ECho ranch Horse Rescue: Barn Clean Up
Event Description:
The Summer 2014 class chose to help Echo Ranch clear out their newly acquired barn to ready it for their incoming rescue horses as part of their foster care program. As a class, we were excited to be of service by clearing out the barn of old debris and garbage, clearing back the overgrowth of blackberry bushes and building bat boxes. Dorine, co-founder of Echo Ranch stated, "There are lots of hurting people in our community and through relationship, friendship, and encouragement, we want to be here to walk the journey with them. Not to change them or project an agenda rather simply offer support and resources." As a class, we felt gratitude for helping to clear part of the path for this work.
Student work that inspired the group project.
MISSION STATEMENT: ECHO God’s promises of truth and hope to those whose dreams have been shattered or purpose has been lost. A place where God's unconditional love is shared with each person and the healing journey can begin in becoming the masterpiece God created them to be.
WHY DO WE DO THIS: We are a faith-based non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, dedicated to offering an environment of support and encouragement, which restores the heart, soul, and mind, and strengthens individuals and their families. Our desire is to offer each guest at our ranch the awareness that they are a unique and irreplaceable person, loved by God (who has an amazing plan and purpose for their life).
HOW WILL WE DO THIS: Each guest, who desires to connect with a horse, will have the opportunity to ride, groom, or just pet a specially selected equine partner. They will also be paired with a mentor in a one-on-one session. Our sessions are flexible enough to allow the time required to best serve the individual needs of the person. It is our desire that through these experiences, our guests will learn to trust and grow in faith and confidence as they work with and build a partnership with the horse and mentor.
Our goal is to do this free of charge, in a faith-based and judgment-free environment.
As part of our program, we also provide foster care for rescue horses.
Some of these horses have been subjected to neglect or abuse and come with their own stories that many of our guests can relate to and are able to draw parallels to their own lives. As they watch these horses be loved and cared for, and even participate in the process, they are able to witness the miracle of transformation and begin to see the hope for healing in their own journey.
In addition to horses, there are many other opportunities to participate in at Echo Ranch such as building or creating a project or art piece (i.e. birdhouse or stepping stone), planting flowers or vegetables in the garden, volunteering alongside our facilities team, etc."
REFLECTIONS:
"From start to finish, participation in the class project was extremely beneficial to learning the university goals. It simply couldn’t have worked without them. I loved the process of proposing ideas and watching/listening how everyone discussed (with extensive knowledge) the pros and cons of those ideas. When we settled on working at the ranch, I was very pleased (it was also the choice I had supported). I have a passion for land conservation/cleanup and taking care of animals; as well as providing a safe space for folks who have experienced abuse or neglect. Having grown up and worked on several farms, I knew that what we were being asked to do was very small (compared to the overall goals). However, I must say that I am very impressed with the amount of work we were able to get accomplished! Being outside and knowing the reasons for why we were doing what we were doing made it all the more enjoyable to me. This organization may be at the beginning of its very long journey, but it’s definitely one I’d like to continue supporting, which is why I shared my contact information with the land's host. Who knows, this equine ranch may just be the perfect resource for any future clients I might have. I am looking forward, with hope and admiration, to the many great things that this organization will do for our community." Dylan C.
"When we first started discussing the community project we would do together I envisioned us engaging in something that would have a significant impact, or what I imagined would have a significant impact. I wanted to "go big." When we decided on Echo Ranch, I initially had some resistance as I didn't see this project as matching up with my vision of "going big." When the day came to do the project, I quickly saw just how easy it is to be lured into this notion of grandeur - and how we, through this, disregard the meaning in the seemingly menial. We are so stuck on quick results, and our society is a stark reflection of this - but what is the long-term impact that this starting point has on ourselves, our world? I saw this project at Echo Ranch as a great opportunity to live what it means to "start anywhere and follow it everywhere," letting go of the idea of "immediate results" and simply allowing myself to live the step by step, breath by breath process that, through working with what is here, eventually accumulates to transform the seemingly mundane and meanial tasks/moments into solutions that have the ability to have a large impact on the lives of many - even if I never see that impact directly, I understand that it is my responsibility to live that impact in all that I do. I appreciated this experience and saw how it deepened my relationships with my peers, myself and the environment. I appreciated the opportunity to see the ME in the MEnial and how sometimes a simple shift in perspective is all that is needed to have a significant impact." Lindsey M.
"Our chosen class project for the Effective Change Agent capstone was to volunteer ourselves to Echo Ranch for an afternoon. This project was both challenging and rewarding for me. The biggest trial I faced was not the labor, the dust, nor the heat - it was overcoming my desire to make and see a large and immediate difference. I had visions of grandeur when approaching our class project, and what we wound up doing challeneged myself and my ideas of what contribution I wanted to make, rather than what would be best for me to have a hand in. The class, along with some friends and children, came together to clean out and around an abandoned barn. Our efforts of the day were part of Echo Ranch's process in becoming a functioning and realized horse rescue farm, rehabilitation space, tool library, and essentially, a community. Just as we all are walking on a process, so is Echo Ranch, and we as individuals and together as a class were able to provide assistance along the walk towards its goals. We may not have raised a barn, but our collaboration provided valuable support to Echo Ranch, as well as helping to remind me that assistance and participation do not necessarily always lead to a complete and quick overhaul. We walk our own path, not always known and not always how we envisioned it, but the seemingly little things all come together to form the big picture, making them not so little after all." Michael M.
The Summer 2014 class chose to help Echo Ranch clear out their newly acquired barn to ready it for their incoming rescue horses as part of their foster care program. As a class, we were excited to be of service by clearing out the barn of old debris and garbage, clearing back the overgrowth of blackberry bushes and building bat boxes. Dorine, co-founder of Echo Ranch stated, "There are lots of hurting people in our community and through relationship, friendship, and encouragement, we want to be here to walk the journey with them. Not to change them or project an agenda rather simply offer support and resources." As a class, we felt gratitude for helping to clear part of the path for this work.
Student work that inspired the group project.
MISSION STATEMENT: ECHO God’s promises of truth and hope to those whose dreams have been shattered or purpose has been lost. A place where God's unconditional love is shared with each person and the healing journey can begin in becoming the masterpiece God created them to be.
WHY DO WE DO THIS: We are a faith-based non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, dedicated to offering an environment of support and encouragement, which restores the heart, soul, and mind, and strengthens individuals and their families. Our desire is to offer each guest at our ranch the awareness that they are a unique and irreplaceable person, loved by God (who has an amazing plan and purpose for their life).
HOW WILL WE DO THIS: Each guest, who desires to connect with a horse, will have the opportunity to ride, groom, or just pet a specially selected equine partner. They will also be paired with a mentor in a one-on-one session. Our sessions are flexible enough to allow the time required to best serve the individual needs of the person. It is our desire that through these experiences, our guests will learn to trust and grow in faith and confidence as they work with and build a partnership with the horse and mentor.
Our goal is to do this free of charge, in a faith-based and judgment-free environment.
As part of our program, we also provide foster care for rescue horses.
Some of these horses have been subjected to neglect or abuse and come with their own stories that many of our guests can relate to and are able to draw parallels to their own lives. As they watch these horses be loved and cared for, and even participate in the process, they are able to witness the miracle of transformation and begin to see the hope for healing in their own journey.
In addition to horses, there are many other opportunities to participate in at Echo Ranch such as building or creating a project or art piece (i.e. birdhouse or stepping stone), planting flowers or vegetables in the garden, volunteering alongside our facilities team, etc."
REFLECTIONS:
"From start to finish, participation in the class project was extremely beneficial to learning the university goals. It simply couldn’t have worked without them. I loved the process of proposing ideas and watching/listening how everyone discussed (with extensive knowledge) the pros and cons of those ideas. When we settled on working at the ranch, I was very pleased (it was also the choice I had supported). I have a passion for land conservation/cleanup and taking care of animals; as well as providing a safe space for folks who have experienced abuse or neglect. Having grown up and worked on several farms, I knew that what we were being asked to do was very small (compared to the overall goals). However, I must say that I am very impressed with the amount of work we were able to get accomplished! Being outside and knowing the reasons for why we were doing what we were doing made it all the more enjoyable to me. This organization may be at the beginning of its very long journey, but it’s definitely one I’d like to continue supporting, which is why I shared my contact information with the land's host. Who knows, this equine ranch may just be the perfect resource for any future clients I might have. I am looking forward, with hope and admiration, to the many great things that this organization will do for our community." Dylan C.
"When we first started discussing the community project we would do together I envisioned us engaging in something that would have a significant impact, or what I imagined would have a significant impact. I wanted to "go big." When we decided on Echo Ranch, I initially had some resistance as I didn't see this project as matching up with my vision of "going big." When the day came to do the project, I quickly saw just how easy it is to be lured into this notion of grandeur - and how we, through this, disregard the meaning in the seemingly menial. We are so stuck on quick results, and our society is a stark reflection of this - but what is the long-term impact that this starting point has on ourselves, our world? I saw this project at Echo Ranch as a great opportunity to live what it means to "start anywhere and follow it everywhere," letting go of the idea of "immediate results" and simply allowing myself to live the step by step, breath by breath process that, through working with what is here, eventually accumulates to transform the seemingly mundane and meanial tasks/moments into solutions that have the ability to have a large impact on the lives of many - even if I never see that impact directly, I understand that it is my responsibility to live that impact in all that I do. I appreciated this experience and saw how it deepened my relationships with my peers, myself and the environment. I appreciated the opportunity to see the ME in the MEnial and how sometimes a simple shift in perspective is all that is needed to have a significant impact." Lindsey M.
"Our chosen class project for the Effective Change Agent capstone was to volunteer ourselves to Echo Ranch for an afternoon. This project was both challenging and rewarding for me. The biggest trial I faced was not the labor, the dust, nor the heat - it was overcoming my desire to make and see a large and immediate difference. I had visions of grandeur when approaching our class project, and what we wound up doing challeneged myself and my ideas of what contribution I wanted to make, rather than what would be best for me to have a hand in. The class, along with some friends and children, came together to clean out and around an abandoned barn. Our efforts of the day were part of Echo Ranch's process in becoming a functioning and realized horse rescue farm, rehabilitation space, tool library, and essentially, a community. Just as we all are walking on a process, so is Echo Ranch, and we as individuals and together as a class were able to provide assistance along the walk towards its goals. We may not have raised a barn, but our collaboration provided valuable support to Echo Ranch, as well as helping to remind me that assistance and participation do not necessarily always lead to a complete and quick overhaul. We walk our own path, not always known and not always how we envisioned it, but the seemingly little things all come together to form the big picture, making them not so little after all." Michael M.