An adaptive gym for veterans and people with disabilities has been opened in Kolomyia, Ivano-Frankivsk region, UNN reports.
Details
The adaptive gym is called "Sport for All". The project to create the gym was implemented by the Kolomyia Community Development Institute in cooperation with the Sports Department of the City Council. The certified trainer of the adaptive gym is veteran Yuriy Furyk.
Yurii went to war as a volunteer on February 27, 2022.
He fought at the Kherson and Bakhmut directions. In the battles for Soledar, he was seriously wounded and lost his leg.
"After losing my limb, I was in a serious condition. But it was sports that helped me recover physically and mentally. Now I will be happy to help other veterans recover," says Yuriy.
The adaptive gym operates on the basis of the Integrated Children's and Youth Sports School. This gym was one of 15 winners of the Time to Act, Unstoppable competition, which received grant support on a co-financing basis from the MHP Community Foundation as part of the MHP Next door reintegration program for military and veterans, the All-Ukrainian Center for Physical Health "Sport for All", with the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine as part of the President of Ukraine's social project Active Parks - Locations of Healthy Ukraine.
"Heroes returning from the front need our attention and support. For a year and a half, MHP has been running a large-scale program of individual support for military and veterans called MHP Poruch. Adaptive sports accelerate the rehabilitation and reintegration of wounded soldiers. That is why we focus on creating and developing specialized sports clubs, veterans' spaces, and rehabilitation centers. I am confident that this gym in Kolomyia will be of great benefit to the veterans of our district, as well as to all those who undergo treatment and rehabilitation here," says Ivan Botha, director of the Perspectives branch of the MHP Western Hub.
The community is home to the regional military hospital, where military personnel from all over Ukraine are treated and rehabilitated. Therefore, the appearance of such a gym in Kolomyia was an urgent need.
Yegor Alekseenko, Head of the Event Department of the State Institution "Sport for All", said: "The creation of adaptive clubs is an opportunity for every veteran to resume physical activity, find support, feel their own strength and realize their potential. We are always ready to take into account the needs of veterans when planning and implementing this project. The opinion of veterans is our priority.
The gym is equipped with everything necessary for quality rehabilitation training: a treadmill, exercise machines, sets of barbells and dumbbells with benches and racks for various presses, a wall bars, and a tennis table. Group classes are held every Wednesday and Friday at 9:30 am. There is also the possibility of independent training for people with disabilities.
"The opening of such a gym in Kolomyia is a new opportunity for people with disabilities, especially veterans, to maintain their health and develop their bodies. Therefore, the work of this facility is important for our community. The implementation of the project by the city council, partners, entrepreneurs, and the state once again proves that coordination of forces allows us to do more for our residents," says Bohdan Stanislavskyi, Mayor of Kolomyia.
Today, there are more than 80 adaptive clubs in Ukraine that offer classes in general physical fitness, jiu-jitsu, swimming, Nordic walking, rugby, and archery. All classes are adapted for people with disabilities.
"Sport helps to restore self-confidence, improve physical condition and reduce stress levels. In addition, adaptive sports help create a sense of community by integrating people with disabilities into active social life. For veterans, it becomes a way to find new goals. Such initiatives also contribute to breaking down stereotypes and creating a more inclusive society that values the capabilities of each person," says Volodymyr Panchenko, Head of the National Projects Department at MHP-Hromada Charitable Foundation.
Adaptive sport is not just physical activity, but a comprehensive approach to the rehabilitation and reintegration of veterans and people with disabilities. Sport helps restore motor functions, increases endurance, and improves overall health. And what is important is that adaptive sports have the advantage of allowing a gradual return to active social life. Training in a team, participating in competitions, achieving personal records allows people to feel support and community with others, which has a positive impact on their social adaptation.
Optional
"Time to Act, Unstoppable" is a grant competition for communities that can receive up to UAH 400 thousand to create an adaptive club ‘Unstoppable’ in their village or town.
The project is being implemented in 13 regions of Ukraine, namely: Vinnytsia, Volyn, Dnipropetrovs'k, Zhytomyr, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kyiv, Lviv, Poltava, Sumy, Ternopil, Khmelnytsky, Cherkasy, Chernihiv regions and the city of Kyiv.
Project partners: MHP-Hromada Charitable Foundation as part of the MHP Poruch reintegration program for military and veterans, the State Institution All-Ukrainian Center for Physical Health "Sport for All" as part of the Active Parks project under the Presidential Program, and the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine.
The project aims to create and equip sports centers in communities adapted for people with disabilities, including people with war-related disabilities, where they can engage in physical education, communicate with like-minded people and receive professional support from qualified coaches, stimulating their reintegration into the social life of the community.