Awards

We were very honored for this nomination for our Little Free Libraries! It’s truly a collaborative effort of TLH volunteers and our team colleagues who facilitate our literacy promotion programs.
We now manage 5 LFL in our community! This is for all of us!!!

“You have been nominated for a Todd H. Bol Award for Outstanding Achievement! The awards, named for our late founder, honors Little Free Library volunteer stewards who are making an exceptionally positive impact on their communities.

My Mini and Me 2023

Dolly and Terry won reserve champion in a yearlong contest organized by the Miniature Horse Association of Arizona. The contest is called My Mini and Me and based on points accumulated throughout the year for participating in various public venues as a team with your mini. We actually had the most points/hours for the year, but they changed the rules, limiting the points in each category. Since we don't show, we came in a very close second this year. Terry was awarded an embroidered fleece vest. Dolly received kisses, cookies and carrots! We are so proud of this little, spicy team member.

Fountain Hills Thanksgiving Day Parade 2023 - the coveted Golden Turkey award!
1st Place Award in the Animal Division

Phoenix Veterans Day Parade on November 11, 2023
1st Place Award - Equestrian Entry

ASDAR Literacy Promotion Award

We are thrilled to announce our Founder/President, Terry Holmes-Stecyk, has won the 2022 Arizona Society Daughters of the American Revolution,(ASDAR), state contest for Outstanding Service of a Chapter Member in Literacy Promotion for a 3rd year! Our fingers are crossed for the SW Division and National announcement. This contest honors those members, chapters, and states who dedicate their time to promote literacy. DAR is a nonpolitical organization of vibrant, active women who are passionate about community service, preserving history, educating children as well as honoring and supporting those who served our nation. DAR members come from a variety of backgrounds and interests, but all share a common bond of having an ancestor who helped contribute to securing the independence of the United States of America, (1775-1783). Learning of her win, Terry states: "This award is a reflection of ALL of our TLH volunteers and qualified mini team friends who have joined us for Mini Tales and Giddy Up and Read visits! Thank you for making these programs not only successful, but an impactful experience for the children and families we meet!"

Fountain Hills Nonprofit of the Year Nomination 2023

We are thrilled and honored to have been nominated as the Fountain Hills Nonprofit of the Year for the amazing work of our miniature horses and donkeys. In 2022, our minis touched the lives of over 5000 humans in Arizona. We may be small, but we are mighty in our mission to make a positive impact in the lives of others, by inspiring hope, bringing joy and transformation through interactions with our equines.

My Mini and Me 2022

Dolly and Terry won a yearlong contest organized by the Miniature Horse Association of Arizona. It was called My Mini and Me and based on points accumulated throughout the year for participating in various public venues as a team with your mini.
This adorable concho was awarded to us. Dolly was very proud!

Phoenix Veterans Day Parade on November 11, 2022
1st Place Award - Equestrian Entry

November 21, 2020 - DAR Community Service Award

Tender Little Hearts Equine Mini Therapy received the DAR Community Service Award
in recognition of an organization for their outstanding voluntary services. The organization must have contributed to the community in an outstanding manner through voluntary
services and/or by organizing or participating in community activities.

We are truly honored to have been nominated for this award.
Dolly, Boone and Maserati each received a carrot and a cookie for their outstanding service!
Many thanks to our TLH board, and of course the volunteers who assist in our visits.

2020 - NSDAR Literacy Promotion Contest
Winner for Southwestern Division and National!

An afternoon phone call can change a gloom and doom mood into the brightest of days. This weekend was supposed to be the dates for our State DAR Conference, however, like everything else, this event had to be canceled due to COVID-19. As I was reflecting on my month of sheltering at home... our Regent, Judy Taylor, of my Piestewa Peak Chapter, National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, called this afternoon. She called to inform and congratulate me as our chapter Literacy Promotion Committee Chair. “Terry, I have just learned that you are the winner of the ASDAR Literacy Promotion contest (State Level) AND you are also the winner of the NSDAR Southwest Division Literacy Promotion Contest (Division Level)“. I am beyond honored and grateful that Mini Tales has been recognized by this amazing organization.

I sat tonight, watching the sun set, listening to the horses and donkey munch hay, probably wondering why I was weeping in their turn out. This is an honor shared with so many who have been on this journey with Mini Tales. Our mission to promote literacy would not be possible without Bella and Dolly, my sweet partners, patiently listening to stories being read to them each month. Now Maserati and Boone have stepped up to fill Bella’s shoes and give Dolly company. We have truly missed our library and school visits and look forward to the day the world is taken off pause and our lives resume.

I am also grateful and thankful for my early mentor, Linda Vataha of Mobile Minis. Our volunteers who have joined us on our many library visits; Cindy Gibson, Pam Burr, Kim Edwards, Jennifer Koselke, Marianne Barlow, Janis Tymofichuk, Sally Wirth and my fellow library partners Donna Vollmer and CocoPuff, Mike Crowley and Apache, Leslie Briefman and Cali, children’s book author Claudine Song and Jaxon. Each bringing a unique gift to our literacy program.

Thank you, Judy, for believing in this program, supporting Mini Tales personally and through DAR, helping me create our bookmarks for the children we are blessed to hear read. Your friendship means the world to me! And thank you to you, our dear friends who have encouraged us, given books and donated funds to help offset the cost of our reading and equine therapy visits throughout the year. Your support is a blessing to Mini Tales and to so many children whose lives we have touched. We’ll be back soon and hope to add even more reading opportunities around the Valley.

Encouraging reading and promoting literacy, one story at a time.

Lead Steward, Patroller, Mentor, Pathfinder and Ambassador for the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. We started in 2014 and are still loving it! 3700+ hours and counting!