McKenna Farms Therapy Services

Did you know that we have a YouTube channel?? You can view our latest video featuring Giselle at the link below. Be sure to subscribe to say up to date! https://youtu.be/_yihtw9Kfe0

Meet Jude, our Spotlight Kid of the Month! His mom explains that Jude loves going to the farm and it is one of his favorite places. His dad says Jude even dreams about the horses at night! They also credit his therapy at McKenna with making huge differences in his everyday life. Jude’s OT Lauren says, I could say so much about sweet Jude. He is such a precious soul. Jude always walks into my room with a smile on his face and he immediately tells me what he wants to do (whi...ch is always ride a horse)! Jude has made amazing progress with his self-feeding skills, which we have been working on for months. It has been so cool watching him gain independence and confidence using a spoon and now a fork. Jude has also made huge improvements during our hippotherapy sessions. When we first started, he was pretty unsure about the horse, and now he looks forward to riding every week. During hippotherapy, Jude has made improvements with self-confidence, working through issues with sensory integration, working memory, fine motor skills, hand eye coordination, and balance/coordination. Jude is so deserving of this spotlight, and his family deserves recognition as well because they are a great support system. PT Megan says, I have been treating Jude for about a year and he never ceases to amaze me with his constant joy and willingness to please. Jude is always so happy when he is in therapy. He is constantly smiling and asking to sing along to Wheels on the Bus, and Baby Shark while he does his work in physical therapy. Jude never fails to bring a smile to my face! Jude continues to grow in confidence and works hard every session to become stronger! SLP Kara Demkowski describes Jude as a ray of sunshine. She says, I have been working with him for almost two years, and he consistently comes to therapy with a smile on his face and ready to learn. He loves singing, playing, and swinging. Jude has made so much progress using his words to impact the world around him. Jude has recently begun to utilize a speech-generating communication device, and his verbal imitation skills have increased exponentially. It is so much fun working with Jude and he truly makes everyone he interacts with smile. Keep up the great work, Jude! Thank you for bringing such joy to everyone you meet! Nicole Morris

Welcome former Wellcare patients! As of May 1st, Peachstate bought out Wellcare. So if you are now covered by Peachstate, McKenna Farms is in-network for you!

Are you looking for something FUN and MEANINGFUL to do with your family this summer? Come volunteer at McKenna Farms and support our mission of serving children with special needs. Kids can begin volunteering at age 8 alongside a parent, and can volunteer independently starting at age 14. We have many families who volunteer together.parents and kids, spouses, siblings, even grandparents with their grandkids! For more info and to get signed up, visit https://www.mckennafarms.org/volunteer.

Thank you to everyone who came out for our Farm Fit Club last weekend. We had so much fun! Be sure to mark your calendar for our upcoming dates this summer: June 12 and July 17.

We see some pretty amazing moms at the farm every day. Thank you for all the love and support you give to your precious kiddos. We wish you all a very Happy Mother's Day!

Thank you Twisted Hair Storytelling for this beautiful video we debuted at Derby Day last weekend!

Are you looking for great Mother's Day gifts, graduation gifts, or something to treat yourself?? We are partnering with Kendra Scott TODAY and TOMORROW ONLY! Shop online at kendrascott.com and enter code GIVEBACK-1IU3. 20% of your purchase will support McKenna Farms. They have LOTS of beautiful jewelry, so please check it out and share with friends!

Derby Day is here!!

We're looking for Eagle Scouts for a fencing project at McKenna Farms! We need lots and lots of fences! For more information, please contact Lisa at [email protected]. Thank you!

Congratulations to Michelle Cook, our Volunteer of the Month! Her kind, upbeat demeanor make her such a pleasure to work with. Michelle realized how much she enjoyed being around horses when her daughters were riding at another barn, so she decided to give McKenna Farms a try. For over a year now, she has helped with feeding the horses, turning them out, cleaning stalls, sidewalking, and volunteering at special events like Fall Festival. Her favorite part of volunteering is ...being able to work alongside her daughters. Michelle says, I also enjoy all of the people I spend time with at the barn. There is just such a great sense of community. Michelle’s favorite horse is Boots. He has just worked his way into my heart. The once shy horse is now so affectionate. She also loves Waffles who she describes as the sweetest horse and says, Nothing like a good morning lick from her! Thank you, Michelle, for all you do!

Want to know more about ALL the services McKenna Farms offers? In addition to therapy, we have summer camps, a veterans programs, a Special Olympics Equestrian Team, and annual community events including Derby Day, Fall Festival, and a visit with Santa.

Friendly reminder...Winter Break is coming up the week of February 15th. If your family has plans to be out of town, please let our office know ASAP. It really helps our therapists to adjust their schedules ahead of time. Call the office at (770)443-9672 with any changes.

Grateful for the first round of #covidvacccine shots to help keep our staff and the families we serve safe.

Thank you to the Classic Glass Corvette Club (of Marietta, GA) for their recent visit to the farm! This amazing group has been a committed supporter of McKenna Farms for a few years now. President Don Bailey presented us with a check for $2,000 that the Club raised for us this year!

Today is #GivingTuesday, a global generosity movement, unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world. To show your support for McKenna Farms, please consider making a donation at https://www.mckennafarms.org/donate. EVERY dollar makes a difference!

Are you doing some online holiday shopping?? Don't forget, there are EASY, and FREE ways to raise money for McKenna Farms while you shop!! When shopping on Amazon, make sure to use the link smile.amazon.com and check that McKenna Farms is selected as your chosen charity. At Kroger, simply enroll at www.krogercommunityrewards.com and choose McKenna Farms Therapy (Org. #32297), then be sure to swipe your Plus Card at checkout. There is NO cost to you, but Amazon and Kroger will each donate a portion of the purchase price. Every dollar adds up!

During a #teletherapy Speech session today, Bennett and Miss Denise introduced their cats to each other #teletherapyslp

Come visit Santa at McKenna Farms on December 12th!

Thank you to @gonumotion for the lunch-and-learn yesterday on the Go Baby Go program and all of your amazing products!

Join Amy Pitts today at 4pm for our virtual Journey parent meeting! https://meet.google.com/mes-szxb-zue

Halloween is right around the corner and you can feel the excitement in the air! It’s time to start thinking about Trick-or-Treating and other Fall and Halloween activities. For children with language and sensory challenges, this time of year can become more stressful than fun. The noises, sights, costumes, and festivities can be overwhelming for some children. Here are a few tips to make Halloween more sensory-friendly and an enjoyable experience for everyone. 1. Prepare: U...se social stories and review all Halloween activities early. Explaining to your child what will happen may help reduce anxiety around activities that are outside their normal routine. 2. Costumes: Although costumes are fun, they may be itchy, bulky, or just plain uncomfortable for children with sensory difficulties. Instead of a store-bought costume, think about getting creative with your child’s costume using familiar, comfortable materials such as decorated t-shirts or simple accessories to create a fun outfit. 3. Practice: Go over appropriate language models at home several days or weeks before the festivities. Practice saying Trick-or-Treat at the door and saying Thank you when receiving candy or a treat. 4. Plan: If you are going out for Halloween, try to review the event location to look for more quiet places and plan an escape route for your child if they become overwhelmed and need a break. Or plan to Trick-or-Treat at houses of neighbors who are familiar with your child to increase their comfort level. 5. Take Breaks: If your child becomes overwhelmed or anxious during Halloween events, give your child a break. Try to bring familiar items to help calm and give them a quiet place to take a break from the action. Happy Trick-or-Treating!

Next week will be Fall Fun Week at the Farm! Patients and therapists will have several fun activities to participate in during your child's treatement session including: crafts, trick-or-treating, fall obstacle course and scavenger hunt, pumpkin rolling, and more! Please feel free to dress your child up during your day(s) at the farm. You can follow the daily themes below or come in any costume you'd like!

Our Fall Festival is THIS Saturday from 12-3! Hope you can join us!

We have created a Facebook group called McKenna Equipment Swap! It's a place where parents of special needs children can donate used equipment they longer need to other families. Parents are also welcome to post any current needs they have for equipment. This is NOT for selling items; only to donate to others. Please follow the link below to join the group if you are interested! https://www.facebook.com/groups/1287574891597212

A little sweetness for your Sunday

We are fortunate to have some amazing staff members and a beautiful place to work! Special thanks to Reilly, Kaitlyn, Jessie and Franz for organizing a fun night of BBQ, s'mores, and pumpkin carving for everyone.

Looking for something fun to do tonight? Check out Open Mic Night at Schoolhouse Brewing! Each musician and comedian picks a local charity to raise awareness for, and Christopher Walsh O'Corry has chosen McKenna Farms! He’ll be going on about 6:30pm with a singer/songwriter style set. If you haven’t been to Schoolhouse yet, it’s an awesome spot in Marietta with lots of great outdoor space!

Today's Journey virtual parent meeting is at 4:00! Join us! https://meet.google.com/mes-szxb-zue

Happy Fall Y’all! October is here! ‘Tis the season for football, apple picking, campfires, corn mazes, and all things pumpkin spice. Did you know that October is also National Physical Therapy Month? So in honor of all things October, here are a few fun, fall, gross motor activities to enjoy with the family this season: -Indoor and outdoor leaf raking -Pine cone and pumpkin bowling... -Scavenger hunts through the woods searching for pine cones, acorns, squirrels, different color leaves, and anything else you can think of -Jumping in piles of leaves -Pumpkin Twister (make your own game board and spinner using different color pumpkins as opposed to colored dots) -Make your way through a corn maze -Pumpkin sweeping with a broom -Halloween Yoga (printable cards by Pink Oatmeal) -Fall relay races (balancing apples on head, carrying a pumpkin, walking like a turkey, rolling like a pumpkin) -Create a spider web with string/yarn attached to various surfaces and have your child try and move through it without touching it with any part of their body See more

Congratulations to our Volunteer of the Month Teresa Gordon! Teresa had no horse experience when she started volunteering 8 months ago, but she quickly learned the ropes! Now she can do just about everything around the barn including cleaning stalls and feeding horses, as well as leading and sidewalking during sessions. Teresa had been looking for something to do in her spare time after spending years of volunteering at her kids’ elementary school. She says, I love working ...with kids and I love animals, so McKenna is a perfect fit. Teresa enjoys seeing the progress the kids make, and says it’s been great getting to know the volunteers and staff here. McKenna is a special place. Thank you, Teresa for your dedication! We love your great attitude and appreciate that you’re always willing to help with anything that needs to be done. You truly make a difference here!