Emily (Chetkowski) Aho, Executive Director and President -
One of the founders of the original Villi Poni Farm sanctuary, Emily has owned Newfoundland Ponies since 2009.
Our Executive Director wears many hats - she is a certified Equine Assisted Learning facilitator, a retired Registered Nurse, a semi-retired children's author of 7 titles but best known for her Maine classic, "Mabel Takes The Ferry", published in 1995 and in print for nearly 30 years. Mabel Takes the Ferry is based on a true story of the island of Islesboro where Emily summered and sailed with her family for many years. This endearing book was recognized as one of 27 children's books that best represent Maine, dedicated by former First Lady, Barbara Bush, who worked tirelessly promoting reading literacy.
FMI: www.barbarabush.org. As part of that honor, Mabel Takes the Ferry is carved in granite and sits at the base of granite benches in the children's garden at the Camden, Maine library along with books such as Charlotte's Web by E.B. White, Island Boy by Barbara Cooney, We Took To the Woods by Louise Dickinson Rich, and 23 other classics. This was an honor Emily was not expecting, especially with her book being forever seen next to Charlotte's Web which is her favorite story ever.
Emily spent 20 years traveling the country, speaking, doing book signings, but her favorite was visiting school children, inspiring them to look for the stories in their own lives, to see every day as a page, and every year as a chapter. She estimates that she met over 100,000 children, an experience that to her was like no other.
Emily's father, at 19 years old, was Sergeant of the Guard for the first Nuremberg trial, of Hitler's top henchmen. He was face to face with some of the most heinous criminals the world has ever known. Emily helped her father write his memoir, targeting 5th grade, world history level students. She and her Dad traveled and spoke many times, so that L'est We Forget.
Learn more here: https://patch.com/massachusetts/boston/veteran-guarded-nazis-during-war-crimes-trial.
Emily met her soon to be husband, George Aho in 2010, an affable well-liked retired police officer, all because of a Newfoundland Pony and his wonderful daughter Lexi Aho who trained Emily's first Newfoundland, purchased rather accidentally as a companion to her horse, not knowing anything about the breed. She soon learned from the first breeder ever in the USA, Cindy Mehaney, who reached out to her, informing her that there were less than 300 on the planet, and she needed to get involved to save them. Together, Emily and George rose to the challenge and founded the first Newfoundland Pony Sanctuary in the world, located in New Hampshire. Never did they realize the journey they would take, following this pony down the path of life.
Dedicated to the mission, Emily's involvement is entirely volunteer, including as Executive Director. A stickler about always remembering who the main focus of this all volunteer non-profit is in everything they do, all efforts and monies donated go to the Conservancy's focal point of this mission, each and every Newfoundland Pony, not themselves.
Emily is also member at large of the Equus Survival Trust, an endangered equine breed conservation group that is her mentor. Previously, she served on the Newfoundland Pony Society board of directors for 3 years, as member at large and vice-president. She has been involved in the rescue and rehoming of many ponies, including the subject ponies in the 2016 documentary "Where Once They Mattered". Not one to seek attention, she appeared in it, although reluctantly. She enjoys public speaking, and outreach programs with the ponies but overall is happy to use all of her talents and experience towards one mission, saving the Newfoundland Pony.
One of the founders of the original Villi Poni Farm sanctuary, Emily has owned Newfoundland Ponies since 2009.
Our Executive Director wears many hats - she is a certified Equine Assisted Learning facilitator, a retired Registered Nurse, a semi-retired children's author of 7 titles but best known for her Maine classic, "Mabel Takes The Ferry", published in 1995 and in print for nearly 30 years. Mabel Takes the Ferry is based on a true story of the island of Islesboro where Emily summered and sailed with her family for many years. This endearing book was recognized as one of 27 children's books that best represent Maine, dedicated by former First Lady, Barbara Bush, who worked tirelessly promoting reading literacy.
FMI: www.barbarabush.org. As part of that honor, Mabel Takes the Ferry is carved in granite and sits at the base of granite benches in the children's garden at the Camden, Maine library along with books such as Charlotte's Web by E.B. White, Island Boy by Barbara Cooney, We Took To the Woods by Louise Dickinson Rich, and 23 other classics. This was an honor Emily was not expecting, especially with her book being forever seen next to Charlotte's Web which is her favorite story ever.
Emily spent 20 years traveling the country, speaking, doing book signings, but her favorite was visiting school children, inspiring them to look for the stories in their own lives, to see every day as a page, and every year as a chapter. She estimates that she met over 100,000 children, an experience that to her was like no other.
Emily's father, at 19 years old, was Sergeant of the Guard for the first Nuremberg trial, of Hitler's top henchmen. He was face to face with some of the most heinous criminals the world has ever known. Emily helped her father write his memoir, targeting 5th grade, world history level students. She and her Dad traveled and spoke many times, so that L'est We Forget.
Learn more here: https://patch.com/massachusetts/boston/veteran-guarded-nazis-during-war-crimes-trial.
Emily met her soon to be husband, George Aho in 2010, an affable well-liked retired police officer, all because of a Newfoundland Pony and his wonderful daughter Lexi Aho who trained Emily's first Newfoundland, purchased rather accidentally as a companion to her horse, not knowing anything about the breed. She soon learned from the first breeder ever in the USA, Cindy Mehaney, who reached out to her, informing her that there were less than 300 on the planet, and she needed to get involved to save them. Together, Emily and George rose to the challenge and founded the first Newfoundland Pony Sanctuary in the world, located in New Hampshire. Never did they realize the journey they would take, following this pony down the path of life.
Dedicated to the mission, Emily's involvement is entirely volunteer, including as Executive Director. A stickler about always remembering who the main focus of this all volunteer non-profit is in everything they do, all efforts and monies donated go to the Conservancy's focal point of this mission, each and every Newfoundland Pony, not themselves.
Emily is also member at large of the Equus Survival Trust, an endangered equine breed conservation group that is her mentor. Previously, she served on the Newfoundland Pony Society board of directors for 3 years, as member at large and vice-president. She has been involved in the rescue and rehoming of many ponies, including the subject ponies in the 2016 documentary "Where Once They Mattered". Not one to seek attention, she appeared in it, although reluctantly. She enjoys public speaking, and outreach programs with the ponies but overall is happy to use all of her talents and experience towards one mission, saving the Newfoundland Pony.