Spirit of Hope Youth Ranch

can i blog from this phone

spiritofhopeyouthranch — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 23:30:26 +0000

This is a test.

Our Hay Angels!

spiritofhopeyouthranch — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 01:35:49 +0000

One of the largest expenses of the ranch is caring for the horses, but without the horses there would be no program! And, due to their backgrounds, our horses need the very best care. When Spirit of Hope first opened in 2008, our hay was kept in a makeshift storage area in the top of our barn. Our barn is not enclosed so the hay was subject to moisture if there was a driving rain – which happens often in Alabama. So, we couldn’t purchase large quantities at a bulk discount because it might spoil. In 2009 we were able to build a beautiful hay and equipment storage building with memorials from the Bashinsky family, a grant from The Daniel Foundation, and labor from a Church of the Highlands day of service. Finally our tractor, farm equipment, and hay had a safe, dry, home! As the winter approached this year, we began praying for a “hay angel” to donate enough hay to last us through a couple of months. But, as Ephesians 3:20-21 says, God can provide abundantly more than we could even imagine. Randy and Teresa Silver have donated 216 bales of timothy hay from Colorado – enough to feed all of our horses for nearly a whole year!!! For those of you who aren’t familiar with hay, let me make a comparison for you…this is like filet mignon for our horses. We are so grateful to the Silver family and pray they will be blessed for their generosity. To see the beautiful hay being delivered, please watch our video at www.youtube.com/sohranch.

Community Circle Awards

spiritofhopeyouthranch — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 02:13:22 +0000

Out of the thousands of nonprofits in the Greater Birmingham area, SOHYR is one of forty-five nominated for the Junior League’s Community Circle award. A winner will be selected in each of following impact areas: Financial Stability, Safety & Crisis Intervention, Education, and Health. The award winner will be decided by an independent review panel judging each nominee on ingenuity, measurable results, replicable programs, and community support. The winners will be announced at the Junior League’s Gala in April. But, just like they say on TV, it’s such an honor just to be nominated!

A Joy I Never Forget

spiritofhopeyouthranch — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 01:40:15 +0000

Working with horses is a joy which I will never forget. When I am with a horse I feel calm and relaxed. Sometimes I wonder how they see me. Am I someone they can trust? Will I care for them? Yes. When I look into those big brown eyes I see peace. The horses get the love and care they deserve while I relax and have fun. Horses make me forget the troubles I am encountering. The beautiful landscape, the warm sun, the sound of the horses in the distance…this is what I love. I love coming to experience everything SOHYR has to offer…diligence, kindness, control, and love. Horses are my escape and I hope I am theirs as well.

By: M.L., a participant

Fall Schedule 2010

spiritofhopeyouthranch — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 21:15:21 +0000

Dear Spirit of Hope Volunteers, We are lining up volunteers for our Fall sessions. We will begin our first session on Monday,September 13th and end on Friday, November 12th. Our days available to volunteer will be Mondays 3:30-6p.m. Tuesdays 4-6p.m., Thursdays 4-6p.m.,Fridays 9:15-12:30. Several Saturdays TBA

Please note that the Friday sessions will be in Birmingham and are not at the ranch.(yes,we are going on the road!).

Additionally, there will be other volunteer opportunities during the weekday mornings, but we are unsure of the exact dates and times as of now. Please check the website again in the coming weeks for updates if you are interested in volunteering on weekday mornings.

All volunteers must be screened and trained before working with children. If you have not completed the proper paperwork and attended orientation, please contact us as soon as possible if you would like to volunteer with children.

Contact Jerelyn Tiller at 427-3802,jerelyntiller@aol.com or www.sohyr.org

Thank you and hope to see you soon!

New Faces at SOHYR

spiritofhopeyouthranch — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 03:36:31 +0000

You may have noticed new faces at the ranch lately, so please allow us to introduce you to the newest additions of our program:

Lindsey Silver is our barn manager and took her first riding lesson at age 5. By the time she was 10, her family built Fork Tree Farm and was raising and showing Quarter Horses. As a youth, she was involved in Pony Club and the American Quarter Horse Association, and competed in AQHA in both state and national levels. She continued her riding career throughout high school, and kept working with horses while in college at Auburn, earning her degree in Agricultural Economics. Post college, she learned the power of faith and the importance of family and friends while recovering from an eating disorder. Throughout her life, she’s found comfort and grace in horses, and hopes to share those gifts with others.

Angela Carlton is our social worker. She first began volunteering with SOHYR for several months as part of her internship with DHR. She has a degree in psychology from UAB, and a second degree in social work from UA. She is currently working towards my MSW (Master of Social Work) at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Her career interests surround adolescents, but she is open to any direction God leads her.

Jerelyn Tiller is our office manager. A Montgomery native, she grew up riding horses and also began as a volunteer at SOHYR on what we affectionately refer to as “gravel day” when we unloaded 4 dump trucks of gravel by hand since it was too muddy for the truck to drive where we needed it! Jerelyn has a degree in Marketing and has recently returned to college to pursue a nursing degree. She loves everything about SOHYR!

All three of these ladies started working part-time at the ranch to help us with our busiest season and recently became certified in equine assisted therapy thru Greg Kersten’s OK Corral program. With the help of numerous volunteers, we’ve already served over 200 kids just in 2010!

Hosmer Family Celebrates Freedom….and Water!

spiritofhopeyouthranch — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 15:34:26 +0000

The Hosmer Family is well known for their 4th of July celebrations. As many as 100 extended family members gather each year for a cookout and a parade around the swimming pool honoring all the veterans in attendance. This year, the family added an additional feature to the celebration and asked each person to bring a case of drinks for donation to Spirit of Hope. This morning we received 45 cases of water and 18 cases of gatorade!! Thank you Hosmer Family for your incredible generosity!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imr0vWPnUKw

SOHYR is living proof of God’s love and kindness

spiritofhopeyouthranch — Tue, 04 May 2010 16:36:00 +0000

By Tom Marriott

I was unemployed and decided to volunteer just to get out of the house. When I pulled in and met the staff I knew this was a real place of HOPE.

As a horse lover/owner I was amazed by the triumphant stories of the horses but seeing the children come alive while working with the horses was at the real core of SOHYR.

Now I spend as much time as I can at the ranch helping out. The ranch is living proof that God’s love and kindness is alive and well in the world today.

2010 Bluegrass and Burgers!!

spiritofhopeyouthranch — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:29:02 +0000

Our 3rd annual Bluegrass and Burgers will be held on April 10th from 12:00 – 3:00 at Spirit of Hope Youth Ranch. We will again have toe-tapping music by the Tack Room Boys and yummy hamburgers and hotdogs. Ryan Garner of Harmony ‘n Horse will give demonstrations in the round pen and Bubba Whodini will delight and amaze us with his magic tricks. Leah Brandon of WERC 960′s Steve and Leah show will be the emcee for an afternoon of family fun. At 2:45 we will dedicate the new hay and equipment barn provided by funds from the Daniel Foundation and memorials from the friends and family of Betty Bashinsky. Please come join us for a wonderful day as we celebrate all of God’s blessings at the ranch. For more information, please call Joy O’Neal at 205-223-1362 or email info@sohyr.org.

Indian Springs School Awareness Club visits SOHYR

spiritofhopeyouthranch — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 02:09:42 +0000

I’m Dabney Hofammann, a junior at Indian Springs School, and this past Sunday I went with a group of friends from the Awareness Club help out at the ranch. We cleaned out water troughs, picked up sticks from a tree that was recently cut down, and gathered rocks for a future project. I love volunteering at Spirit of Hope and really enjoyed being able to share the magic of this place, which to me is manifested in all lives that this refuge has touched, with such young ,bright, and promising individuals. I think that the beauty of the ranch is that anyone can find something to take from what it has to offer, whether that is connecting with the horses and children, or simply knowing that your contributions are genuinely appreciated. I truly believe that everyone who participated this weekend had a great time and I hope that Awareness Club will begin to make regular appearances at the ranch.