Organic Abilities offers inclusive programs for all to enjoy

By Christine Foshaug Times Contributor

Last spring Megan Nimchuk launched Organic Abilities, with the goal of creating inclusive programs for people of any age and ability.
With 15 years of experience working with vulnerable individuals, she knows how therapeutic animals can be. Her Make Me a Farmer program is available for adults with special needs as well as children. Nimchuk tailors each session to the clients’ abilities and goes at their pace, which provides an encouraging and nurturing experience.
There are five participants in the Tuesday morning session that’s just wrapping up. Two of her clients come from Calgary, and three from Wheatland Serenity House. With help from support workers, Nimchuk immerses her clients in farm life for a few hours each week. Interacting with animals, such as cats, dogs, chickens, pigs, goats, a llama and a horse, has a calming effect and can have a positive impact on individuals with repetitive behaviours.
“We teach them about animal care, so we do chores like feeding the chickens and the pigs, and we brush the goats,” she explained. “It’s a holistic approach, and it provides sensory experiences to deal with behaviours.”
Twenty-five-year-old Dan Ryan and his support worker, Mark Brown, make the trip out from Calgary. Mark says that although Dan has autism and has difficulty communicating, he looks forward to his trips to the farm.
“Dan loves spending time at the farm,” said Brown. “He’s very fond of animals, especially cats and dogs, and he enjoys visiting with the goats and feeding the pigs, chickens and horse.”
Nimchuk’s future plans include the construction of a heated building so she can run her programs year-round. She also intends to expand her programming to include gardening, woodworking and music therapy. Ideally, she’d like to incorporate programming for seniors as well.
Organic Abilities offers a wide range of programs, from kids’ birthday parties to team-building sessions to goat yoga for kids and adults of all abilities. It’s important to Nimchuk to get involved in the community; she recently participated in Farm Week at Hope Preschool, giving the students the opportunity to learn about baby goats.
She also welcomes individuals, families or groups who just want to experience life on a farm. You can learn more about the programs Organic Abilities offers on Facebook, or call Megan Nimchuk at 403-909-9448.