Wellspring of Life Farm honored for helping veterans with therapeutic care

By Jennifer Franciotti

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    MONKTON, Maryland (WBAL) — A therapeutic farm in Baltimore County is receiving a special honor for its efforts to make a difference in the lives of veterans.

On 72 acres in Monkton, Wellspring of Life Farm provides comfort to all who go there. With scenic views, its four-legged residents have a job to do, too — be it a dog, a horse or even a goat, they all provide therapeutic care.

“It’s such a tranquil, peaceful place. In this crazy world we live in, all that goes away,” Vietnam Veteran Specialist Jack Vineberg said. “I can come out here and sit and watch the horses and just get into a different frame of mind.”

Dawn Leung, the farm’s owner and executive director, said the animals help kids of all ages from military families with mobility and mental health issues. A veteran herself, Leung and her husband offer free services to service members, veterans and first responders.

“What we do is create situation is a problem-solving activity so you have someone with traumatic brain injury that’s in a wheelchair. Their activities are going to happen in our big spacious aisle,” Leung said.

Brian Silva was a Thunderbird pilot with the Air Force when he was hit by a drunken driver. He said working with the horses has been life-changing.

“He does help me, emotionally (and) physically. He does it all. Simply, it is an incredible blessing,” Brian Silva said.

“Over a period of seven months, Brian went from not being able to do hardly anything to being able to use his left hand almost independently to groom the horse,” said Brian’s father, John Silva, said.

“They go out and take the skills that they learned here at the farm and then they apply them to their everyday lives,” Leung said.

Andy Vineberg now volunteers at the farm, where his father, Jack Vinegerg, works with a horse named Amy.

“My dad used to have pictures of my sister and (me) on his wall and the grandkids, and now there’s more pictures of horses,” Andy Vineberg said.

The bond they have created is helping with his Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

“Amy is a very special spiritual horse, and I really get along great with her. I can’t wait to see her, she can’t wait to see us,” Jack Vineberg said.

“I had a veteran tell me that, ‘Of everything that I’ve been through, the fact that I can be here and not think about anything else is priceless,'” Andy Vineberg said.

Each year, the Memorial Day ceremony at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens recognizes a Maryland nonprofit organization that supports military members. This year, it’s Wellspring. The ceremony begins at 10 a.m. on May 27.

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