Charity Spotlight.

Fieldstone Farm Therapeutic Riding Center.

Community partnerships aren’t about big gestures. They’re about showing up consistently in ways that matter to the people and places around us.

At BMW Cleveland, we’re proud to support organizations that make a meaningful impact right here in Northeast Ohio. One of those is Fieldstone Farm Therapeutic Riding Center, a nonprofit that’s been helping people find strength, confidence, and peace through the therapeutic power of horses for more than 40 years.

Every week, hundreds of students — many dealing with anxiety, trauma, or other challenges — pass through Fieldstone’s barn doors. They come to ride, to connect, and to heal. The impact of this work extends far beyond the barn, creating ripple effects throughout families and communities.

One such story is that of Alani.

After a busy day at school, 11-year-old Alani bounces into the barn as she gently holds back a smile.

“I’m freeeeee,” she says, releasing her lips to reveal a gleaming grin as she stretches her arms out wide. “I get to do something I really want to do!”

Alani peers down the aisle eagerly, waiting for her horse, Xena, to round the corner and walk into the mounting area, where she’ll climb on and spend 45 minutes of pure joy on the back of a beautiful, strapping black-and-white Tobiano Spotted Draft.

“Fieldstone is Alani’s happy place,” says her mom, Maria, smiling.

Alani first came to Fieldstone two summers ago as part of the Summer Camp with Hospice of the Western Reserve, after both of her uncles had passed away. It was such a positive experience that she enrolled in weekly classes.

“Being around the horses gives Alani a sense of happiness like nothing else,” says her mom. “The horses just sense what she is going through and they gently lay their head on her to comfort her.”

When Alani rides Xena, you see a calm confidence as she guides one of the largest horses in the barn around the arena, looking ahead with her back straight and her legs connected to Xena’s large barrel. She is fully “in the moment” with her horse, leaving all of her anxieties at the door.

Leslie, her instructor, sees Alani’s growing confidence not only on horseback but in everything Alani does at the farm, from grooming and tacking her horse to greeting other students and forming lasting relationships with volunteers.

At Fieldstone Farm, no two journeys are the same. For Alani, it’s a place where calm and confidence replace the anxieties of everyday life. For others, it’s where they achieve milestones once thought impossible. One of those remarkable stories belongs to Lyla — a little girl with a big spirit and an even bigger smile.

On Saturdays, a bright beam of light bounces into the barn, and her name is Lyla. A little girl with sandy blonde hair, Lyla radiates a joy and enthusiasm that’s contagious.

“It’s hard to have a bad day around Lyla,” says her mom, Julia.

You’d never know that Lyla almost didn’t make it. Just days after she was born, she was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder that doesn’t allow the body to process proteins. Doctors felt that if she lived, she likely wouldn’t be able to speak or walk.

But this happy little girl beat the odds. She’s walking, talking, and embracing life with a big smile and frequent giggles.

Getting here has taken a disciplined approach to diet, medication, and limiting exposure to illness. If she got a fever early in life, it could have significantly compromised her health. Homeschooling was the answer, and by age five, the risks lessened and she was ready to get out into the world. First it was a visit to the grocery store. Then the playground. Soon after, a family friend recommended Fieldstone Farm.

On her very first visit, she bonded with a horse named Pilgrim. Now, three years later, Saturdays are the highlight of her week as Lyla rides, sees friends, and experiences the healing farm environment.

Riding has boosted her confidence as she controls a horse around the arena and on trail. She’s also built up core strength. On top of that, Lyla embraces all of the social opportunities, especially talking with her good friend Katie, who is her volunteer leader.

“She makes my day,” says Katie, explaining that it’s hard to get up on a Saturday as a graduate student, but all she has to do is think of Lyla and she’s out the door.

Katie knows Lyla will greet her with a big smile and a beautiful drawing that she can add to her collection on her refrigerator at home.

Lyla’s experience has been full of firsts. First ride. First horse show. First win.

“We can’t wait to see what other firsts are in store in Lyla’s bright future.”

Stories like Alani’s and Lyla’s remind us that supporting our community means more than just writing a check. It’s about partnering with organizations that create spaces for people to connect, grow, and heal.

At Davis Automotive Group, we believe in “giving where we live” — supporting local programs that make Northeast Ohio a better place for everyone.