2023 Volunteers of the Year

It takes a village, and we have the best one, which means it is no easy task to pick who will receive the Vol of the Year awards. We are very grateful for all of our Vols, but we want to recognize these individuals who showed up for STAR in big ways throughout 2023. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your continued support of STAR - you have made all the difference in 2023!

Larry Petr
​2023 Facility Vol of the Year
This award is long overdue since Larry has volunteered with STAR for an unknown number of hours over the course of 36 years - after all his wife is our Founder and Executive Director! You’ll see him around the barn cleaning, weed eating, helping set up for events, or anything else that might need to be done.

Morganna Eid
​2023 Junior Vol of the Year
Morganna has only been volunteering since summer 2023, but she has made a huge impression on everyone. She is wonderful at finding tasks to be done around the barn and comes ready to work with a smile on her face. She even helped at our Annual Horse Show by handing out ribbons.

Julie Kirst
​2023 Rookie Vol of the Year
Though she has only been volunteering for a year, Julie has jumped right in by serving as a barn helper, side walker, and horse leader. We love seeing her at the barn, which is fairly often as she lives nearby. She is one of our first calls when we need help, and her reply is always, “I’m on my way!”

Sydney Campbell
​2023 Equine Vol of the Year
Sydney has been volunteering since August of 2022. She not only helps with classes but also exercising our horses both on the ground and in the saddle. She often rides for our instructors in training and never complains, no matter how many times she might need to re-do the test for them!

Joseph Maples
​2023 Lesson Vol of the Year
Joseph has been volunteering since 2013 - which means he has volunteered over 1,000 hours so far! He is a side walker, horse leader, and barn helper - so he is incredibly reliable, trustworthy, and able to keep his cool even in the toughest situations.

Hannah Erickson
2023 Barn Helper Vol of the Year
Hannah started volunteering in August of 2020 and can be found at the barn most Thursday nights. She is reliable, trustworthy, and hard working - and you can bet she will be up for Barn Captain next year!

Earl and Kimberly Platt
2023 Family Vol of the Year
This husband and wife duo began volunteering in December of 2022. They help out with classes, barn help, and all the little things in between. They have gone above and beyond by purchasing fly masks for our horses in the summer, as well as new dressage letters for the outdoor arena!

Lisa Galbraith
2023 South Knox Vol of the Year
Lisa has been volunteering since 2018 and is an excellent horse leader and side walker who is always willing to offer an extra hand! She is patient with the horses and kind to the riders - and she is always asking questions to be the best volunteer she can be.

Bill Duggleby
2023 Heroes & Horses Vol of the Year
Bill started volunteering in 2021 and has volunteered in almost every session since! He cares deeply about ensuring Veterans get the support they need - he even recently began the process of becoming certified as a therapeutic riding instructor!

Marcus Williams
2023 STRIDES Vol of the Year
Though he only began volunteering earlier this year, Marcus has been a great addition to the STAR family! In the short time he has been here, he has grown to become a confident leader and mentor for many of the youth in our STRIDES programs.

Dara Reppe
2023 STAR Vol of the Year
Dara has been volunteering since 2019 and basically does it all. She is a Barn Captain, horse leader, volunteers with the STRIDES program, serves
on the equine committee, and helps with Occupational Therapy clients. She is a joy to be around and she lights up everyone around her.