Kim Meier is an upper level eventer and sporthorse breeder who was severely injured in a fall while schooling her horse Test Run in Florida on January 16. She fell forward over her horse’s neck and landed in such a way which hyper-extended her neck, causing the damage to the C3 and C4 vertebrae. She is currently quadraplegic, but can move her shoulders.
Some of you may remember that we also held an auction for Kim last year, when her farm on the Eastern Shore of Maryland was infected with EHV-1 and under quarantine.
Kim is in the process of relocating from the hospital in Florida to the Kessler Institute, a rehabilitation facility in New Jersey, to be closer to her daughter Kelly. The up-front cost of admission is about $190,000 – several loans have been secured from individuals to get her into the facility ASAP, since insurance funds cannot be utilized that quickly. She will likely be selling her farm to cover other costs.
You can find more information and updates at http://www.carepages.com under the name Kim Meier. (You need to register to view the updates, but registration is free.)
Three funds have been set up:
Maryland Network for Injured Equestrians
Box 296
Jarrettsville, MD 21084-0296
(Donations to this fund are tax-deductible)
Kim and Kelly Morani Support Fund
Bank of America Account #4469271641
You can go into any Bank of America branch and make a deposit to the account. Checks can also be mailed to Bank of America, 2340 West Joppa Road, Lutherville, MD 21093, attn: Gail Winn.
The Kim Meier Transportation Fund
c/o Peoples Bank
100 Spring Ave.
P.O. Box 210
Chestertown, MD 21620
Account #01684112-20
Payment for auction items will be made to the BofA fund, but you are welcome to send additional monetary donations to any of the three funds.
The auction is being organized by Ruthie Harbison of Suwanee Farms. It will run through 10 p.m. Eastern time on February 20th. You can place a bid by posting it on the thread for the item, emailing your bid to Ruthie Harbison at sfieventing@earthlink.net, or you can bid in person at Poplar Place Horse Trials and Ocala II Horse Trials. Bids made via email or in person will be updated on this forum.
After February 18, ALL bids must be made in this forum, not via email to Ruthie or any other method. (Note that if you do not already have a COTH BB username, you will need to register an account to post a bid here.)
All lessons provided are at the location of the provider (at their farm) in either their winter or home location. Most will substitute lessons for schooling at shows if requested. Please contact Ruthie if you have questions about any specific item.
Donations for the auction are still being accepted. If you have anything you would like to donate please email Ruthie with the information, and she will post it here.
At this time, payment is being accepted via personal check or money order only. Payment will be made to Kim’s fund at Bank of America.
Ruthie will contact winners by February 27 with information for payment etc. If you have any questions, please contact Ruthie at sfieventing@earthlink.net or via private message (her COTH username is sfir).
