Since school let out in May, the Ranch has been buzzing with activity from campus visits, to projects around the farm, to lots of activities with our boys and girls.
Our Ranchers had a very special visit from First Lady Susan Hutchinson in June. The First Lady toured our campus and spent time with each of our boys and girls. She spoke to them and encouraged them to make the most of their time at the Ranch. Her message was very well received and much appreciated.
The next week, the Ranch hosted a group of Arkansas Sheriffs from across the state for a tour and a barbecue lunch with our Ranchers. We are grateful for the support of our county Sheriffs, and we always love it when they come out to the Ranch for a visit!
The first Saturday in June, Arkansas Game & Fish and the National Wild Turkey Federation hosted a fishing derby and a skeet shoot for our Ranchers. Game & Fish stocked our ponds earlier in the week, so our kids caught a lot of fish that day! The Wild Turkey Federation taught our Ranchers how to call turkey. Our Ranchers also had an opportunity to learn about gun safety and shoot skeet. Thanks to all of the volunteers who helped make this event happen!
In May, more than 100 golfers played in the 21st Annual First Community Bank Charity Golf Tournament to benefit the Arkansas Sheriffs’ Youth Ranches. This annual tournament was held at The Course at Eagle Mountain in Batesville and has helped raise over $278,000 for the Ranch since 1998. Thank you to First Community Bank for putting on this tournament each year and to everyone who sponsors and plays in the tournament!
Keystone Solutions in Batesville has been teaching a pilot course on technology to a group of our Ranchers this summer. They have learned how to set up a Raspberry Pi, to make their own ethernet cables, and to put technology to use in creating anything their minds can dream up!
Thank you to the The Home Depot Foundation and Team Depot for providing the materials to build brand new picnic tables for all of our houses at the Ranch! And special thanks to the men of Presbyterian Kirk of the Hills for providing the manpower to build these great tables!
Also in May, in case you missed it, the Ranch was featured in an article in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. You can read the whole article by clicking here.
Our Ranch staff and some of our boys have also begun working on a new barn for our petting zoo animals. It will be ready in plenty of time for our Pumpkin Patch this October, and we can’t wait to show you the final product!
Join us
We are so grateful for every visitor, volunteer, donor, and staff person who work together to make the Arkansas Sheriffs’ Youth Ranches a safe, healthy and loving home to raise boys and girls.
You can join us in this important work with a one-time gift or monthly gift for as little as $10. For the price of a meal, you can help change a child’s life. Click here or text the word Ranch to 41444 to make your gift today. You may also mail your contribution to PO Box 3964, Batesville, AR 72503. Contact Matt Cleveland at 501-940-3440 or matt@youthranches.com for other other giving opportunities.
You can also help us spread the word about the good work being done at the ASYR. Follow @YouthRanches on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and like and share our posts with your friends.
