Bay Pines VA Veterans Find Purpose, Camaraderie During NDVGC
Coping with change is an experience that is not unique to Veterans however, the types of changes service members and Veterans endure can be unique in their complexity.
That is why the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) Office of National Veterans Sports Programs and Special Events, in conjunction with community partners, facilitates six national programs that are designed to provide Veterans with opportunities for health and healing through adaptive sports and therapeutic art.
Established in 1994, the National Disabled Veteran Golf Clinic (NDVGC) is one of those six annually occurring programs and this year, three of Bay Pines VA Healthcare System’s (BPVAHCS) Veterans received an opportunity to participate.
"Golf is a really big part of my life right now," said Donald Lowry, U.S. Marine Corps Veteran and recipient of care from Bay Pines VA. "For me, this clinic is not about how well we play on the course, it's about camaraderie and helping others actualize a vision of accomplishing something that they weren't sure they'd be able to do."
The Iowa City VA Health Care System was the host of this event, which took place from Sept. 11 – Sept. 16. The host site for the event was Riverside Hotel and Golf Resort in Riverside, Iowa but golfing occurred at various courses located in the Iowa City area. This week-long adaptive golf program, which was jointly presented by the VA and Disabled American Veterans, promoted rehabilitation by instructing Veterans with specific life-changing disabilities in adaptive golf. In addition to adaptive golf, Veterans received the opportunity to participate in other adaptive recreational sports such as cycling, rock climbing and kayaking.
“We are proud to know that three of our very own Veterans participated in this year’s event,” said Paul M. Russo, Director/CEO, BPVAHCS. “The Veterans Golf Clinic is one of many rehabilitative programs VA offers as a tool for wellness and a way to focus on healthy living. We proudly support our Veterans’ drive to develop new skills while building camaraderie amongst each other.”