April 5, 2025 • 14 mins
In this episode, host, Phil Tower, welcomes Kelly Alcock, a Client Program Coordinator with the Equest Center for Therapeutic Riding.
Kelly joined us on the program to talk about the power of equine therapy and the hundreds of clients who benefit from it who are served by the Equest Center.
April 19th is the date that the Equest Center for Therapeutic Riding will be holding their annual Easter with the Equest Bunny event and all are invited!
Kelly told us that every dollar raised at this event goes directly towards scholarship funds to ensure that all special needs riders are able to continue participating in our programs.
The Equest Center for Therapeutic Riding is a year-round facility located in Rockford, Michigan. They offer equine-based therapy programs to those with physical, mental, and social/emotional disabilities and they serve over 200 individuals ages 2-100 each week.
Online: The Equest Center for Therapeutic Riding
Topics Addressed: recreation therapy, Post traumatic stress disorder, military veterans, special needs children, disability awareness, equine therapy.
Kelly joined us on the program to talk about the power of equine therapy and the hundreds of clients who benefit from it who are served by the Equest Center.
April 19th is the date that the Equest Center for Therapeutic Riding will be holding their annual Easter with the Equest Bunny event and all are invited!
Kelly told us that every dollar raised at this event goes directly towards scholarship funds to ensure that all special needs riders are able to continue participating in our programs.
The Equest Center for Therapeutic Riding is a year-round facility located in Rockford, Michigan. They offer equine-based therapy programs to those with physical, mental, and social/emotional disabilities and they serve over 200 individuals ages 2-100 each week.
Online: The Equest Center for Therapeutic Riding
Topics Addressed: recreation therapy, Post traumatic stress disorder, military veterans, special needs children, disability awareness, equine therapy.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
This is iHeartRadio's West Michigan Weekend. West Michigan Weekend is
a weekly programmed designed to inform and enlighten on a
wide range of public policy issues, as well as news
and current events. Now here's your host, Phil Tower, and.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
It's West Michigan Weekend from iHeartRadio. Once again, thanks for listening.
We are glad you are with us this weekend. And
as I said just a little while ago, every one
of our programs is available as a podcast atwoodradio dot com.
Check the left hand side of the page. Well, it's
less than two weeks away from Easter. That means it's
(00:38):
less than two weeks away from the annual Equest Bunny
event with the Equest Center for Therapeutic Writing. I enjoy
this conversation every year because they do just wonderful and
amazing things at the Equest Center for Therapeutic Writing. Full disclosure,
I have a family member, My sister has kids who
are clients at the Equest Center for Therapeutic Writing. And
(01:02):
if you are not familiar with it, Kelly Alcock can
tell you all about it. She's our guest in this segment.
As we talk about the Easter event, Equest Bunny event
and Kelly Alcock, thank you so much for joining us,
Welcome to the program.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
Thank you for having us.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Kelly, you are a client program coordinator, so I know
anytime I see the word coordinator that means you're busy.
You get a lot going on, and you do have
different clients for all kinds of things. But give our
listeners the four to one one on the Equest Center
for Therapeutic Writing. Surprisingly amazingly, there are probably a few
(01:41):
people in our radio audience right now this morning who
don't know about the Equest Center for Therapeutic Coaling.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Yeah. So, Equest Center for Therapeutic Writing is a year
round facility. We're located up in Rackford in Michigan, and
we offer equine based therapy program to those with physical, mental, social,
and emotional challenges. Equest serves over two hundred individuals ages
(02:09):
two to one hundred each week and proceeds from this
upcoming event will help fund scholarships for kids and adults
that may be a maybe unable to afford our programs.
For more information, you can go to our website for that.
But we have a variety of programs riding with the
horses and also on the ground and interacting with them
(02:33):
and building confidence and bringing new answers to goals in life.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Yeah. And you know, I've talked with your team member
Sarah many years on this program, Sarah Mulder, and I
know it's a transformational thing. When you watch a person
get on a horse for the first time or maybe
the second time. It's it's like magic happens. It's it's
a really special thing. Can you describe I know this
(03:00):
is radio, so you got to paint a picture here, Okay, Kelly,
can you describe what that looks like when you see
a client for the first time having that experience of
doing therapeutic writing.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
You know, I think that it's just so amazing to
be able to see, like you said, the transformation of
you know, them thinking about all the things that go
on in their lives and their daily things and then
getting up on that horse and just feeling free and
time to relax and just a you know, a loving
place that's non judgmental and team building and it's just
(03:38):
really really awesome to see the confidence that builds and
the physical rewards as well.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
Equestcenter dot orgus where you can learn more, you can
get involved as a volunteer. You can make a donation,
as you heard Kelly say earlier, because your programs do
cost there is a cost associated with them, but a
lot of times there are scholarships or our support available,
and that's really important. You don't want to be exclusionary
(04:07):
for people who could really benefit from your services, right,
Kelly correct?
Speaker 3 (04:11):
I mean, and we understand that most of our clients
are also undergoing and attending so many other types of
therapies as well, So we want to make this an
option for everyone to discover. We have in house scholarships
that we fundraise for through events throughout the year, and
we also have some partnering organizations that also help us
(04:34):
and help our writers continue to go.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
So for the first time visitor, if it's someone who
has been referred to the Equest Center and we are
going to talk about the Equest Easter with the Equest
Bunny event, But for the first time client visiting, you guys,
how does that work?
Speaker 3 (04:56):
A lot of times it's by referral or word of
mouth and people get in contact with myself. I invite
parents and their family to come out for a site
visit where we tour the facility, talk about opportunities observe
a class, let the client or potential clients be able
(05:19):
to sensory wise see everything, smell everything, see a horse,
have all of that experience before they're actually just coming
in to get on a horse.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
Yeah, you've got a wonderful facility, as you said in
Rockford and really making some powerful things happen with people
who are doing therapeutic riding. Veterans, in case our listeners
didn't know, veterans who've had PTSD trauma issues. Veterans can
benefit kids with disabilities, adults with disabilities. Just about every
(05:55):
imaginable challenge, physical or otherwise. Somebody like that can benefit
from therapeutic riding. And it's really especially for someone with
a physical disability who would never be able to physically
get on a horse. You guys make that possible.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
Yes, our horses are all donated to our programs, so
that's another extensive step that we take to ensure that
we have safe horses. Horses have a variety of personalities,
so they match. We try to match them up or
partner them with the client's needs as well, and we
(06:37):
also have different adaptive equipment that we can make it
safer for the rider to be on the horse, to
be mounted on and like you said earlier, our volunteers.
We could not function without our volunteers at Equest Center.
They are a variety of people from the community with
a wide expansive horse knowledge and they help us lead
(07:01):
the horses, take care of the horses, sidewalk with the riders.
So safety is our top priority, but also like completing
those therapy goals and having fun.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
Yeah, having fun absolutely, and that's why the equest Easter
Bunny Event Easter with the Equest Bunny Event Saturday April
nineteenth is such a key event because it will raise
money for the scholarship funds for riders to be able
to benefit from your program. It's Saturday, April nineteenth from
(07:37):
nine thirty to one am. Shout out to your presenting sponsor,
the Steve and Amy van Andel Foundation. But this is
a great time right now to get tickets to the
event because I know you've sold out in the pastor
gotten very close to selling out, but this is an
all day event nine thirty to one and this year, Kelly,
(07:59):
you guys have tickets for sale at Equestcenter dot or
you can buy them directly through your website. Which will
take you to an evite page right correct, all of.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
We ask that all guests have a ticket for admission
because we will be around live animals and horses and
wagon rides and things of that sort. Our liability is
on there so again keeping everybody safe. And this year
we're so happy that you can yes, go to that
event right site and type in Easter with the Equest
(08:32):
Bunny into the search bar and that should pop up
for you. We just ask for a donation if people
are possible. Again, we want this to be a community
event as well, for everyone to come out and you know,
if they can give to the center, great, but we
want everyone to experience what is out at Equest Center.
(08:52):
Like you said, a lot of people don't know we exist.
We're on a dead end road up in Rockford, Michigan
and celebrating our thirty fifth and aniversary this year. And yeah,
it's great to spread the word to new people.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Equestcenter dot org to get tickets for the Equest Center
e Quest Bunny event on Saturday, April nineteenth. And this
is a this is a perfect family event. The entire
community is invited, kids and adults of all ages, especially
if you've got a special needs person in your family,
(09:25):
you'd like to have them attend and have friends and
other family members attend. This is a great event. You're
going to have horse drawn wagon rides, face painting, Easter
egg hunts of course that starts at eleven thirty, opportunities
to have photos with the Easter Bunny, a petting zoo,
(09:45):
arts and craft. You're going to have live music as well,
and you'll get a chance to meet the therapy horses,
which is really cool. You have big therapy horses, the
regular horses, and you have the small horses as well.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
Right we do do. We have a large hurd of
thirty four horses and everything from miniature horses to your
standard size horse to large draft horses on the farm.
So it's a great event rain or shine where we
have the ability to hold everything indoors if we need to,
(10:19):
and it is just a welcoming, safe, handicap accessible off
fun event.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Yeah, I'm glad you said that. By the way, we're
with Kelly Alcock, client program coordinator with the Equest Center
for Therapeutic Riding their Equest Bunny event Saturday, April nineteenth,
and I want to go back to what she just said, rain, snow,
whatever the weather, sunshine, it's on. Because you've got a
beautiful stable. Everything's indoors. You've got what thirty some acres
(10:49):
out there. Yep, you guys have a beautiful piece of land.
But it's all inside, correct, Yeah, so.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
We can if it's a Michigan winter day, we can
be inside and toasty and warm. But yeah, a lot
of fun treats and families and people and yeh, and
of course the kids love the animals from the petting
zoo and getting to see the ponies and lots of
lots of things to keep everybody busy.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
Yeah, and you'll have information about maybe you want to say,
I want to pay for a full scholarship, you'll have
information there about how that works. Any level donation welcome, right, Kelly, Oh.
Speaker 3 (11:28):
Absolutely, And yes, we'll have an information table for more
opportunities if you're looking to get involved more in the center,
to volunteer, or to have someone in your family or
a friend participate in any of our programs.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
Well, I have a niece, Angie, who has done a
lot of writing there. You probably know, how right.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
You know my husband is her favorite human? Well maybe not,
maybe she's yours, yours. But we just went and saw
her up at the hospital this past week and she
just I could be a fly in the room. She
just he was a longtime volunteer with her and she
just is so excited every time she sees it. Good
(12:10):
friends with the Shoot family.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
I love seeing and hearing that, and I know, yeah,
she can light up her room with that smile. She
absolutely can. And for our friends listening, that's just one person,
and that's magnified by hundreds who can take advantage of
therapeutic writing. It is really truly transformational again Easter with
the equest Monny Saturday, April nineteenth. Everything you need to
(12:35):
know everything is at Equescenter dot org. But get tickets early.
As Kelly told us, real quickly. I've got less than
a minute left. Kelly Alcock. Anything else that our listeners
should know, I just think, you.
Speaker 3 (12:46):
Know, don't hesitate, don't be concerned about any there's going
to be too many people. That's one thing that I
always want to push. There are places for you to
find some quiet and still enjoy the day. And it's
just a really great cause and just a really great
day for the community.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
Well, it really is, and I'm so glad you guys
can do it. Hey, congratulations on thirty five years. By
the way, that's pretty awesome. Pretty notable as well too.
Again Equestcenter dot org. Equestcenter dot org. There is links
on there on how you can volunteer. They do volunteer
orientations and you can also donate. There's a button to
(13:27):
securely donate as well, but please check it out. Equestcenter
dot org. In beautiful Rockford, Michigan, Kelly Elcock has been
with us on this segment of West Michigan Weekend. She's
client program coordinator with the Equest Center for Therapeutic Writing
and again the East Quest Bunny event Saturday, April nineteenth
from nine thirty to one. Kelly, thanks so much for
(13:48):
joining us.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
Thank you for having us for seen you.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
We look forward to sending them your way. She's been
our guest on this segment of West Michigan Weekend from iHeartRadio. Hey,
that's our program. Thank you so much for tuning in.
I always enjoy having you with us.
Speaker 1 (14:04):
You've been listening to iHeartRadio's West Michigan Weekend. West Michigan
Weekend is a production of Wood Radio and iHeartRadio
This is iHeartRadio's West Michigan Weekend. West Michigan Weekend is
a weekly programmed designed to inform and enlighten on a
wide range of public policy issues, as well as news
and current events. Now here's your host, Phil Tower, and.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
It's West Michigan Weekend from iHeartRadio. Once again, thanks for listening.
We are glad you are with us this weekend. And
as I said just a little while ago, every one
of our programs is available as a podcast atwoodradio dot com.
Check the left hand side of the page. Well, it's
less than two weeks away from Easter. That means it's
(00:38):
less than two weeks away from the annual Equest Bunny
event with the Equest Center for Therapeutic Writing. I enjoy
this conversation every year because they do just wonderful and
amazing things at the Equest Center for Therapeutic Writing. Full disclosure,
I have a family member, My sister has kids who
are clients at the Equest Center for Therapeutic Writing. And
(01:02):
if you are not familiar with it, Kelly Alcock can
tell you all about it. She's our guest in this segment.
As we talk about the Easter event, Equest Bunny event
and Kelly Alcock, thank you so much for joining us,
Welcome to the program.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
Thank you for having us.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Kelly, you are a client program coordinator, so I know
anytime I see the word coordinator that means you're busy.
You get a lot going on, and you do have
different clients for all kinds of things. But give our
listeners the four to one one on the Equest Center
for Therapeutic Writing. Surprisingly amazingly, there are probably a few
(01:41):
people in our radio audience right now this morning who
don't know about the Equest Center for Therapeutic Coaling.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Yeah. So, Equest Center for Therapeutic Writing is a year
round facility. We're located up in Rackford in Michigan, and
we offer equine based therapy program to those with physical, mental, social,
and emotional challenges. Equest serves over two hundred individuals ages
(02:09):
two to one hundred each week and proceeds from this
upcoming event will help fund scholarships for kids and adults
that may be a maybe unable to afford our programs.
For more information, you can go to our website for that.
But we have a variety of programs riding with the
horses and also on the ground and interacting with them
(02:33):
and building confidence and bringing new answers to goals in life.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Yeah. And you know, I've talked with your team member
Sarah many years on this program, Sarah Mulder, and I
know it's a transformational thing. When you watch a person
get on a horse for the first time or maybe
the second time. It's it's like magic happens. It's it's
a really special thing. Can you describe I know this
(03:00):
is radio, so you got to paint a picture here, Okay, Kelly,
can you describe what that looks like when you see
a client for the first time having that experience of
doing therapeutic writing.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
You know, I think that it's just so amazing to
be able to see, like you said, the transformation of
you know, them thinking about all the things that go
on in their lives and their daily things and then
getting up on that horse and just feeling free and
time to relax and just a you know, a loving
place that's non judgmental and team building and it's just
(03:38):
really really awesome to see the confidence that builds and
the physical rewards as well.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
Equestcenter dot orgus where you can learn more, you can
get involved as a volunteer. You can make a donation,
as you heard Kelly say earlier, because your programs do
cost there is a cost associated with them, but a
lot of times there are scholarships or our support available,
and that's really important. You don't want to be exclusionary
(04:07):
for people who could really benefit from your services, right,
Kelly correct?
Speaker 3 (04:11):
I mean, and we understand that most of our clients
are also undergoing and attending so many other types of
therapies as well, So we want to make this an
option for everyone to discover. We have in house scholarships
that we fundraise for through events throughout the year, and
we also have some partnering organizations that also help us
(04:34):
and help our writers continue to go.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
So for the first time visitor, if it's someone who
has been referred to the Equest Center and we are
going to talk about the Equest Easter with the Equest
Bunny event, But for the first time client visiting, you guys,
how does that work?
Speaker 3 (04:56):
A lot of times it's by referral or word of
mouth and people get in contact with myself. I invite
parents and their family to come out for a site
visit where we tour the facility, talk about opportunities observe
a class, let the client or potential clients be able
(05:19):
to sensory wise see everything, smell everything, see a horse,
have all of that experience before they're actually just coming
in to get on a horse.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
Yeah, you've got a wonderful facility, as you said in
Rockford and really making some powerful things happen with people
who are doing therapeutic riding. Veterans, in case our listeners
didn't know, veterans who've had PTSD trauma issues. Veterans can
benefit kids with disabilities, adults with disabilities. Just about every
(05:55):
imaginable challenge, physical or otherwise. Somebody like that can benefit
from therapeutic riding. And it's really especially for someone with
a physical disability who would never be able to physically
get on a horse. You guys make that possible.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
Yes, our horses are all donated to our programs, so
that's another extensive step that we take to ensure that
we have safe horses. Horses have a variety of personalities,
so they match. We try to match them up or
partner them with the client's needs as well, and we
(06:37):
also have different adaptive equipment that we can make it
safer for the rider to be on the horse, to
be mounted on and like you said earlier, our volunteers.
We could not function without our volunteers at Equest Center.
They are a variety of people from the community with
a wide expansive horse knowledge and they help us lead
(07:01):
the horses, take care of the horses, sidewalk with the riders.
So safety is our top priority, but also like completing
those therapy goals and having fun.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
Yeah, having fun absolutely, and that's why the equest Easter
Bunny Event Easter with the Equest Bunny Event Saturday April
nineteenth is such a key event because it will raise
money for the scholarship funds for riders to be able
to benefit from your program. It's Saturday, April nineteenth from
(07:37):
nine thirty to one am. Shout out to your presenting sponsor,
the Steve and Amy van Andel Foundation. But this is
a great time right now to get tickets to the
event because I know you've sold out in the pastor
gotten very close to selling out, but this is an
all day event nine thirty to one and this year, Kelly,
(07:59):
you guys have tickets for sale at Equestcenter dot or
you can buy them directly through your website. Which will
take you to an evite page right correct, all of.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
We ask that all guests have a ticket for admission
because we will be around live animals and horses and
wagon rides and things of that sort. Our liability is
on there so again keeping everybody safe. And this year
we're so happy that you can yes, go to that
event right site and type in Easter with the Equest
(08:32):
Bunny into the search bar and that should pop up
for you. We just ask for a donation if people
are possible. Again, we want this to be a community
event as well, for everyone to come out and you know,
if they can give to the center, great, but we
want everyone to experience what is out at Equest Center.
(08:52):
Like you said, a lot of people don't know we exist.
We're on a dead end road up in Rockford, Michigan
and celebrating our thirty fifth and aniversary this year. And yeah,
it's great to spread the word to new people.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Equestcenter dot org to get tickets for the Equest Center
e Quest Bunny event on Saturday, April nineteenth. And this
is a this is a perfect family event. The entire
community is invited, kids and adults of all ages, especially
if you've got a special needs person in your family,
(09:25):
you'd like to have them attend and have friends and
other family members attend. This is a great event. You're
going to have horse drawn wagon rides, face painting, Easter
egg hunts of course that starts at eleven thirty, opportunities
to have photos with the Easter Bunny, a petting zoo,
(09:45):
arts and craft. You're going to have live music as well,
and you'll get a chance to meet the therapy horses,
which is really cool. You have big therapy horses, the
regular horses, and you have the small horses as well.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
Right we do do. We have a large hurd of
thirty four horses and everything from miniature horses to your
standard size horse to large draft horses on the farm.
So it's a great event rain or shine where we
have the ability to hold everything indoors if we need to,
(10:19):
and it is just a welcoming, safe, handicap accessible off
fun event.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Yeah, I'm glad you said that. By the way, we're
with Kelly Alcock, client program coordinator with the Equest Center
for Therapeutic Riding their Equest Bunny event Saturday, April nineteenth,
and I want to go back to what she just said, rain, snow,
whatever the weather, sunshine, it's on. Because you've got a
beautiful stable. Everything's indoors. You've got what thirty some acres
(10:49):
out there. Yep, you guys have a beautiful piece of land.
But it's all inside, correct, Yeah, so.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
We can if it's a Michigan winter day, we can
be inside and toasty and warm. But yeah, a lot
of fun treats and families and people and yeh, and
of course the kids love the animals from the petting
zoo and getting to see the ponies and lots of
lots of things to keep everybody busy.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
Yeah, and you'll have information about maybe you want to say,
I want to pay for a full scholarship, you'll have
information there about how that works. Any level donation welcome, right, Kelly, Oh.
Speaker 3 (11:28):
Absolutely, And yes, we'll have an information table for more
opportunities if you're looking to get involved more in the center,
to volunteer, or to have someone in your family or
a friend participate in any of our programs.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
Well, I have a niece, Angie, who has done a
lot of writing there. You probably know, how right.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
You know my husband is her favorite human? Well maybe not,
maybe she's yours, yours. But we just went and saw
her up at the hospital this past week and she
just I could be a fly in the room. She
just he was a longtime volunteer with her and she
just is so excited every time she sees it. Good
(12:10):
friends with the Shoot family.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
I love seeing and hearing that, and I know, yeah,
she can light up her room with that smile. She
absolutely can. And for our friends listening, that's just one person,
and that's magnified by hundreds who can take advantage of
therapeutic writing. It is really truly transformational again Easter with
the equest Monny Saturday, April nineteenth. Everything you need to
(12:35):
know everything is at Equescenter dot org. But get tickets early.
As Kelly told us, real quickly. I've got less than
a minute left. Kelly Alcock. Anything else that our listeners
should know, I just think, you.
Speaker 3 (12:46):
Know, don't hesitate, don't be concerned about any there's going
to be too many people. That's one thing that I
always want to push. There are places for you to
find some quiet and still enjoy the day. And it's
just a really great cause and just a really great
day for the community.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
Well, it really is, and I'm so glad you guys
can do it. Hey, congratulations on thirty five years. By
the way, that's pretty awesome. Pretty notable as well too.
Again Equestcenter dot org. Equestcenter dot org. There is links
on there on how you can volunteer. They do volunteer
orientations and you can also donate. There's a button to
(13:27):
securely donate as well, but please check it out. Equestcenter
dot org. In beautiful Rockford, Michigan, Kelly Elcock has been
with us on this segment of West Michigan Weekend. She's
client program coordinator with the Equest Center for Therapeutic Writing
and again the East Quest Bunny event Saturday, April nineteenth
from nine thirty to one. Kelly, thanks so much for
(13:48):
joining us.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
Thank you for having us for seen you.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
We look forward to sending them your way. She's been
our guest on this segment of West Michigan Weekend from iHeartRadio. Hey,
that's our program. Thank you so much for tuning in.
I always enjoy having you with us.
Speaker 1 (14:04):
You've been listening to iHeartRadio's West Michigan Weekend. West Michigan
Weekend is a production of Wood Radio and iHeartRadio
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