Two students at the College of William & Mary are running so others may ride.
Tori Snell and Angela Pezzella are volunteers at Dream Catchers at the Cori Sikich Therapeutic Riding Center. The pair of seniors are preparing to run a half and full marathon, respectively, and are raising money for the center in the lead-up to the big day.
Dream Catchers provides therapeutic sessions to children and adults with special needs. Through the help of trained staff and dedicated volunteers, they hold more than 4,000 lessons each year.
Both women have experience working with children with disabilities: Pezzella has been a nanny for a boy with autism, while Snell has a sister with special needs. Driven by a passion for helping those children, the two turned to Dream Catchers during their junior year at W&M.
On March 16, they will tackle a big running feat in order to continue to support the nonprofit organization.
This will be Pezzella’s second full marathon, but Snell describes herself as “not an avid runner.” Both have been training around busy school schedules and an unusually snowy Williamsburg winter.
They agree the cause is worth the effort.
Snell and Pezzella’s online fundraising website launched in January, with the goal of raising awareness and monetary assistance for Dream Catchers. Bolstered by the support of friends and family, they have already exceeded their $550 goal. Last week, they increased the objective to $750, and as of Tuesday afternoon, are just $5 from meeting that mark.
“If we could make it to 1,000, that would be incredible,” Snell said.
She noted that every donation, regardless of its size, makes a difference for Dream Catchers. Sponsors are also able to contribute anonymously.
While both women are graduating from W&M this spring, they hope to stay involved with similar volunteer work in their next step in life. They are grateful for the support that the Dream Catchers family has given them, and are inspired to hit the pavement next month.
Nervous but excited, Snell and Pezzella are looking forward to a flat – and hopefully snow-free – running experience.
For more information about Dream Catchers, visit their website.
