NONPROFIT
BY KAREN CHANEY
“ VICTORY IS A NAME THAT
REFLECTED HOW WE CAN SUPPORT VETERANS, SPECIAL NEEDS INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR FAMILIES TO RISE VICTORIOUSLY ABOVE THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES.” BECKY RASBEARY, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT
Victory Therapy Center has 17 horses, most of which are retired show horses.
Victory Therapy Center has more than 150 volunteers who assist riders during their therapy sessions with the horses.
PHOTOS BY KAREN CHANEY COMMUNITY IMPACT
Victory Therapy Center Roanoke nonpro t gallops into third decade of service
R ocky Top Therapy Center was established in 1992 by Keller residents Doug and Vivian Newton. In 2013, the nonpro t moved from Keller to Roa- noke, and its board of directors and sta changed the name to Victory Therapy Center. “It is a name that re ected how we can support veterans, special needs individuals and their families to rise victoriously above their circumstances,” Managing Director of Development Becky Rasbeary said. Victory provides equine-assisted services, including physical therapy that incorporates a horse’s move- ments, therapeutic riding and the Horses for Heroes program. Rasbeary said people who participate in the physical therapy program have a disability, such as scoliosis, spina bi da or cerebral palsy. “The repetitive movement of the horse simulates pelvis movement. … The gait of the horse mimics a human’s gait,” she said. “When a horse walks, they’re walking for
Becky Rasbeary is the managing director of development at Victory Therapy Center.
that person, so they [the riders] are exercising their pelvis, strengthen- ing their core, back and legs.” Therapeutic riding, Rasbeary said, assists clients with physical, mental, cognitive, social or behavioral issues while teaching riding skills. Victory’s Therapeutic Riding Manager Sarah Bichara said the dominant age group using thera- peutic riding services has shifted from children to teens since 2020. “A lot of riders we are getting calls for now may have something cognitive or physical they’ve dealt with their whole life, but now because of their challenges and post-COVID[-19], they’re also struggling with mental health as well,” Bichara said. Through a partnership with nonpro t Tra ck911, Rasbeary said Victory has also started seeing quite a few girls who survived human tra cking. Horses for Heroes is a program established to help veterans. Its motto is “We serve those who have served.” Rasbeary said veterans are
dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder, anger management, anxiety and depression. Instructors at Victory are certi ed through PATH—the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horse- manship International. Rasbeary, who started working at Victory in 2019, said she spends her days talking to donors, hosting community talks, conducting tours and planning events. “Horses are very expensive,” she said. “I bring in the money and watch it go out. It’s the nature of the beast.” The center is situated on a 27-acre ranch with a 17-horse barn; large indoor and outdoor arenas; and areas for horses and riders to explore sensory stations designed and built by Eagle Scouts. Rasbeary said a $1.5 million dona- tion from Don and Linda Bowden of Keller was instrumental in shaping the center into what it is today. “They provided a large gift for us to build our arena [and] barn, and put up all our fencing because they believed in Victory,” she said.
HOW TO HELP
Here are some ways to support the nonpro t Victory Therapy Center. • Sponsor a rider ($20-$400/month) • Sponsor a horse ($750-$5,000/year) • Take part in a fundraising event • Attend a volunteer orientation • Attend a lunch and learn Victory Therapy Center 10600 Dunham Road, Roanoke 682-831-1323 https://victorytherapy.org O ce hours: Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sat.-Sun. closed. Class hours: Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Sat. 8 a.m.-1 p.m., Sun. closed.
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GRAPEVINE COLLEYVILLE SOUTHLAKE EDITION • OCTOBER 2022
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