Jackie Weimer: AgrAbility Helps Her Do What She Loves
Ja
ckie Weimer’s alarm rings at 4:45 a.m. daily. Even after almost 40 years of training thoroughbred racehorses, the Bennett, Coloradan still feeds and cares for three horse barns. Diagnosed with scoliosis as a child, she’s had three back surgeries, two new knees, and struggled with lung problems.
“It’s getting harder every year,” she admits. “I continue to do things because I love the horses. Anytime someone quits doing what they enjoy, you don’t have much of a life. I just keep plugging along.”
Her husband, Jim, saw a newspaper article about a workshop for farmers and ranchers organized by Colorado AgrAbility and Goodwill Industries of Denver. She reluctantly agreed to attend, and she met Jill Sump, an occupational therapist with Colorado AgrAbility, and case manager Vince Luke, working in partnership with Goodwill Industries.
Sump visited the ranch and saw that a utility vehicle would help her immensely. The Colorado Division of Vocational Rehabilitation contributed the financing.
“The first day I got the Mule (UTV), it was heavenly,” Jackie says. Jim was relieved, too. “It has a cab, heater, and windshield wipers,” he says. “She’s protected in there.”
Jackie also obtained a manure vacuum to clean stalls. “Without these, we probably couldn’t continue on this scale today,” Jim says.
“I just think AgrAbility is wonderful,” Jackie says. “They’re wonderful people.”