Tag Archives: EAD

Kentwood’s EAD program featured on WKTV special

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Coe, Cora and Smartie all lined up. (WKTV)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org


When Maggie headed out to visit EAD in Kentwood last spring it had been a rough week for the 18-year-old. The emotional roller coaster of school coupled with her college plans not falling into place had all been challenges.

So the opportunity to escape from it for a few hours by helping to film a documentary about Kentwood’s EAD, the Equine Assisted Development located at 3224 32nd St. SE, seemed like a nice reprieve. 

EAD Founder and Executive Director Deb VanderBand handed Maggie a brush and introduced her to several of the horses, including Noel, EAD’s only miniature horse, and a friendship was formed.

One of the EAD horses in the outside ring. (EAD)

“You could really see a change in her,” said Gary VandeVelde, the producer and director of the EAD program which airs Wednesday, July 10 at 4 p.m. and Friday, July 12, at noon on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99.

A change that showed her confidence and leadership as she became the natural leader in a group exercise, giving everyone the support they needed to complete the task.

VanderBand that is what EAD is all about. Helping anyone get through the hurt they are facing.

“Hurting is basically circumstances that you were not aware that you were going to come into,” VanderBand said. “Situations that often times have us go sideways.”

This could be a divorce, loss of a loved one, being bullied or being the bully and sometimes life just not going the direction you expected.

According to EAD Founder Deb VanderBand, when you are leading a 1,200 pound horse, you totally focused on the task and are more likely to answer open-ended questions freely. (EAD)

In the upcoming program, VanderBand demonstrates how the non-riding experience works. 

“So when you come into the arena, I ask you to walk a 1,200 pound animal around,” VanderBand said, “You are moving constantly. You are concerned that your foot is going to get stepped on. So when I ask you an open ended question, you are not filtering through how to answer my question, you are concentrating on the process you are in.

“Horses mirror our emotions. They have a six-second memory and are absolutely incapable of being manipulated because they live moment-by-moment. So they are giving you the most authentic piece of information that you could ask for because they do not and are not capable of judging you the way you think you are. They bring out the best in people.”

The upcoming EAD documentary will air Wednesday at 4 p.m. and Friday at noon and throughout the summer, so check the WKTV schedule. The EAD website is eadgl.org.

Snapshots: News you need to know from Kentwood, Wyoming

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Fundraiser for Kentwood ranch designed to educate residents about programs, impact

 

This Saturday, Equine Assisted Development open its gates for its second annual Barn Bash Saturday, June 23, at the ranch located on 32nd Street near Shaffer Avenue. The event starts at 6:30 p.m. For more on the story, click here.

 

 

Valentiger

WY-FI concert set to kick off Fourth of July celebrations

 

Wyoming’s Concerts in the Park next week (Tuesday, June 26) will be the WY-FI concert with Valentiger and the Kari Lynch Band followed by fireworks. For more on the story, click here.

 

 

 

Discover what the Wyoming Parks and Recreation Commission is all about

 

This month, we sat down with Dr. Lillian Cummings-Pulliams, a member of the Wyoming Parks and Recreation Commission, to talk about the commission, its role within the city and current openings on the commission. For more on the story, click here.

 

 

Fundraiser for Kentwood ranch designed to educate residents about programs, impact

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, , , , ,

By Joanne Bailey

joanne@wktv.org

 

Coe, Cora and Smartie, three of the Equine Assisted Development horses. (Photos by Mike DeWitt)

The corner of Shaffer Avenue and 32nd Street always has been a place area residents purposely drove by to visit. First it was for the exotic animals that once roamed the property and now for the horses that are part of the Equine Assisted Development of the Great Lakes.

 

Found in 2009, Equine Assisted Development or EAD moved on to the old Tassell Ranch property a couple of years ago. It was one of the first organizations to partner with 3 two Ranch which had taken over the the property that had been abandoned for about 25 years. The goal of 3 two Ranch was to revitalize the structures and then partner with organizations that had missions focused on helping people.

 

EAD was a perfect fit in that the organization uses non-riding horses to help people— especially children — grow and heal from damaged and warped views of themselves. 

 

Former WKTV writer Mike DeWitt shares his first-hand account on EAD’s process.

 

Former WKTV writer Mike DeWitt works with one of the horses.

Since moving to the Kentwood area, the EAD has seen its footprint expand in the city, partnering with the Kentwood Public Schools’ after school program ARCH, bringing the horse experience to English-language learner students as well as continuing to work with foster and adopted children and the Manasseh Project, a safe house for human trafficked victims ages 12-17.

 

“It is our commitment to stand with these children, families, and survivors for the long hall,” said Deb VanderBand, co-founder of EAD and an equine specialist. “We want to continue to help them to find wholeness through activities with the horses.”

 

To help build financial support and to increase the awareness of what EAD does, this Saturday, EAD will host its second annual Barn Bash Charity Concert featuring live performances from Jamie Dionne and Bob Lacy. The June 23 event is from 6:30 — 9 p.m. at the ranch located at 3224 32nd St. SE, Kentwood. VanderBand said people are encourage to bring their own beverage and they will take care of the rest. 

 

“This is a time when we open the gates to the community so they can tour our facility and learn about our mission,” VanderBand said, adding it helps to increase the awareness of EAD and give people a chance to have their questions answer about the program, the ranch, and the horses.

 

The event is by donation with a 100 percent of the proceeds going to EAD.

 

Inside on of the barns on the property. The barn was renovated with the natural wood showing.

“The support raised will go to support the programs we offer to the community,” she said. “It will allow us to offer more services to two other agencies waiting for an opportunity to have the heard impact their lives.”

 

There is a lot of opportunity for EAD to do more within the community of Kentwood and beyond, but VanderBand is upfront in stating she does not want to start something unless it is funded. “I do not want to start a very successful program that people are impact by, to have the fear of it not being funded and having to cancel it,” she said.

 

The volunteers are in place as the program currently has six retired school teachers along with retired business owners and managers all with “a wish to teach the youth character and leadership,” she said.

 

For more about EAD programs and volunteer opportunities, visit http://eadgl.org or call 616-318-4919