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A Little About Our Friend Stacey Stearns
by Katrina Benington Crie & Company
Many of you know Stacey Stearns and the Stearns family from their
long
involvement in the world of morgan horses. Stacey is also a tenth
generation dairy farmer who has tirelessly bridged both worlds and
made her mark in each. For those of you
who have not yet had the
pleasure of meeting Stacey, let me share some stories
about her willful
devotion and commitment as a friend, assistant, teacher and
brave
warrior as she faces treatment for Stage IV Hodgkins Lymphoma at the
tender age of 28.
Stacey first came to my rescue when I had a barn full of horses
needing
to go to a show with no assistance in sight. From a single plea for help
on an email list grew a precious
connection that I am every bit as
grateful for today as I was that summer of
2002. Turned out that Stacey
was not only
an angel and professional in the get-ready stall, but also
forged immediate,
forever best friend status with my young son, Osage,
for whom no story is ever
as good as Stacey's.
Her willingness to embrace not only the task at hand, but to also
tend to
the creation of inclusive, embracing relationships was a gift that fostered
my own success in the horse industry for the two years as Stacey
worked as my
assistant. Truth is, she took each
client, every barn
helper under her wing and not only taught them how to be
efficient and
effective in the ways that fit with my trainer expectations, but
created a
community in my barn that was priceless: happy barn, happy workers,
happy clients and happy me. She had much to teach me on these
fronts.
Who knew the medical challenges and advocacy skills my son and I
brought to her awareness would serve her personal needs so soon?
But it must be said that even during those
tough times for Osage and
me, Stacey carried grace and balance through
several extremely scary
and life-changing physical events, while she carried the burden of
responsibility to the horses in my care when I could not. Her
generosity
was stellar, far beyond any job description, and for that I and my
clients
will always be grateful.
A couple of years later, under the guise of an across-the-country
road
trip, Stacey put her angel wings on for Holly Butterman, who had just
endured a second shoulder surgery and needed support in both her
home and
barn. Little did anyone know that Holly
would lose her
beloved stallion, The Phantom of the Opera, during Stacey's four month
stay, but nobody thereafter questioned the timely and spiritual
importance of Stacey's presence through
that process. That she felt
compelled
to halter and bring to safety the wild horses of Reno who
roamed the streets is
a story that continues to bring a smile.
By the time her dear family friend, Sue Brander, needed support
post
breast cancer surgery, Stacey had the routine down: arrive for a week,
bring a cooler full of homemade food, most of it frozen, so Sue could
take it
out when needed, serve her family and retain her dignity and
independence as
she healed. The compassion and humor
Stacey
brought to all these seemingly dark situations speaks of the light she
carries. It is immutable.
Stacey successfully navigated a vast array of extracurricular
activities
during her youth, and I include them so you can begin to get a sense
of
her drive and multi-tasking skills.
In high school, Stacey was the Storrs
Regional FFA President and
District FFA Chair, National Honor Society,
Tolland County 4-H Fair President and 4-H Club President.
She took on the Morgan Youth Contest Circuit with grace from the
age
of ten on, and in her final year won at MA Morgan and placing fifth
(with a
very naughty, borrowed horse to perform her tests on) where she
won the
Sportmanship award at the Morgan Grand National in 2002.
In college, Stacey was President of the Dairy Club, the UCONN Block
and Bridle Club as well as State FFA President and CT National FFA
Officer
Candidate. She travelled to Costa Rica
as an FFA National
Proficiency Award Finalist, as well as the National Dairy
Tour in Europe.
Her degree UCONN BS in
Animal Science led to employment as
Superintendent of the
Intercollegiate Dairy Judging Contest for 2002
to 2007 at the Big E.
The horses are Stacey's passion, and though her forays into the
professional world of showing filled a long held desire to excel there, her
recent attentions have focused closer to home, where her compassion
and humor
make her a loving teacher, trainer and guide to a select
group of children and
horses. She leads a Morgan youth group and
creates memories for them that won't soon be forgotten: trail rides,
driving lessons, boom box parade, and how to determine when making
cookies is
wiser than freezing out in the barn.
The presence of these
children is that they've generously pitched in and
taken over some of
the horse barn chores.
Having such a fine role model, they wear their
little angel wings,
too.
That Stacey continues with these endeavors throughout her chemo
treatments astounds her doctors. But
for those who have not checked
Stacey's blog, (please go there if you have
not... it is utterly entertaining)
her old drive to succeed is being challenged
with new lessons of gentle,
healing rest.
The medical powers that be took away her dairy routine
(the environment
is unacceptable for her immune system during
treatment, so her income
forcefully removed), and she is left with the
fine art of self-care first. For one who has always found such satisfaction
in her role of helping others, and de-stressing via hard
work, these
lessons are not ones she ever expected to face. Stacey comes from
stock that simply
"gets what needs doing done."
So it is with an open heart that I hope you who can in any way
support
Stacey's cancer healing journey will do so. There is no question that
her intention to get back to her
passions and independence will see her
through this last half of chemo treatment with ongoing high blood
counts, fewer side-effects than most, and
an indomitable refusal to fall
into any preconceived category of victim of this
cancer or its treatment.
Now it's our
turn to give back to one who exemplifies the best of our
Morgan microcosm.
So, you'll find the contact info in the handout for donations to
Stacey's
auction, as well as the bank account for direct donations to the
Stacey
Stearns Healing Fund. Only those
attending the dinner will be able to
bid, so please make it if you can, and if
not, know that even a small
financial donation will have big results if we all
pitch in.
Thanks so much for your help.
Katrina Benington Crie
Holly J Butterman
Sue Brander
Ed Sweet
Carol Fleck
Judy Candage
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