[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 117 (Thursday, June 25, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S3308]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          TRIBUTE TO EMILY AHO

 Ms. HASSAN. Mr. President, I am proud to recognize Emily Aho 
of Jaffrey as June's Granite Stater of the Month. Aho has stepped 
forward and provided emotional support for healthcare workers on the 
frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic, reflecting our State's commitment 
to the idea that every individual can make a difference in times of 
critical need.
  Aho is the executive director of the Newfoundland Pony Conservancy in 
Jaffrey, a nonprofit organization that provides a safe living 
environment for the endangered Newfoundland pony. Up until December 
2019, Aho was also a registered nurse until some physical ailments made 
it difficult for her to work in a hospital.
  Shortly after her retirement, COVID-19 began to spread rapidly 
throughout the United States, and Aho found herself feeling helpless as 
she watched her loved ones succumb to the deadly virus, including her 
father, a World War II veteran who was a guard during the Nuremburg 
trials.
  After her father's death, Aho went searching for her father's old 
photos and memorabilia and found them in the closet where she also kept 
her materials for equine-assisted learning. Her discovery of those 
materials was an inspiration and a reminder that, despite her loss, she 
had much to give.
  Through a partnership with True Hope Therapeutic Horsemanship, Aho 
helped establish the Heal the Heroes program, which provides free 
therapeutic sessions with ponies and horses for healthcare workers who 
have experienced heightened mental and physical challenges amid the 
pandemic.
  The healthcare workers visit Aho's conservancy once a week for 4 
weeks, where they learn to communicate and connect with her 
Newfoundland ponies. Due to social distancing guidelines, the program 
can only take two people in one session, and all the equipment is 
properly sanitized to avoid spreading the virus. After 4 weeks with the 
Newfoundland ponies, the participants graduate to True Hope Therapeutic 
Horsanship, where they continue therapeutic work with horses, both 
ridden and unridden.
  This pandemic has impacted people and organizations throughout our 
State, including nonprofit organizations like the Newfoundland Pony 
Conservancy that Aho operates. But despite her own financial struggles, 
Aho still found a way to give back to her community and provide support 
to those on the front lines of this crisis. Aho's empathy and 
commitment to improving the mental wellness of her fellow community 
members exemplifies the best of our State and what it means to be a 
Granite Stater. I am honored to recognize her.

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