Our Story
In 2004, Scott and Linda Fargnoli founded Fargnoli Farms, a carriage and boarding service, in Apalachin, NY. As the horses began to age, Linda saw the great potential in these well trained, hard working, gentle horses to work with children.
Kali’s Klubhouse takes pride in repurposing and rehabilitating retired horses so they can still feel useful and fulfill an even greater role in their lives - helping children, teens and adults with social, emotional and physical needs of their own.
One day, a sign mysteriously appeared below the “Fargnoli Farms” sign. It said, “The Healing Place”. To this day, we don’t know who put it there. Our mission is to partner with horses to provide therapies and education in support of people experiencing health, social and life challenges.
Our Instructors
Linda Fargnoli
Linda has been a member of the horse community for more than 50 years, welcoming her first pony at the age of 6. She has been partnering with horses in the therapeutic setting for the past 15 years working with clinicians, therapists and equine professionals. She is certified in Equine Assisted Learning as well as Equine Experiential Education.
Mia Bertoni
From a young age, Mia has held a deep love for animals, with horses always holding a special place in her heart. In 2015, Mia began volunteering at Kali’s Klubhouse and quickly knew she had found where she belonged. Mia believes deeply in the powerful connection between people and horses, and in the healing, comfort, and growth that connection can inspire. Mia is an Equine Assisted Learning Mindfulness and Wellbeing Facilitator. She believes it is an honor to partner with horses—to learn from them, listen to them, and create a space where their wisdom, sensitivity, and presence can help others grow and heal.
Tina Caswell, MS, CCC-SLP
Tina is a private practitioner specializing in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), early intervention, and children with complex communication needs. She previously served as a Clinical Professor at Binghamton University and Ithaca College, where she taught and supervised undergraduate and graduate students. With more than 30 years of clinical experience and over 20 years in higher education, Tina combines extensive clinical expertise with a passion for mentoring future speech-language pathologists. Her professional interests include AAC, caregiver coaching, social-emotional communication, and counseling in speech-language pathology. Tina has co-authored five scholarly publications and has presented at more than 40 regional, national, and international conferences.
Anna Jordan OTD, MS, OTR/L
Anna found her happy place at Kali’s Klubhouse as a volunteer in 2017. Experiences at the farm set her on her career path, combining her love for animals and children to become an occupational therapist (OT), specializing in hippotherapy: partnering with horses for therapeutic benefits. Anna works at Child’s Play Occupational Therapy, PLLC and brings clients to KKH for hippotherapy. Anna is passionate about the whole-person benefits of horse-human interactions, and has conducted 2 research studies on the effects of equine-assisted interventions for mental health outcomes. Anna is always excited to welcome new faces to KKH and share her love for hippotherapy!
Board of Directors
Meet the Team
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Linda Fargnoli
Executive Director
See full bio above. -
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Mia Bertoni
President
See full bio above. -
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Anna Jordan OTD, MS, OTR/L
Secretary
See full bio above. -
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Tina Caswell MS, CCC-SLP
Board Member
See full bio above. -
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Jenny Ceccherelli
Board Member
Jenny lives in the Village of Owego. She is retired from IBM and has served as a Village of Owego Trustee for 2 terms representing the Department of Public Works and as Commissioner of the Owego Historic Preservation Council. She has served on several Boards including the Tioga County Industrial Development Agency as Chair, the Historic Owego Marketplace and currently on the Kali's Klubhouse Board and the Tioga County Ethics Board as Vice Chair. Jenny is married (46 years) and has 3 sons. She is a Master Gardener and is a member of the Tioga Arts Council and Zion Lutheran Church.
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Nicole Babcock, LCSW-R
Board Member
Nicole Paterson Babcock has spent a lifetime with horses in both competitive and recreational pursuits. Nikki works professionally as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, providing mental health counseling for adults through her business Validation Counseling Services LCSW PLLC. She has a particular interest in supporting the development of mutually respectful relationships between animals and people.
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Kate Packer
Treasurer
Our Volunteers
Kali’s Klubhouse is actively seeking volunteers!
Horse prep and side walking - Help groom and ready horses for our riding programs and/or side walk with horse and rider team.
Stable help - Assist barn staff with various chores and activities such as feeding and cleaning.
Barn Buddy - Help children safely explore the farm environment while their sibling is riding.
Maintenance and repair - Are you a handy man or woman who might have a couple of hours a month to do some minor fixer upping?
Fundraising - Help raise funds so more children can participate and also to care for our most important team members - the horses.
If you are a motivated person who loves animals, getting a little dirty, and helping out - please contact us!