it can be anything. Old rubber boats, work boots, if they have raincoats,” she said. “I don’t want to take any money donations, but if someone wants to contribute something, you can go to Little Bit Western and buy a riding helmet or riding gloves.”
There will be a discount for anyone who says they’re buying something for the event.
This is just the first event that Calderwood plans on doing.
“We plan on hosting something for Christmas,” she said. The more support we see, the more of it will be free!”
