WHITEFISH — The Department of Veterans Affairs distributed $16 million in funding to 91 organizations nationwide. Three of those grants went to Montana — including one for DREAM Adaptive Recreation in Whitefish, a Flathead Valley program set to change the lives of even more local veterans.
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DREAM Adaptive Recreation provides year-round adaptive recreation opportunities — from skiing to mountain biking — for people with disabilities. The program has become known as a safe haven for veterans.
"Roughly 18% of our lessons and opportunities are for veterans and service members with disabilities," DREAM Adaptive Recreation Executive Director Julie Tickle said.
DREAM's commitment to local veterans has earned the trust of the Department of Veterans Affairs Adaptive Sports Grant Program — a partnership that now spans nearly a decade.
"This year, we are so grateful to receive over $90,000 in the grant to provide our year-round outdoor adaptive recreation programs at no cost," Tickle said.
John Callaway joined the Marine Corps out of high school, but his service took an unexpected turn.
"I was initially injured in a training accident before my first deployment but pushed through and was medivaced to my second deployment due to those injuries," Callaway said.
After his discharge, Callaway began searching for a way to heal.
"Where I found my healing the most has been outdoors, so many people find it there. Whether it's skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking, just being out on the river, those are all things that really brought comfort, brought healing, brought me back to society," Callaway said.
That search led him to DREAM Adaptive Recreation.
"It's just improved my life so much. My mental health gets better, my physical health gets better, I've created so many friends through this program. It has just been awe-inspiring for me," Callaway said.
For the veterans DREAM serves each year, that grant is more than funding — it's a lifeline.
"This grant, it means so much. The fact that DREAM does so much for the community and does so much to help veterans heal to become a part of the community again, it's just phenomenal," Callaway said.
DREAM Adaptive Recreation is always looking for more veterans to help in the community. To learn more, click here.
