Sun City Veterans Charter Club visited the BraveHearts facility in Harvard on this October. Since 2007, BraveHearts has been nationally recognized for providing equine-assisted services to veterans, primarily in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin, and extends beyond the local community serving veterans nationwide. Equine services provide veterans emotional, cognitive, social, and physical benefits. Veterans at BraveHearts have reported benefits including increased self-esteem, self-worth, trust for others, and community integration and decreased depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder attacks, and self-inflicting thoughts.
Ken Kalscheur, President of the Veterans Charter Club, shared his enthusiasm.
“Eighteen members attended, and it was an excellent excursion enjoyed by all. Included in this number were a few wives of veterans, and two of the attendees were new to Sun City, having moved in just a month ago. The visit left us all inspired and hopeful for the future,” he said.
This BraveHearts facility included some classroom activities, a tour of the campus, and an opportunity for all attendees to have a hands-on experience with five or six of their horses. Kalscheur said, “They were able to groom a horse and have a round pen demonstration on the control an individual exerts over a horse in a round coral setting. Three of our veterans volunteered to try their hand at exerting control. Very impressive.”
Bravehearts also has another facility nearby, at which they provide most of their therapy sessions for veterans. This includes riding opportunities. The process provides the veteran with the opportunity to interact with a horse and to sense the horse’s ability to sense and relieve the veteran’s stress.
Al Roberts, a leadership team member for the Veterans Charter Club, initiated the excursion.
Kalscheur said, “Al suggested we have Bravehearts attend and present their capabilities at a Charter Club meeting. Our July meeting was a picnic in our Fountain View pavilion, and Bravehearts brought two of their horses to the picnic. The horses and their handlers, Veterans, were terrific, including mixing in with our picnic attendees.”
This agenda item for the picnic led to the interest in planning a trip to the Braveheart location.
Kalscheur said, “The trip attendees’ reaction to this experience with the horses was so enthusiastic that we plan to do this again when the weather gets warmer in spring. Judging from the reactions of the spouses who attended, I expect we will have several future attendees, including folks who may go for the therapeutic experience and the riding opportunities.”
All BraveHearts services for veterans are free of charge. Through their outreach activities around the country, which include demonstrations at various locations, they receive grants, etc.
The Veterans Charter started with Roberts collecting signatures from interested residents in the Charter Club. Kalscheur said, “The Sun City Board approved our new charter club in August 2022.”
The Charter Club is open to all residents. You do not have to be a Veteran to join the club. The club meets monthly on the second Wednesday. More details about the Veterans Charter Club are available on the Sun City website. For more information, contact Ken Kalscheur at akkalscheur@gmail.com
