Sally Gregg

Former Little Bit Board of Trustees Chair

Little did Sally Gregg, former Little Bit Board Chair, know when she joined her friend, Mary Sabol, on the Tolt Pipeline Trail for Little Bit’s annual “Ride-a-Thon” in 1992 that in years to come she would play a pivotal role in the history of the organization.

Sally and Mary heard about the Ride-a-Thon and thought, “Oh how fun! Riding for a cause. Horses and kids! Mary was a teacher all of her life. These were passions we could meld easily. It was fun!” Sally recalled.

Sally, a real estate broker by profession, started her board work before she came to Little Bit’s board. During her many years of volunteer service, she co-chaired the board of Hopelink and was the vice chair of Habitat for Humanity’s board. In 2006, she joined the Little Bit Board of Trustees and served until 2012. In 2013, Sally acted as facilitator of the purchase of the new Little Bit facility. When in 2015 the organization faced financial challenges, Sally was asked to rejoin the Board. She led the group through the executive leadership transition. She retired from the Board in 2020.

“One of the things that cemented my relationship with LB was when we were doing fashion shows at the Evergreen Classic. Rider Xander was one of the models. He was wheeled in on his wheelchair and then stood and walked the ‘catwalk’ with lots of sass. His folks were both there and neither knew he was able to walk. To say there wasn't a dry eye in the place is an understatement! It was just one of the many miracles that have happened at LB since I've been affiliated with them. Magic, indeed. And Jane Todaro, M.D., whispered in my ear that day that she was well aware of Xander's diagnosis, and that he shouldn't have been alive, let alone walking,” Sally recounted.

What has made the biggest impression on Sally during her many years as a volunteer? “The dedication of the staff is miraculous. Nothing short of miraculous. People have been involved for so, so long. It’s like it gets in your blood. It has always been very humbling to me to see how hard the staff works to make this magic happen,” said Sally, “because horse keeping is hard work. It’s not namby-pamby, it’s HARD work. It’s a bucket load of work just to open the doors. Everyone is so dedicated.”

Sally also spent some time as an arena volunteer. Of that experience she said, “The dedication and the competency of the staff are just amazing. Watching the riders strive to get stronger, and improve their skills is touching and inspirational.”

“I’ve been a horsewoman since the age of five. I know personally the benefits I get when being on horseback. And it’s physical, mental, emotional, spiritual—all of that comes into play. To afford the same kind of experience to kids and adults with challenges is a tremendous gift,” confirmed Sally

Years ago Sally used this quote when addressing the Rotary Club of Woodinville to explain to them just why Little Bit is so foundational to her. The quote is written across the bottom of a poster from the 1910 Pendleton Roundup featuring a whole line of cowgirls on horseback, ”The emancipation of women may have begun not with the vote, nor in the cities where women marched and carried signs and protested, but rather when they mounted a good cow horse and realized how different and fine the view. From the back of a horse the world looked wider.”

It's that "fine and wider view" that Sally wants all participants at LB to be able to experience. “I know being on horseback forever changed my life and viewpoint, and my deepest hope is that each rider will have that same opportunity for a life changed by horses and extraordinary, caring therapists, instructors, and volunteers.”  

“Celebrating Little Bit’s 50th anniversary is huge! It’s huge,” said Sally, having witnessed some of the challenges that Little Bit has experienced. “What also hits me in the heart is the steadfastness of the donors, which is remarkable. It’s an emotional attachment and apparently lifelong for many donors.”

Sally is most proud of the fact that Little Bit was able, with a ton of support, to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and make sure that Little Bit was here to have a 50th anniversary! “It wasn’t just me by any stretch of imagination. I saw tremendous teamwork happening. It was a painful time, and very rewarding to have come out on the other side.”

“The next 50 years,” Sally mused, “I hope that Little Bit continues to strive for excellence in the services that are provided and can successfully meet the challenges of keeping it funded so that those services can continue to be offered in perpetuity. We have a beautiful facility that needs love and attention. It takes a village to make all of this happen. It’s not like you can snap our fingers, and oh yeah, this all runs. It’s not quite that way. It’s hard because people’s giving priorities can change. My hope is that those of us who have been long-time supporters will continue to see the value of what’s done here. I want Little Bit to provide a beacon of hope, growth, and healing for those children and adults who need this kind of magic far into the future, because the need will always be there.”

“I love that we are branching out into the emotional and psychological arena where we can indeed do a lot of good. It’s well researched and documented what animals can do for our psyche,” said Sally. “I love the fact that we haven’t said that’s something that we wouldn’t do. I think it’s forward thinking and I hope that kind of leadership will continue.”

What also impacts her heart? “The horses are the most amazing beasts in the world, and so intuitive, and so giving, and so kind, and so selfless. We have been blessed with a wonderful herd. Without horses we have nothing. Horses are the critical partners,” Sally concluded.

(In 2021, Little Bit created the Sally Gregg Heart for Service award for the volunteer each year who embodies Sally’s spirit.)

Find more 50th anniversary stories HERE.