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September 21, 2001

Neighbor helping neighbor

West Texas Rehab Center's annual roundup auctions begin...

By Jerry Lackey

In late August and early September ranchers across the Lone Star state traditionally start gathering their cattle, sheep, goats and hogs...and for 41 years cutting out a few head for West Texas Rehab.

Since its inception in 1960, the West Texas Rehabilitation Center's annual livestock round-up has brought in $8.6 million.

"Everyone of those monies have gone back into treatment of the disabled for all ages," says Woody Gilliland, WTRC president. "Ranchers and farmers have always come through for the Rehab."

WTRC serves several thousand individuals each year from throughout the Southwest at three locations: Abilene, San Angelo and Ozona. Plus, therapists travel to public schools, nursing homes, and rural hospitals in all parts of the region.

"Patients are admitted upon referral by a physician or approved agency or institution. No one is denied services for lack of ability to pay," adds Gilliland. "So, as the 42nd Round-Up gets under way this fall, it's the oldest fundraiser we have and donations help to keep our doors open on three campuses."

A Coke County ranch couple are credited for starting the Round-Up. It was in early 1960 that Mrs. Conda Wylie visited the West Texas Rehab Center in Abilene. The small building had 12 staff members and a $76,000 budget. It had grown from two people seven years before.

Impressed with what she saw, Mrs. Wylie told her husband and he came to Abilene to take a tour.

Shelley Smith, founder and executive director from 1953 until his death in 1990, took the Coke County rancher through the building...sharing stories about patients and discussing the organization's "neighbor-helping-neighbor" philosophy.

Like his wife, Mr. Wylie was impressed by what he saw. The story goes that before he put on his felt hat and walked out the door, he told Smith he'd donate 20 calves for the Rehab to sell and keep the proceeds.

Before many weeks passed, other area ranchers joined an effort to add some cattle to the seed planted by Conda Wylie. On Sept. 21, 1960, WTRC made $24,588 on the sale of one horse, one pig and 203 head of cattle, including one pen averaging 578 pounds which brought 30 cents a pound.

That was the start of the annual Round-Up. For years, it was known as Cattlemen's Round-Up for Crippled Children, but as the event grew to include all livestock contributions and the patients treated eventually involved all ages, it simply became "Round-Up for Rehab."

Today more than 250 volunteer area chairmen across Texas join general chairmen Mike Alexander and Randy Carson in the Big Country area and Carter Behrens in the Concho Valley region to contact ranchers for donations to seven special sales.

First sale this season was September 20 at Producers Livestock Auction in San Angelo followed by Abilene Auction, September 25; Coleman Auction, October 3; Stephenville, October 10; Junction, October 15; Dublin, October 19 and Ranger, November 1.

Sale Day at these locations has become even more special in recent years with the presence of the Rehab Chuckwagon where cooks always have a coffee pot on the campfire and a bowl of beans and cornbread ready for buyers.

However, Round-Up for Rehab is a year-round program. Most auction houses are glad to cut a check to Rehab for the proceeds of one or more animals anytime.

In addition to proceeds from livestock sales, this year's Round-Up for Rehab has five corporate underwriters: Federal Land Bank Association; First Ag Credit, Farm Credit Services; Leonard Water Services; Lone Star Beef Processors and Wrangler.

WTRC is governed by a board of directors whose responsibilities are the financial and operational policies of the Center. Approximately one-fourth of WTRC's annual budget comes from major fundraisers, memorial gifts, donations, and bequests. WTRC is a private, nonprofit organization with a 501(c)(3) designation from the Internal Revenue Service.

Services include physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech/language pathology, audiology/hearing aid services, industrial rehabilitation, and orthotics/prosthetics (making and fitting braces/artificial limbs). Also available are home medical equipment, parent case management, social services, early childhood intervention, diagnostic clinics, mastectomy products, business health and Hospice of the Big Country.

For more information on the Round-Up or other fundraisers, contact West Texas Rehabilitation Center at 3001 South Jackson, San Angelo, TX 76904 (915-223-6300) or WTRC at 4601 Hartford, Abilene, TX 79605 (915-793-3507).