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- Fill a Saddle Campaign!
- Join the WHY Ranch Team! Annual Board of Director Elections in January!
- Tell Us YOUR WHY Ranch Story!
- Did You Know We Are in a Capital Campaign?
Healing Hearts, Inspiring Minds, Preserving History
Our mission is to educate minds, inspire creativity, and encourage integrity for the underprivileged youth of Clark County through positive and direct interaction with an American living legend, the horse.
WHY Ranch offers a free specialized riding program called “Diamonds in the Rough” which provides underprivileged Las Vegas youth an opportunity to experience the Wild West heritage of Las Vegas. Our one child – one horse environment is tailored for each child’s specific needs. “Diamonds in the Rough” began our 2011-2012 session year in October with our current partners, Cowboy Trail Rides and Four Views Equestrian.
WHY Ranch is looking for financial partners to underwrite our students as we expand. Your support will change students’ lives and give hope for their future. Contact WHY Ranch today to learn how you can help make a positive impact upon our Las Vegas youth!
Among children’s charities in Las Vegas, there are no others that offer the unique experience of pairing children with horses for the purpose of rebuilding a child’s life.
Fill a Saddle Campaign!
Our Diamonds in the Rough program has 22 slots that we hope to have sponsored at $4,000 each. WHY Ranch has received a challenge grant from the Paul E. & Helen S. Meyer Foundation that will match any gift of $4,000 or more to help us fill all 22 saddles. Please consider sponsoring one or more children in this life-changing program by making your gift today. Please contact Peggy Paullin at peggy@whyranch.com to find out more about what your donation will provide each Diamonds in the Rough student during their year with us. Thank you!
Join the WHY Ranch Board! Annual Board of Director Elections in January!
We’re holding our annual Board elections in January! If you have a desire to serve with WHY Ranch as a Director, please email our Executive Director, Peggy Paullin, for more information. You can reach her at peggy@whyranch.com
Tell Us YOUR WHY Ranch Story!
From our Diamonds to the volunteers who bless our programs and operations, the horses and the kids at WHY Ranch can’t help but touch the lives of everyone who comes in contact with them. That’s what makes the Diamonds in the Rough program so special – the special kids and special horses that participate.
Tell us your WHY Ranch story, how you were moved by something that happened, or someone you saw, and we’ll post it here to share!
“I witnessed an extraordinary thing at one of the “Diamonds in the Rough” Cowboy Trail Ride sessions. At the beginning of each class the students are given a halter and lead rope with a horse’s name on it. They must find that single horse among many in the horse pen and buckle the halter over its head. Then they must lead it, tie it to the fence and brush it to prep for the day’s activity.
One morning I noticed Hope, a delicate little girl of about ten, making her way slowly, carefully through the field of about thirty horses. She had spotted Beauty, one of the biggest, most powerful horses in the pen. But every time Hope drew near, Beauty would quickly bolt away in a stunning display of raw animal power. Hope, without discouragement, would patiently wait for Beauty to settle down and then proceed to make her way towards Beauty once again. This continued for what seemed an age. Each time Hope would manage to get closer than before and each time Beauty would challenge Hope’s patience and make a run for it. Uncle Manny, one of the seasoned wranglers, softly coached Hope by advising her to make subtle changes in her body language and angle of approach. Hope applied these changes and kept trying.
Finally… amidst the clamor of wind, rattling chains, barking dogs and uproar of adults, kids and horses working together, Hope and Beauty finally shared a quiet moment of understanding and trust. I saw Hope gently place the halter over Beauty’s head and perform her assigned tasks. It would have been easy to miss the communication that took place between Hope and Beauty that day, but I am grateful that I witnessed it. I imagine that Hope will apply that same resolute and silent persistence she has learned at White Horse Youth Ranch to other important areas such as schoolwork, career and all of life’s obstacles both big and small. But I am especially grateful because when I am feeling impatient or discouraged all I need to think of is that little girl and the big horse she managed to befriend.” ~ Adrian Leon, Ionia Entertainment
Did You Know We Are in a Capital Campaign?
How can you help?
- Volunteer with WHY Ranch, a jewel among children’s charities, and help us to connect with others who can allow for our successful relocation and full program launch.
- We are looking for a new ranch property that is zoned so that we can have horses, barns, stalls and a riding arena where we offer our Diamonds in the Rough program.
- Consider becoming a Board Member.
- We are always looking for individuals who have a desire to make a difference in the lives of young people in our community and who care about protecting and preserving horses. We will gladly meet with you and share more about joining our board.
- Financially invest in our Diamonds in the Rough youth mentoring program.
- Students like Lauren are provided a horse, an instructor, riding gear, safety gear and equine education
- We have different sponsorship levels that each result in lives being changed. We are happy to share the details with you upon your request.
If you are interested in partnering with us in any of these areas, or if you would like more information about our program and our progress, please contact us right away.
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