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Your Monthly News and Updates

July 2026

Executive Director Search Update from Board Chair Colleen Willis

Dear Little Bit Community,

Earlier this year, Executive Director Paula Del Giudice announced that she will retire from Little Bit in June 2027. We are deeply grateful for her 10 years of dedicated leadership, a period marked by significant growth, resilience, and progress. Paula is working closely with the Board to support a smooth and successful transition.

In the first half of 2026, the Board formed an Executive Director Search Committee (Search Committee) and has already made meaningful progress. The Committee includes trustees, staff, and Little Bit community members. After reviewing proposals and interviewing three search firms, based on the Search Committee’s recommendation, the Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the selection of The Moran Company, a nationally recognized consulting firm that specializes exclusively in nonprofit leadership transitions. The Search Committee will work closely with The Moran Company throughout the process. Mike English, CEO and Senior Search Consultant, will serve as our primary contact and will provide counsel and support during the search.

The Moran Company will help guide the full search timeline. Our current expectations are:

· September 2026: Stakeholder survey and The Moran Company Listening Sessions

· January 2027: Launch the position posting

· Spring 2027: Extend an offer to hire the next Executive Director

· June 2027: Welcome the new Executive Director

As an early step, The Moran Company team will visit Little Bit at the end of September for listening sessions. During this visit, they will learn more about our mission and community. As a stakeholder, you will receive a survey beforehand to gather broader input.

We are committed to a thoughtful, inclusive, and mission-driven process that supports strong leadership for the future of Little Bit. We will keep the community informed and share opportunities for engagement and input along the way.

Looking ahead, we are confident in the strength of our community and grateful for the people, like you, who make Little Bit such an extraordinary place. Thank you for your continued partnership and support as we begin this exciting new chapter together.

With gratitude,

Colleen Willis, Board Chair

Welcome, July!

July is always an interesting time at Little Bit. We started back after a two-week break that ended with an exciting horse show, to face July 4 and the fireworks in the neighborhood. With just a day to get horses ready for riders, we launched our summer classes along with summer camps!

Luckily, our weather has been moderate until this week, so we didn’t haveconcerns with horses potentially not getting enough fluids. This week is a bit of a different story with temps in the 80s.

FUN FACT: Pete, our miniature horse doesn’t like to drink water and isn’t fond of mashes—hay mixed with water. Getting fluids in him can be challenging. Last week he was feeling a little off and so went to Pilchuck Animal Hospital for fluids. Skylar, our equine assistant, is never one to give up on finding something that Pete will drink. Turns out Pete likes Gatorade! Can you guess which flavor is his favorite?

1) Watermelon Strawberry

2) Tropical Mango

3) Green Apple

If you guessed Green Apple, you were correct! That makes it easy keep Pete hydrated, because he’ll slurp up that Green Apple avoiding a trip to the vet! Pete is doing great this week!

Thanks to all of our staff and volunteers who work so hard during the summer to assure that everyone has a wonderful time and is safe and successful.

While the rest of the country swelters in the heat, I hope you enjoy our NW summer, stay hydrated (like Pete), and make sure you’re taking some time to relax and recharge.

Paula J. Del Giudice, Executive Director

Join Us in the Redmond Derby Days Parade on July 25!

Little Bit is excited to participate in the Redmond Derby Days parade again this year, and we hope you'll join us! Wear a Little Bit shirt, if you can, and help pass out informational cards with carrot seeds along the parade route in downtown Redmond.

Date: Saturday, July 25, 2026
Time: 10am-12pm

We want Little Bit to have a BIG presence at the parade, and that includes YOU! Family and friends are welcome to join.

Please let us know if you’re interested in walking, rolling, or riding in the back of a truck with us by emailing volunteers@littlebit.org. We can't wait for this fun summer event to share the Little Bit mission with our community!

Thanks, Swinerton, for volunteering your driving time and electric truck to support our participants who need aride in the Derby Days parade!

Smoke and Hot Weather Procedures

Air Quality Conditions

When smoky conditions exist, the Executive Director will monitor AirNow.gov and AirQualityWA - Site Map at 6:45 a.m. to determine the quality of the local air conditions. If the AirNow.gov site reports that the Seattle/Bellevue/Kent monitoring stations or the WA Dept. of Ecology Bellevue monitoring station are reporting Unhealthy for Certain Groups (USG), then classes and mounted HPOT sessions will be cancelled until the air quality returns to Moderate or Good. In-room therapy may be offered at the discretion of the therapist. The Executive Director will notify the Office Manager who will notify the LB community via the Emergency Text Message system and will change the telephone message. As always, the volunteers are urged to call our voicemail for notifications of closures.

If air quality conditions start out fine, but change for the worse during the day, classes or sessions that were being held may be cancelled. If air quality conditions change for the better, a determination will be made about whether or not to open classes or sessions, but it takes a two-hour window to enable that to happen.

Hot Weather Procedures

During the summer, if the temperature reaches 90.0 degrees or higher in both Murdock and Alvord arenas and the outdoor air temperature, all activities will go unmounted and schoolings will not be held.

The temperature will be rechecked in two hours and activities may resume, should conditions improve. If the temperature is below 90.0 degrees in the covered arenas but exceeds 90.0 degrees outside (using the tack barn thermometer) then mounted activities must be conducted in the covered arenas. The 90.0-degree limit applies to the arena in which the mounted activity is taking place.

All schoolers, therapists, and instructors are responsible for checking the arena and outdoor air temperatures before sessions or classes.

Enjoy Our 50th Anniversary Video!

Click on the image above!

Enjoy Our 50th Anniversary Stories—

Told Through the Experiences of the People and Animals Who Have Shaped Us!

Little Bit is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year! We are reflecting on what we have faced in our communities since 1976, the positive impact Little Bit has had on thousands of individuals to date, and what the future holds.

We are proud to bring you their stories. We'll post new stories throughout the year, so check back often to read the remarkable accounts of Little Bit and its people, horses, and other animals.

To read the stories that are posted, go HERE!

If you are interested in being interviewed, email: PaulaD@LittleBit.org.

Meg Penner

Volunteer

Meg Penner has been volunteering at Little Bit for 10 years. Thirty years ago, she read an article about Little Bit and knew she wanted to volunteer one day. She started volunteering once her fourth child went off to college. “It’s my happy place,” says Meg.

MORE!

Hearts and Hooves Legacy Giving Society

A sentence or two in your will or living trust can help Little Bit achieve its mission for years to come. Learn more at www.littlebit.org/legacygiving or contact Director of Development Sharon Soldenwagner at (425) 882-1554 x117.