PHOTO BY JESSE DAVIS / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
PARTNERING FOR A PURPOSE … H.O.O.V.E.S. Social Media Manager and Communications Liaison Jessica Goolsby (left) and Ballas Chevrolet Sales Professional Tony Tribble (right) spearhead a kick-off event for a fill-the-truck supply drive to benefit the Swanton nonprofit’s five-day healing intensives for veterans, first responders, and their families.
By: Jesse Davis
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jesse@thevillagereporter.com
Healing Of Our Veterans Equine Services (H.O.O.V.E.S.) and Ballas Chevrolet held a kick-off event at the dealership on March 2 for a fill-the-truck supply drive to support the efforts of the Swanton nonprofit.
The supply drive is aimed at supporting the organization’s healing intensives. “The healing intensives are five days at the farm in Swanton on Wilkins Road. They’re free for veterans and now first responders, front-line workers, firefighters, that whole group of people now.
“We provide everything for them, local businesses donate all their meals, so this is just another aspect to cover so that we don’t have to come out of pocket for it,” H.O.O.V.E.S. Social Media Manager and Communications Liaison Jessica Goolsby said.
Goolsby said the organization is privately funded with no assistance from government funding or grants.
According to Goolsby, H.O.O.V.E.S. currently has 35 rescue horses which are all doing well, and the organization is working on revamping all their fundraising efforts for the coming year.
Events include a Kentucky Derby party at the Field of Dreams Drive In Theater, a golf outing at Valleywood Golf Club in Swanton on May 2, another golf outing with the Iron Bandogs motorcycle club also in May, and a kiss-the-pig fundraiser with food trucks and a band at the farm.
Ballas Chevrolet Sales Professional Tony Tribble said the dealership was thrilled when Goolsby contacted them.
“It works perfect for us. We’re big into community, especially supporting our veterans and first responders. So when she came to us it was just a natural thing.
“We said ‘of course, this works perfect, we’ll throw a truck in the showroom and fill it up,’” he said. According to Tribble, the dealership employs several veterans and retired first responders.
Items for the supply drive, which runs through March 27, may be dropped off at the dealership any time during regular business hours.
According to Goolsby, the most-needed items are water, Gatorade, bottled tea, sparkling water, Crystal Light, healthy snacks (including gluten-free options), breakfast bars, paper plates, utensils, napkins, zip-top bags and tissues.
H.O.O.V.E.S. has been providing equine therapy and other services for program participants to help them recover from trauma and cope with post-traumatic stress disorder since 2017.
For more information on the organization, visit the website at hooves.us.
