Posted on October 20, 2021
Mary Free Bed manager Maria Besta honored with Community Service Award
Disability advocate Maria Besta’s efforts to strengthen opportunities for people with disabilities have been recognized with the 2021 Community Service Award by the Grand Rapids Chapter of American Business Clubs.
Besta, who manages Mary Free Bed’s Recreational Therapy department and Wheelchair and Adaptive Sports Program, accepted the award this week in front of her family, Mary Free Bed team members, local lawmakers and city leaders. She also was surprised with two monetary gifts to support her efforts: a $1,500 donation to the rec therapy department at Mary Free Bed and a $1,000 scholarship in her name to support a student majoring in Recreational Therapy at Grand Valley State University.
“Maria has touched so many lives with no concern for receiving anything in return,” said Judd Freeman, chairman of the Grand Rapids AMBUCS. “I hope others will follow her lead and step up when action is needed.”
Besta, who joined Mary Free Bed in 2003, oversees a collaborative team of inpatient and outpatient recreational therapists, a music therapist and an animal assisted intervention dog – professionals whose sole mission is to help patients reach rehabilitation goals that restore independence.
Mary Free Bed’s Wheelchair & Adaptive Sports, one of the largest of its kind in the United States, provides competitive teams, classes and clinics for hundreds of people with disabilities each year.
Besta has helped introduce countless community residents with disabilities to adaptive sports and the sense of camaraderie, competition and accomplishment that comes with it. She works tirelessly to raise funds for those who otherwise may not be able to participate — a sports wheelchair can cost between $2,000 and $5,000.
She also directs Junior Wheelchair Sports Camp, a free event that introduces participants to a variety of sports and connects them with kids who face similar challenges.
“We’ve had a great relationship with AMBUCS over the years because our missions align so well,” Besta said. “Together we can continue to serve the community and provide opportunities for people of all abilities.”
