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Zonta scholarships given in recognition of Mrs. Weldon help special needs children
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By Bob Watson
bwatson@newstribune.com
Some area children with disabilities are showing signs of improvement thanks to a therapeutic horse riding scholarship in recognition of News Tribune owner/publisher Mrs. William H. Weldon, who died Wednesday.
Sheila Gassner's son, Jacob, has Downs syndrome, “and it seemed like we were at a point where we couldn't get to, even, crawling,” she said. “And by him being able to have this therapy horseback riding, immediately it just seemed like he was able to make such good progress that he could begin crawling very well.”
That was two years ago, she said, and - although Jacob still can't walk - he's making important progress.
“He has very little muscle tone, and the riding really helps him,” Gassner said. “He sits up very straight on the horse. ...
“It makes a world of difference for these children, because the muscles that they use - from my understanding from the physical therapists, you can't replicate that any other way, with the motion and everything that they get on this horse, they haven't been able to do that with modern equipment.”
Gassner is one of five Special Learning Center children who've benefited from a $1,000 therapeutic horse riding scholarship presented to the center “in recognition of Mrs. William H. Weldon's passion for horses and her dedication to children with disabilities,” said Janet Wear-Enloe, president of the Zonta Club, which presented the scholarship.
Kurt Becker's son, Gabriel, received the riding scholarship in 2003.
Gabriel, now 6, is autistic and cannot communicate verbally.
“One of the things with autism that they always talk about is how they like to have things all the same, and get a regimen,” Becker explained. “(Therapeutic riding) injects something a little bit different into his life that is a lot of fun.
“He enjoys it so much ... In fact, for Gabriel's last birthday party, he wanted to have a riding birthday party, so we invited kids from his life to go riding with him (and) everyone, really, had a good time.”
Both Gassner and Becker said you can see their sons gaining self-confidence from their riding experiences, and they've continued riding programs even after the scholarship's benefits ran out.
But, both said, they never would have tried therapeutic riding if the scholarship had not existed.
“Providing that scholarship was wonderful,” Gassner said.
Becker added: “When you are confronted with a situation like we were, you tend to close off the world, you round the wagons and make sure that your family's being taken care of and you don't really venture into new things, for fear that it will make things worse. ...
“There was a huge learning curve and, although we had heard of therapeutic riding, we didn't know, frankly, how great it would benefit him.”
Sheila Gassner's son, Jacob, has Downs syndrome, “and it seemed like we were at a point where we couldn't get to, even, crawling,” she said. “And by him being able to have this therapy horseback riding, immediately it just seemed like he was able to make such good progress that he could begin crawling very well.”
That was two years ago, she said, and - although Jacob still can't walk - he's making important progress.
“He has very little muscle tone, and the riding really helps him,” Gassner said. “He sits up very straight on the horse. ...
“It makes a world of difference for these children, because the muscles that they use - from my understanding from the physical therapists, you can't replicate that any other way, with the motion and everything that they get on this horse, they haven't been able to do that with modern equipment.”
Gassner is one of five Special Learning Center children who've benefited from a $1,000 therapeutic horse riding scholarship presented to the center “in recognition of Mrs. William H. Weldon's passion for horses and her dedication to children with disabilities,” said Janet Wear-Enloe, president of the Zonta Club, which presented the scholarship.
Kurt Becker's son, Gabriel, received the riding scholarship in 2003.
Gabriel, now 6, is autistic and cannot communicate verbally.
“One of the things with autism that they always talk about is how they like to have things all the same, and get a regimen,” Becker explained. “(Therapeutic riding) injects something a little bit different into his life that is a lot of fun.
“He enjoys it so much ... In fact, for Gabriel's last birthday party, he wanted to have a riding birthday party, so we invited kids from his life to go riding with him (and) everyone, really, had a good time.”
Both Gassner and Becker said you can see their sons gaining self-confidence from their riding experiences, and they've continued riding programs even after the scholarship's benefits ran out.
But, both said, they never would have tried therapeutic riding if the scholarship had not existed.
“Providing that scholarship was wonderful,” Gassner said.
Becker added: “When you are confronted with a situation like we were, you tend to close off the world, you round the wagons and make sure that your family's being taken care of and you don't really venture into new things, for fear that it will make things worse. ...
“There was a huge learning curve and, although we had heard of therapeutic riding, we didn't know, frankly, how great it would benefit him.”
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| City animal shelter struggles with growing pains | Local leaders remember Mrs. Weldon |
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