Interview – Grove Higgins LifeQuest Transition
Attendance at the Ministry Forum Fort Carson, Colorado Springs, COOn this trip I brought along my step-brother Gary Bylsma to be a companion to my travels and to add his perspective to my interview with Grove Higgins, LifeQuest Transitions. It was a nice but windy day and all along the Front Range. The sky was an amazing clear blue with a few scattered clouds. The sky over Pikes Peak was clear. My dad had always told me that if you could see clear sky around Pikes Peak it would be a nice day. Good job dad – it was true.
Gary has the debilitating disease of Muscular Dystrophy which causes him to have to walk with a cane in a slow, somewhat impaired, but deliberate walk. I was concerned about his comfort along this road trip but it appears it was not an issue or he just didn’t speak about it. With his disability he can bring a special perspective to my upcoming business that may escape my capture. I was very grateful he was interested in coming along.
On this trip I came equipped with my new Canon digital camera and a hand-held sound recorder. This equipment to be used for the purposes of interviews I need to conduct for CHAT. I was excited to be able to use both for this trip and this - my first targeted in person interview for the business with Grove Higgins.
Gary and I arrived about 30 minutes early for our appointment at LifeQuest Transitions. We had spent some time being lost for a short while but with Gary’s navigation and familiarity with Colorado Springs we were soon back on track.
Before entering the LifeQuest Transitions building for the interview, I noticed we were in an industrial warehouse area of Colorado Springs and the LifeQuest business seemed to be occupying half of a shared warehouse (I believe the other half was an electric equipment company). Later Grove shared with me that the location was donated by that company as a shared part of their warehouse not in use. What a great use of an in-kind donation. This would serve as food for thought for the CHAT facility.
Gary and I entered the LifeQuest Transitions building (picture of entrance below):
On entering Gary and I were greeted by one of the organization’s physical coordinators (not sure of exact title or name). The administrative offices are towards the back of the warehouse and was where Grove Higgins was awaiting our arrival.
As we walked through what was obviously a very large workout area much like a gymnasium,we passed through yet there was another smaller room (a special physical program therapy room) complete with program details on a whiteboard, a carpeted area including a mat area on the floor and some basic gym equipment. The location was quite clean and obviously meticulously maintained. (As we came in someone was vacuuming the area.)
We went through the large and smaller room to the back of the warehouse where the offices were located. As we went through a door in the smaller room we came into what was obviously the office and administrative services area:
As we met Grove he cordially greeted us stating he would spend a few minutes with us and then have one of his staff conduct the tour of the facility. Once we sat down I asked Grove if I could record the interview and he granted that permission. As I began asking some rather pointed questions it was clear Grove was very interested in addressing all my questions. The interview took about one hour and I was very happy to have his time and attention for the extended period of time.
I won’t go into the details of the interview. That interview will be addressed as a separate document contained on the CHAT blog. As an aside, Gary was able to ask some very good pointed business questions regarding operations at this interview. Thank you Gary.
This is the equipment room where climbing biking and outdoor equipment is stored for the LQ programs.
This picture is a testimony to the LQ Adventure program. And what an amazing program it is. Take a look at the link below. Most interesting of this program is as it works to re-channel in a positive way the andreneline Warriors commonly have become accustomed to at very high levels during combat missions. http://www.mylq.org/programs
This area was for strength training. What was not so clear in this picture is the anchored ropes or straps used for working out. Notice the net in the picture (for the trapeze I guess). See the next picture.
This area is where the Warriors work out with kettle bells and gym equipment some of which is not seen in this picture (treadmills, stationary bicycles, etc.) You may notice that at the top center there is a trapeze for working out.
The staff member who escorted us around was most gracious sharing information about her role in the organization, the programs LQT is involved in and the positive influence on the targeted Warriors (soldiers). She spoke of the community LQT serves, the population fluctuation of the programs and other supporting organizations.
As we left, Gary and I discussed the interview and how satisfying it was having all the questions we came with answered and much more information than we would have imagined. Grove Higgins was a very gracious host at LifeQuest Transitions.
Since it was only around noon we had some time before our meeting at Fort Carson began. We ended up eating at the Mason Jar restaurant. http://www.masonjarcolorado.com/ The meal was an extraordinary experience in down home cooking.
The speakers at the forum were:
As the group settled in, I noticed there were fewer in attendance this month as there had been in February. At the introduction Chaplain Jonathan Gibbs, Garrison Chaplain speculated it could be the warm weather that was keeping folks away. Chaplain Gibbs made a brief introduction to the speakers, their topics and upcoming Ministry Forum topics through October 2011 detailed below:- Challenges for Wounded Soldiers & Families: CSM Brian O’Connors: Warrior Transition Brigade
- Ministry To Wounded Soldiers & Families: Doris Meeks: When War Comes Home
- Support to Wounded Soldiers & Families: Andrea Kirkland: Army One Source
- 21 Apr: Ministry to Victims of Domestic Violence & Sexual Abuse
- 19 May: Fundamentals of Military Ministry
- 16 Jun: Ministry to Survivors
- 21 Jul: Marriage Enrichment/Relationship Building
- 18 Aug: Suicide Prevention
- 15 Sept: Outreach to Veterans
- 20 Oct: Ministry Through Family Readiness Group
The CSM Brian O’Conners was the first speaker speaking most eloquently about the Wounded Warriors, their issues and the current approaches and solutions to the challenges facing this Warrior group. He spoke with great clarity, detailed in his experiences, the Warriors experiences and the support so needed from the community and how that spiritual community might best serve the Warriors, their spouses and their families. A detailed transcript of that presentation appears on the blog as a separate document.
The second speaker was Doris Meeks who was a substitute for the absent Julia Warton. Doris Meeks was filling in at the very last moment as Julia had an emergency of some type. Although hers was a last minutes presentation, Doris was poised and presented eloquently about an upcoming event “Bridges to Healing Seminar and Workshops, Saturday – April 30, 2011 Woodmen Valley Chapel Colorado Springs, CO.
The second speaker was Doris Meeks who was a substitute for the absent Julia Warton. Doris Meeks was filling in at the very last moment as Julia had an emergency of some type. Although hers was a last minutes presentation, Doris was poised and presented eloquently about an upcoming event “Bridges to Healing Seminar and Workshops, Saturday – April 30, 2011 Woodmen Valley Chapel Colorado Springs, CO.
Doris had made a point to talk to me about her organization, Military Ministry www.militaryministry.org She was a very cordial sincere and modest professional of her organization.
The third presenter was Andrea Kirkland, Community Support Coordinator of Army OneSource. www.MyArmyOneSouce.com Andrea introduced herself at the beginning of the presentation as Draya for short. I spoke to her briefly before she presented. She seemed most excited to talk to me about CHAT and the potential of a liaison relationship with Army OneSouce. We closed with agreeing to contact one another so I might further discuss CHAT, its mission and the possible interaction with Army OneSource. Army OneSource offers many supportive soldiers organizations on their web site as resources for them; however, it takes a very deliberate vetting process by Army OneSource to become one of those preferred referenced resources as well as at least three years in business for a financial review as part of that vetting process. So, it would be several steps and a few years in business before CHAT would be a listed soldier resource of Army OneSource.
As part of her closing, Draya indicated she would be most interested in coming out to any church or community to speak about their involvement and providing a potential resource to the soldiers. There are a number of churches and community organizations which I believe would love to have Draya come out to present to their organizations.
On closing of the meeting, Chaplain Gibbs invited us all to stay a while and network among one another. Gary and I spoke to some of the folks around us including Draya and some other folks associated with Military Ministry.
The trip back home was uneventful but busy as we left Colorado Springs it was the beginning of rush hour. Gary and I reflected on what we both felt to be a successful business adventure.
- We discussed liability issues and mutual risks involved for non-profit businesses of this type.
- The dynamic programs they offer at LifeQuest and how some of programs to be offered at CHAT would be a compliment to LifeQuest.
- Soldiers served at LifeQuest would be the exact population CHAT is targeting to serve.
- LifeQuest has a community business board member function as a private business providing services to the active soldiers at Fort Carson.
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