Politics & Government

NJ's First Lady Honors Mahwah 'Hero'

Mary Pat Christie was in the township Tuesday to recognize the work of Dana Spett, owner of Pony Power Therapies

New Jersey’s First Lady Mary Pat Christie was in Mahwah Tuesday afternoon to honor a resident she called a “hero.”

Dana Spett is the founder and executive director of Pony Power Therapies, a non-profit organization that offers therapeutic horseback riding to developmentally disabled and at-risk children and adults at Three Sisters Farm on Ramapo Valley Road. Spett, a social worker and equine enthusiast, founded Pony Power in 2000 after one of her daughters was having slight difficulties in school, she said. Today, the farm caters to hundreds of students each year.

Tuesday, Mary Pat Christie named Spett one of her “New Jersey Heroes.” The state’s first lady set up the program, she said, in order to recognize everyday citizens in New Jersey who are doing extraordinary things.

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Spett is the 20th person across the state that Christie has named an “NJ Hero” since her husband, Governor Chris Christie, took office. She is only the second Hero to be named this year.

“It’s so obvious that [Pony Power] is Dana’s life, it’s become her life’s work,” Christie told Patch of why she felt the NJ Heroes Committee chose Spett as a recipient of the award. “I’d love to see her model be replicated [at other therapeutic riding centers] across the state.”

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According to Christie, a friend of hers from Bergen County first told her about the work Spett, her family, staff of professional therapists and large group of volunteers at the farm do everyday. Christie suggested she submit Spett as a potential Hero.

“Dana has been on my radar for over a year,” Christie said Tuesday. “I am so glad that I was finally able to get up here to recognize her.”

Christie said, however, that the award presentation’s date was no accident. April is Autism Awareness month, and she said the committee felt this month would be the best time to recognize Spett, whose organization works with many autistic children and adults on a daily basis.

“Of course, what I came up here to find was that [Pony Power] does that and so much more,” she said.

When accepting her award, Spett said that she didn’t feel she was a hero, but that she is surrounded by heroes on a daily basis.

But, she did call the award, “a huge feather in our cap. To have someone like [Mary Pat Christie] come here and recognize us is tremendous, it really creates awareness.”

And, as Spett was surprised to learn Tuesday, it also created some financial help to keep some of her summer programs running. Along with the Hero award, Mrs. Christie handed Spett a donation check of $7,500.

“It was a total surprise,” Spett said of the donation. “And, it is a huge help for us. We are always looking for funding. That money will go straight to one of the summer programs that we already have scheduled. Now we have a way to pay for it.”

A large group of family and friends, staff and students, and local politicians gathered Tuesday to take a tour of the farm with Spett and Christie and watch the award presentation.

Christie said the crowd was indicative of the good work Spett is doing.

“This is really a family affair,” Christie said. “And, what’s amazing is the way [Spett] has the involvement and the support of the entire community to help her run this.” Before leaving, Christie called Pony Power Therapies a “special place.”

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