Finding HOPE on Horseback
By Kate Poss • Photos by Dave Meyer
Diagnosed with cystic fibrosis early in her life and extremely immunocompromised, seven-year-old Anna Baumgart rarely spoke to others outside of her family until she met Griffin, a horse in Langley’s HOPE Therapeutic Riding Program. For a second-grade school project, Anna submitted a drawing of herself with Griffin. Titled “Being with Griffin,” she described how her relationship with the horse helped her find a place of belonging. “Griffin always listened to me and let me be me,” she wrote. “He helped me in my early days of speaking to people and showed that it is okay to be brave in trying new things.”
Nikki Baumgart, Anna’s mom, first found the HOPE program online over a year ago when searching for a horse-riding opportunity for her daughter. She contacted one of HOPE’s instructors and spoke with them for an hour, seeking assurance that Anna would be safe. Nikki had grown up riding horses in Wisconsin and had told stories to her daughter about her adventures as a young girl. Anna had never actually ridden a horse.
“I was very worried that they would have the right horse,” Nikki recalled on a blustery weekend afternoon in Langley. “We wanted to find a place that was a good fit and were willing to drive to find it.”
One day each summer, island residents and visitors alike get a rare glimpse into private gardens while supporting local nonprofit organizations during the annual Whidbey Island Garden Tour, which will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2026.
To board Suva is to step into maritime history. There is no tour script, no piped-in narration, no costumed reenactment—only the hiss of water against the hull, the snap of the sail, and the creak of wood.
Interior cabin of the Schooner Suva
Looking toward the stern of Schooner Suva with U.S. flag in the gentle breeze
To board Suva is to step into maritime history. There is no tour script, no piped-in narration, no costumed reenactment—only the hiss of water against the hull, the snap of the sail, and the creak of wood. Time slows. She invites presence. Inside, her salon and cabin glow like honey, yielding to hand-rubbed varnish. She smells of linseed oil, salt, and legacy.
