G.R.O.W.

Every fall, Ranch teachers, staff, and kids start preparing for G.R.O.W. Day (God Rewards Our Work), a sale held at our Minot thrift store the Saturday before Mother's Day. For seven months, students plant, nurture, weld, paint, and create art projects, yard games, bedding plants, and hanging flower baskets.

They move everything to our Minot thrift store, and in four hours, sell everything they created.

The G.R.O.W. Day impact doesn’t stop there. Funds raised are set aside for distribution through a group of student leaders called the G.R.O.W. Grant Committee. Minot staff are invited to submit grant requests to the Grant Committee. The committee then evaluates the requests, discerns the impact on the students and residents of the Ranch, and allocates the funds to the projects with the greatest and widest impact.

It’s one of my favorite Ranch projects. The children learn project planning, teamwork, technology and shop skills, leadership, business, marketing, decision-making, math, philanthropy, and a whole lot more.

The entire effort is spearheaded by a group of phenomenally devoted teachers, including Suzanne Erz, who has been involved since we started G.R.O.W. Day six years ago. She is a Botany and higher sciences teacher and has been teaching at the Ranch since 2006. Suzanne's commitment to the children is legendary.

When I thanked her for the great job she did when interviewed by local media about G.R.O.W. Day, its genesis, and its impact, she said, "It is an amazing feeling to have the opportunity to watch the children's hidden talents unfold and to see them take some pride in their work and build some self-esteem. Thank you for entrusting me.”

Suzanne's response speaks to the caliber of the people who come to the Ranch every day "to help at-risk children and their families succeed in the name of Christ."

Please keep our children and staff in your prayers.

In His love,

Joy Ryan, President/CEO
Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch

G.R.O.W.

G.R.O.W.

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