RE/MAX The Woodlands & Spring Realtor Gloria Mechaley joins volunteer workforce

THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- As an in-demand Realtor, Gloria Mechaley’s work load doesn’t leave a lot of spare time, but in early December she was among the volunteers at Panther Creek Inspiration Ranch’s Christmas in The Woods II.

With a mission of “Partnering horses with people to transform lives and help them reach their highest ability” Inspiration Ranch’s vision is “To provide a Christ-centered oasis for children and adults with special challenges seeking excellence in equine activities and therapies while we inspire similar ministries to grow the arena of hope.”

“It’s a wonderful cause that helps special needs children. It’s right in our community, and I think it’s one of the best causes that we have in The Woodlands area because it affects so many families,” Mechaley said. “When you hear a family speak about the benefits their child receives through the program, it really brings the whole story to life.”

This is the second year for the Christmas in the Woods fundraiser. As word of the ranch’s programs and benefits spread, the event grew substantially in 2017, according to Sheila Greaver, vice president of development and communications at Panther Creek’s Inspiration Ranch.

“The purpose of this event is to raise funds to bless our families directly,” Greaver said. “Because of the generosity of our benefactors and a matching gift from Modern Woodmen Fraternal Financial, we far exceeded last year’s donations and were able to give every single family two complimentary rides in the month of December, directly benefitting 67 kids a week.”

The Christmas in the Woods fundraiser provides many ways to support the program, from donating funds to feed a horse for a week or purchase a ride for a child to giving products and/or services to fill the event’s raffle stockings. And the program is always looking for volunteers to provide anything from administrative support to ranch chores.

“Although Inspiration Ranch’s major fundraiser is its annual gala, Christmas in the Woods is a nice holiday event that provides an extra opportunity for those people who want to support the ranch and what it’s doing for children,” Mechaley said.

For more information, to volunteer or to donate funds or products to Panther Creek Inspiration Ranch, call them at 281-719-9322 or visit pciranch.org.