Wilmington College's graduate program in occupational therapy places a focus on preparing professionals to serve rural communities. Its mission came to life again with this summer's Therapeutic Riding Camp, which offered one of the enduring symbols of rural life — horseback riding — to area children with disabilities. Erin Bales, occupational therapy program director, said the camp increases the availability of services in recreation and leisure for the area children. "Several occupational therapy students with equine experience did research on therapeutic riding and said, 'Why don't we do it here?'" She described the riding camp experience as “having the time of my life.”