Whew! I don't know about life in your part of the country, but I am so thankful to be finished with February! Normally, I love the month that allows me to celebrate my birthday, Valentine's Day, and the bonus holiday, President's Day. However, my first February in Minot was cold, bitterly cold! For one three-week period in February, we had only one day in which temps were higher than 0. We drove on sheets of ice with windchills reaching -60.…
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Through their recent and ongoing gifts to the Ranch, Leonard and Marie are committed to continuing the family legacy of giving by teaching their children and grandchildren about philanthropy. They want to show their family how giving not only benefits the charity but the donor.…
Many Ranch children suffer from Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD). In our extensive work with children and adolescents, we have learned that engaging a child’s caretakers is especially important when treating children with RAD. Our work with caregivers focuses on educating them about RAD, and helping them build patterns of positive communication and interactions with their child.…
"And now these three remain: Faith, Hope, and "Love." But the greatest of these is "Love." - 1 Corinthians 13:13 The month of February is a celebration of love, and at Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch, we go all out in our celebration of Valentine's Day. Our kids make heart-shaped crafts, eat heart-shaped cookies (and sometimes pancakes), write about love, and discuss the power of love and friendship in their classes and groups.…
Herb and Jan Hegstad find joy in many places. They like to dance, play cards, and have friends over to visit. They enjoy wintering in Arizona where tennis, shuffleboard, Bocce ball, Bible study, and church services are all just a short walk away. And, they find joy in spending time with their children and grandchildren. But, their greatest joy is found in the Lord, and in caring for others.…
Great River Energy awarded $600 to Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch to purchase American Red Cross Automated External Defibrillator (AED) simulators to be used in staff training.…
On the outside, Haysel looked like she had it all together. Inside, however, Haysel was suffering from severe emotional pain caused by depression and anxiety.…
American Crystal Sugar Company granted $5,000 to Dakota Memorial School (DMS), the on-campus school of Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch, to underwrite the purchase of tools and equipment to teach four science units (Weather, Aquaponics and Aquaculture, Ecology—Water Quality, and Genetics).…
At the Ranch, we help the most troubled, complicated and amazing children by providing best-in-class therapy and trauma-informed care where we look kids in the eye, walk with them and help them become their best selves in this world and in Christ. In short, we help these kids find and become who they really are.…
Pastor Rick shows Christ’s love to the children at Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch through his compassion, gentleness, and listening.…
When Janet Zinke asked me to be the “guest writer” for this week’s edition of her sharing, my first thought was “What can I bring to a Christmas Greeting that hasn’t been said a hundred times?” And then I thought, “My wish for them is that their Christmas tree falls over!”…
When Norman Luebkeman died in 2015, he left the majority of his estate, in excess of $2,000,000, to charity—with over $216,000 going to the Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch. Through his gift, Norman will live on through the many precious children who find hope and healing at the Ranch.…
Donors to Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch literally save lives. And change lives. And create success. And help kids laugh, pray, learn, and feel worthwhile.…
O Holy Night continues to be my favorite Christmas hymn. The song’s beautiful refrain echoes in my mind … O holy night the stars are brightly shining It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth…
As I write this I am starting my fifth month at the Ranch! I’ve been here for a quarter of a year! Wow! The time has been filled with a whole range of experiences—from hearing heartbreaking and tough stories, to seeing our kids wrestle with trauma and the effects it has on them, to seeing our kids behave with kindness and resilience.…
When Steven*, a former resident at the Ranch, was planning his wedding, he contacted Pastor Rick Jones to see if he could be married in the Chapel on the Minot Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch campus.…
One day last summer I was reading a book and came across a line that spoke with me. In her book, "The Tenth Island," Diana Marcum wrote, "It had been a tumultuous week, and it occurred to me that in all levels of crisis, it is a good idea to lie down outside and look up."…
Ron and Shirley Hankel’s faith inspires them to financially support the Ranch—where they are helping to share Christ’s love and forgiveness with kids at the Ranch.…
Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch psychologist Dr. Meryl Willert, answers the question, "I keep hearing about autism and the 'spectrum.' What does that really mean and what does autism have to do with trauma?"…
Thanks to a grant from the Midco Foundation, Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch was able to purchase an audiometer for the Bismarck campus. The new audiometer allows the Bismarck nurses to complete hearing tests at the Ranch, rather than having to take kids out of school to undergo hearing tests off campus.…
First Aid is no longer just for cuts and bruises that can be seen on the outside of the body. Researchers are now recognizing the importance of Mental Health First Aid. Thanks to a grant from the North Dakota Community Foundation, the Ranch can use the Mental Health First Aid curriculum to train all of its employees.…
While November brings reminders of cold and snow, I like to see it as an opportunity to look forward to Thanksgiving and Advent. Thanksgiving reminds us to focus our thoughts and lives on gratitude. Advent, and the Advent Wreath which symbolizes eternal life, reminds us we are all a part of the circle of life—a circle of life made possible by God.…
In 1974, Art and Grace first became acquainted with Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch. Their interest in the state, and in children, led to their ongoing support of the Ranch. They made their first cash gift in 1974, and continued their support throughout the rest of Art’s life. Grace continues to support the Ranch today.…
I’ve always known “Trauma-Sensitive Classroom” was an important concept in education, but I wasn’t exactly sure what it looked like in my lesson plans or day-to-day interactions with students. I’m going into the teaching field, and I consider myself a nice person—that should be enough to indicate that I’m considerate to students and their trauma, right? Wrong. My assumptions of what it means to react to student behaviors in a trauma-sensitive manner were way off base.…
It looked like just a swing. But for Kassidy* it was an opening. She had sat in many offices with adults who tried to get her to “open up” about her trauma.…