A longtime horse lover, Teresa Wilhelm called the dream of T.H.E. Center a “lifelong ambition and a constant nagging obsession.”

In 1984, with one student – Lydia Genders – and two horses, five acres of weeds, a handful of volunteers and friend Leslie Taylor, Teresa’s lifelong dream became a reality. Teresa and Leslie both held down full time jobs and gave individual riding lessons to physically and mentally disabled children and adults after work and on weekends.

Due to Teresa’s tenacity and the dedication and generosity of the community, by 1997 the weeds were gone, T.H.E. Center had 10 horses, a tackroom, a large riding arena and served 100 students each week. Sadly, that same year Teresa was forced to step down as executive director to battle breast cancer, which ultimately took her life in May 2002.

Today, thanks to the kindness and on-going support from the community, Teresa’s dream lives on and T.H.E. Center has provided physical therapy, exercise, recreation to over 2,000 handi-capable children and adults in a safe, professional, and nurturing environment.

Teresa gave selflessly of herself and taught her students that there are no disabilities, just challenges. She heard an autistic child utter their first word, she provided unimaginable joy and a quality of life that many may never have known.

To honor Teresa Wilhelm, T.H.E. Center is proud to announce T.H.E. Scholarship Program . This fund will help defray the cost of lessons for those who cannot afford them, and ultimately allow for the expansion of T.H.E. Center programs… and keep Teresa’s dream alive.