IN MEMORY OF FRAN SIMMONS

“Saying goodbye is so very hard.  Reflecting on what Mom has done for so many is incredibly easy! All of our lives, people told us what a wonderful mom we had and what an impact she made. She had the heart of a servant – making a difference wherever she went!

One of her most notable and proudest achievements was co-founding Rainbow Center Therapeutic Riding Program in 1984 [/1985], WAYYYYYY before this was a thing.  Mom was a Physical Therapist in a small, school for special needs children in Virginia and an avid horse person who realized the horse provided a natural stimulus to her ‘kids’ while also providing a fun activity! 

One day she invited 2 students to our barn to ride with her and things took off from there! The kids had a great time and didn’t even realize they were getting therapy because they got to ride a horse! There was no holding mom back at this point, she found an old dairy barn on a farm in Dale City and built a team, found some ponies and the much needed financial donations. All that combined with hard core physical labor, by all, transformed this barn to a suitable location for the program!

Later the program moved to a beautiful location in Haymarket to become Rainbow Therapeutic Riding.  We had the chance to take Mom to the new site a few years ago.  They have flourished with a fabulous team and superb support!!

Mom’s drive to take a fun sport and develop it to inclusively meet needs of others taught us so many lessons and touched so many lives. For those who knew Mom, you have asked how you can remember her and supporting this program that she was so instrumental in starting would mean so much!

If you didn’t have the chance to know her, hope you enjoyed hearing about a very special lady and how her humility and dedication was completely focused on others, especially those who needed a unique opportunity to grow!

If you choose to donate to Rainbow – please make a note that it is in honor of Fran Simmons, co-founder of the original program. We are honored to have been invited into such circles by the work Mom did.  We are thankful for the friendships this has provided.”

-Anne Berry, Emily Hickey and Family