"My introduction to the Ranch was an act of God," said Carol Vacek. She had never heard of Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch until 2018 when she received a letter in the mail. That same year, Carol inherited some mineral rights in North Dakota with two producing oil wells. Some would say it was a coincidence, but Carol says learning about the Ranch and inheriting North Dakota mineral rights was God's timing. She followed God's lead and began donating a portion of the proceeds to the Ranch.…
Ranch Voice
When Robert Dietrich heard a speaker from Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch at his church in Alliance, NE, he was drawn to the Ranch's work with kids. It resonated for a couple of reasons.…
Dennis and Claudia Chamberland, Cocoa, FL, had never heard of Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch when they received a letter from the Ranch in the mail. "We almost never open unsolicited mail," Dennis said, "but I guess the Lord was prompting us. We read the letter and were extremely impressed with your Christ-centered work. We prayed about it and were moved to become monthly sponsors."…
"This place is amazing. My son spent four months at the Ranch in Fargo and is a completely different kid. He still struggles but he is more self-motivated and succeeding at Dakota Memorial School. Had I not made this heartbreaking decision in his best interests, I would have lost my son. Thank you for being there!" Lexi Hauge on the Ranch's Facebook page…
At 18 years old, Jules is living with a good family, on track to graduate from high school, and hopeful about her future. But, while she is in a good place in her life now, the road has been difficult. During most of Jules' childhood, her mom was an active alcoholic and married to a man who also drank and was physically violent.…
From the outside looking in, Scott seemed to have an idyllic life. A surgeon father, a stay-at-home mother, and eight siblings, built-in friends for life. But as he grew older, things quickly changed, and he began lashing out for attention.…
Lee and Bev Radke say their Christian faith inspires them to give. They learned about Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch from good friends and neighbors, Arlene and Gilbert Grienke, and are thrilled to…
At age 89, Armin Rubbert reads math textbooks and proves mathematical theorems for fun. He also laughs easily; and has a quick mind, a heart for troubled children, and a long family history with the Ranch.…
When asked how he got to Dakota Memorial School (DMS), the on-campus school of Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch, Mason set the tone with his ever-present sense of humor. "Well, it's a bit of a story so make sure you have your crumpets and tea."…
When Maliya came to the Ranch at age 16, she was depressed and suicidal. "My childhood was really challenging," Maliya said. "I didn't really have a grip on reality because I was hallucinating a lot from a medication I was on. As far as my family, my stepdad was very abusive and left an emotional scar on my family."…
Twenty-three years after his retirement, Larry Knutson continues to impact the children at the Ranch—not only through the strong organization he left behind, but through his donations and his relentless sharing of the Ranch's mission.…
How many of you remember your childhood chores with fondness? I certainly don't! Cleaning my room, taking out the trash, vacuuming, or emptying the dishwasher took time away from the fun things I would have much rather been doing.…
16-year-old Avalon is a kind, gentle, and talented young woman, despite the challenges that brought her to the Ranch. She was born in Nebraska as the youngest of 12 siblings and moved to North Dakota in 2016. It was a blended family, and second marriages for both her parents, who had each had the pain of losing their first spouse to cancer.…
When Barbara Pingel cares about something, she goes all in. As a supporter of Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch, Barbara writes to Ranch residents as a Hope Notes pen pal, sends boxes of puzzles, makes regular donations, directs Thrivent Choice Dollars® to the Ranch, and prays every day for the children and employees of the Ranch. She has also made arrangements for an estate gift to the Ranch.…
When a ministry team from Hip Hop & Hope spent the day with the kids at Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch, Dayson made a special connection with keynote speaker Artie Gonzales.…
By the time kids get to treatment at Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch, they have likely been to many therapists, psychiatrists, and psychologists. They are fluent in everything related to therapy. They've learned about cognitive behavior modification, how to identify and challenge their thoughts, and many different coping skills — and none of it has been particularly helpful. In treatment, they receive more in-depth learning and have people around them 24 hours a day to coach them on how to use the things they've learned.…
Tre didn't have what most of us think of as a "normal" childhood. Instead, his childhood was complicated and convoluted and gave him a different perspective on how the world works.…
Last summer, Rev. Victor Tegtmeier, along with his son and daughter, drove onto the Minot campus of Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch. Rev. Tegtmeier's wife had recently passed away, and he was taking their two children on a cross-country tour of the places they had lived and served.…
According to Dr. Meryl Willert, Ranch children fall into one of three categories when it comes to religion and spirituality. How we work with them depends on where they are in that spiritual journey.…
Jerome Schneider is a handsome young farmer full of energy and light. He is passionate about farming and ranching and while he doesn't claim to have everything figured out, he is proud of the man he has become. Jerome's life began on a fourth-generation farm in western North Dakota. When his parents separated and divorced shortly after his birth, Jerome was caught in the middle.…
The science backs up what we see every day at the Ranch, that wellness and physical activity are essential to mental health and healing. "We know that physical activity is healthy and that lack of physical activity is a risk factor for depression and anxiety," said Dr. Wayne Martinsen, Psychiatrist and Medical Director at Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch.…
We talk a lot about trauma-informed care here at the Ranch—it is a philosophy of care we take very seriously in both our treatment and education environments. But it can be a difficult concept to understand—both for new Ranch employees and for people outside the school and treatment world.…
No matter how difficult things are at home, driving away from the Ranch without your child is not easy. "It was scary taking that leap of faith. We didn't know what to expect, and as we drove away, my mom heart was just sad and apprehensive," said Meredith, mother of former Ranch resident, Blaise.…
Summer programming gives our kids a unique and positive summer experience. They experience activities they may not have been exposed to before—like gardening, fishing, hiking, art, music, and more. They learn new things in classes like Discover Dakota, Sports History, and Pop Culture. School has rarely been consistent for Ranch kids so it's important to challenge them to learn. Learning without the stress of tests and grades helps kids see that learning can be fun and that they can succeed.…
Cain came to the Ranch in 2016 after spending some time in a Minot psychiatric hospital. When he completed treatment and was able to go home, his parents enrolled him in the Day Program so he could continue his education at Dakota Memorial School. For an entire school year, Cain's parents, Dawn and Kevin, drove him 70 miles (one way) to school, because at DMS he experienced the only success he'd ever had in school.…