Weidner Cares Team in Alaska: The Power of a Single Day[/caption] Never underestimate what can be accomplished in a single day, especially when its for a stellar cause and it involves the Weidner Cares team! Recently, the Weidner Cares team partnered with Equine Assisted Therapy Alaska. Equine Assisted Therapy Alaska (EATA) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to enhance the physical, psychological, and social well-being of Alaskans living with disabilities through therapeutic horsemanship. They offer equine-assisted activities and therapies, including a program specifically for veterans titled, ‘Freedom Reins’. EATA provides multi-faceted benefits to individuals with a wide-range of physical, neuromuscular disorders, learning and/or language disabilities, hearing, visual and cognitive impairments, behavioral and emotional disorders. Some specific conditions include amputations, functional spinal curvature, Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida, Multiple Sclerosis, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injury, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down Syndrome, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. In the Equine Assisted Therapy program (EAT), those individuals with limited mobility benefit from the horse’s gait which provides a unique opportunity for the client to move his or her body in a manner similar to walking, as the horses gait mimics an individuals natural walk (or gait). This movement exercises their legs and back, while it strengthens their core. The Equine-Assisted Activities (EAA) programs general goal is to work on self-confidence, teamwork, social development, and to gain independence. Weidner knows a little something about teamwork and was only too happy to step in and help this amazing organization. 169 Weidner Cares volunteers gathered alongside the EATA team and spent the day giving back to the facility that has helped so many people. Stall doors and corrals were painted. 115 stalls were cleaned and properly leveled. An old, unstable barn was rebuilt and cleaned, as well as a horse-washing station revamped, and the entire property was landscaped giving it the curb appeal it so deserves. You could say the cleaning and revamping process was a THOROUGH-bred” one! I see it every day out in the field, but to watch more than 150 people work together to give back to the community, accomplishing as much as they did in a short amount time, all the while smiling and laughing was extremely gratifying, said Area Director Brad Wuerer. Who says a day has to be limited to 24 hours, anyway? That doesnt compute for the Weidner Cares team who put in more than 1,200 volunteer man-hours in one single day. We dont underestimate the power of what can be done in a day, or what happens when a community comes together to help each other. From the Weidner team, we thank EATA for their service and the opportunity to serve such a worthy organization. -The Weidner Team
