Humanitarian Waldman, who brought handicapped kids and horses together, dies

INCLINE VILLAGE - Sam Waldman, named Humanitarian of the Year in June for establishing a horse-riding program for handicapped children in Carson Valley, died Monday at his Incline Village home.

Waldman, 65, owned Bowl Incline, Incline Car Wash and Storage, and Kings Beach Car Wash.

Besides his interests at Incline, Waldman had stables at his seven-acre ranch at Johnson Lane in the Carson Valley, where he started a North American Riding for the Handicapped Association-certified program for children, called Kids and Horses.

Waldman built 32-foot-long ramps that raised wheelchairs to saddle level so handicapped children could mount and ride horses as part of their physical therapy programs.

Waldman covered the costs of those accommodations himself, as well as providing the stables and initially paying the salaries of an instructor and other paid staff. Waldman also expanded the ranch to 12 acres to make room for the program and complied with a national certification process for the program.

Once Kids and Horses went into operation in April 1999, the program also attracted the efforts of volunteer staffers and financial contribution.

He was named the first Humanitarian of the Year in June by the Nevada Appeal and Carson Access Television in their 2000 Community Awards. Although Waldman was unable to attend the award program because of illness, a volunteer for the Kids and Horses program returned the compliment.

"I know Sam would like to thank all of you," Shellie Edwards told attendees at the awards luncheon. "It's because of the support of individuals like you that Sam's program has been able to bring children and horses together."

"In the past year, we've seen children walk who had been unable to get out of their wheelchairs, kids talk to horses who have never talked to people. These miracles will continue because of the generosity and support of the community."

Waldman was born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., and graduated from the New York University of Finance. After starting in a small accounting firm, he joined Airco Industrial Gases. His 30-year career with Airco extended through its 1979 acquisition by BOC and he served as comptroller before his 1991 retirement.

His career included a 10-year period in Japan and the Pacific Rim, after which Waldman settled in Incline Village, buying a home there in 1985. Waldman was active in the community and served as an Incline village General Improvement District trustee from 1994 to 1998.

Waldman is survived by his wife, Lorri; son and daughter-in-law David and Jayne Waldman; daughter and son-in-law Mindy and Curt Wagner, and four grandchildren.

A celebration of life service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Chateau on Fairway Boulevard in Incline Village. The Waldman family is asking that memorial donations be made to Kids and Horses Inc., P.O. Box 4236, Incline Village, NV 89450.

Memorial contributions: Kids and Horses Inc., P.O. Box 4236, Incline Village, NV 89450.