TEMPLE — An exercise therapist at the Temple VA is making it his mission to help the veterans get access to a gym 24/7. It will be called the Warrior Fitness Park, located outside of the domiciliary at the Olin Teague Veterans' Medical Center.
"After hours though, everything kind of shuts down around here and gets kind of quiet. So there's not as much going on," Kinesiotherapist Toby Johnson said.
Johnson said the veterans at the residential treatment center need a way to relieve stress and get fit outside of the daytime gym hours. The outdoor gym called the Warrior Fitness Park right outside of this gym will be accessible for everyone—all vets who visit the facility and the staff too.
“Exercise can help everybody. You can be having an awful day and you can go get a little exercise and it’ll make you feel better. And that’s what it’s all about. We want to be able to give back to our veterans here in Central Texas and maybe we can help you get stronger," Kinesiotherapist Toby Johnson said.
They’ve already had support from organizations like God’s Reflections, Altrusa and local VFW Post 1820. The gym will have equipment like a bench press, stationary bike, rowing machine, tire pull and even a Yoga Tai Chi section, a form a rehab beyond the classes and doctors.
"Matter of fact, one of the women veterans from Altrusa, Theresa, when I spoke at Altrusa yesterday, I brought that up and we're gonna have that area just for her to do yoga because she instructs it," said U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Voluntary Service Chief Reginald Hardy Senior.
The ultimate goal is to help make a difference in veterans' lives.
"And you can say that you were a part of that. You know, when it's all said and done, this is gonna be here years from now. You can drive by here and say hey, I helped do that. And that's what it's all about. Not just coming in here, going to work and making a paycheck every day. It's what can I do to make this place better?" Johnson said.
This gym is not VA funded and relies on donations from the community. Hardy said they have already raised $10,000 and they’re hoping to raise another $15,000 for equipment.
"It's making them proud and it's making them be able to transition back into life," Hardy said.
To make a donation and find out other ways you can help, contact the Temple VA's Chief of Voluntary Service Reginald Hardy, Sr. at 254-743-2893 or by email at reginald.hardy@va.gov. You can also send a donation to Voluntary Service:
Central Texas Veterans Health Care System
c/o Reginald Hardy, Sr., Chief, Voluntary Service
1901 Veterans Memorial Drive
Temple, TX 76504