The Driving Force Behind the Rescue

Toni Sagrilla – Chairman/Director/Founder

Having grown up on a farm, I had my own horse from the age of 9. She was my friend for many years and she left me with a lifelong love of horses. I never thought I’d ever have another one, but as “Luck” would have it, we now have a lot more! I actually enjoy photographing them more than anything, but there is something about the smell of a horse that just seems to lower your stress level!

We at Bit O’ Luck have been blessed with a core group of directors who share that same love for the equine world. Without them, there would be something very different about Bit O’ Luck. It seems they are the glue that holds this together. An organization needs as many like-minded people as possible to keep it on track and we’ve been lucky enough to find them.

Greg and Pep

Greg McCormack – Operations Director/Founder

“When I met Willie I just couldn’t leave knowing I could help him. I had to give him the opportunity to be everything he could again. Through him doors have opened that I have walked through and I strive daily to better the lives of all the animals I have the privilege of caring for. Everyday I give thanks for having this opportunity.”

Mary and Dolly

Mary Johnson

I’ve always loved horses. I grew up down the block from Belmont Race Track in NY, my Mom had a job that required her to go into the barn area all the time. I was always her co-pilot. Some of the trainers let me ride around the paddock at age 4.

Of course, my dream was to have my own pony, but Santa never came through. I’ve been involved with Great Dane rescue for 7 or so years. They were as close to a horse as I could get, lol. Back in 2009, I read an article about Bit O’Luck and immediately got in touch with Greg. I’m in heaven helping to rescue horses and get such joy from being around them.

LuAnn Siebenthal – Secretary

My love of horses must be genetic from my mother’s side of the family because although I grew up on a farm in central Illinois, it was only for growing corn and soybeans and my father wasn’t giving up any farmland for pasture space. However, mother’s younger siblings (my uncles and aunts) had horses and were active in 4-H, and I learned to ride from them whenever we would visit my grandparents. Some of my most idyllic memories are summer days riding through bottomland pastures and creeks, galloping up hills and through waterways. Later on, a nearby neighbor allowed me to borrow and work with an older, out of shape dappled gray named Casper. But, one morning, just as school was letting out for the summer of my eighth grade year, they called and said that Casper and a young filly were lying dead in the pasture. The vet said Casper had been struck on the nose by lightening during a storm the night before, the filly huddled next to him. It (and I) was very sad!! ?

My younger sisters eventually persuaded my father to buy them ponies (albeit boarded at the neighbors), but I drifted away during my high school years due to my involvement with sports and the usual teenage social activities. As an adult, I would sporadically ride my sisters’ horses when I visited them, but we all lived too far apart for anything more serious. So it wasn’t until a 2014 trip with my sister and niece to volunteer at an equine therapy/rescue ranch in Oregon that my childhood passion was reignited. There is just something about the smell and touch and personality of horses that is good for the soul, and I wanted to be around them again. A few months later in January 2015, I saw an ad for Bit O’ Luck and called Greg to volunteer myself. And although my time at the barn is limited because of my day job, it has been a great “re-entry” experience because I had never really learned proper care and feeding or stall mucking or even horsemanship – I was always just focused on the fun of riding. Now I am enjoying just the experience of loving on them in their retirement years.

My degree in education (junior high language arts) and professional background in human resources also serves me well as Secretary for our Board meetings as well as helping at fundraisers and special events, especially those involving children and students.

Kathy and Willie “Bit O’ Luck”

Kathy Quinlan

My name is Kathy Quinlan, I started volunteering for Bit O’ Luck in 2011. My love of horses started as a young girl when I started English riding lessons and quickly progressed into show jumping. It was cemented when my father bought me my first horse, a Tennessee Walker named Patches that had been a companion to a race horse he owned. As much as I loved him I quickly found my true love with my first Quarter horse! And Barrel racing! As my children are growing up and leaving home I was looking for something fulfilling to fill my time when I read an article about Bit O’ Luck and knew I had found my place! I am blessed to be able to spend every spare minute I have to care for and love every horse that comes to the rescue as if they were my own.

Andria and Sadie

Andria Dychman -Project Coordinator

My job title is Project Coordinator. Having the experience of coordinating events daily I feel I can be an asset to the board. Being we’re a non profit organization I have strong skills helping in organizing fund raisers.