Tulsa Hills Youth Ranch

***We learned this morning, from someone attempting to make a donation via our website, that the giving platform was missing from the youth ranch webpage when using a computer. That issue is now resolved. However, since it is unclear how long the issue had been in place and has likely been a number of weeks, we are extending our matching gift campaign through the end of this week, December 12th, in the case others have experienced this obstacle. A donor has committed to m...atch up to $12,500, and to date $5200 has been given to the THYR, for which we are profoundly grateful. Please feel free to pass this information along and do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or need assistance. There is also the option to bring or to mail a check to Tulsa Hills Youth Ranch, 5744 W Canyon Rd, Tulsa, OK 74131. Thank you for your consideration.*** https://www.tulsahillsyouthranch.org/donate/

"Elsa", the miniature pig, who came to the Ranch in March, embodies our guiding rule, Have Fun. A regular occurrence at the Ranch is to hear Elsa’s name loudly exclaimed by surprised Ranchers, as she rounds a corner going to or from her pen. Her personality exudes fun and she conjures fun in everyone, often bringing a needed lift to a struggling soul. The fun comes in various forms. Whether it be her stopping at a rock or concrete edge to vigorously scratch all - yes, ...all - sides and ends of her body with no regard to onlookers; or, her 360 degree spins upon exiting the barn and feeling the sunshine, with nose raised, excited oinks, and tail happily wagging. Then, her all out sprints from indoor pen to outdoor pen, and visa versa, where food awaits. Finally, when she’s tired at the end of a day, she enjoys a child sitting in her pen with her, rubbing her belly and back. She moves carefree, never seeming fazed by a thousand pound horse, a dog, or an excited human. Elsa embodies what we all want to be. Have Fun is the third of three guiding rules we continually review and follow at THYR, which we find help us all live well together and persevere through our struggles. The first two are Stick Together and No Hurts. Marvelously, the science behind our Trust Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) approach to mentoring at the Ranch, affirms that having fun is a key to being healthy and to the healing of trauma’s effects on our brains. At THYR, we are committed to sticking together and seeking an environment with no hurts, so that one is freed to truly have fun. Trauma can lead us to be in fight, flight, or freeze mode, to feel afraid and unable to trust, and truly having fun helps disarm fear and create a context for trust. Elsa is one presence, among many at THYR, helping incite in all of us the freedom of fun.

T B R I T H U R S D A Y Regardless of a child’s background, one of the most basic principles for raising a secure child is being present. This is a great video (and book recommendation) that explains what that looks like and why it is so critical. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Cw5JBDPbZM

W H Y I S E R V E W E D N E S D A Y Meet Barbara Jacobson "WOW! Where do I begin? I live very near the Ranch and my husband and I noticed that "there is something going on over on Canyon Road!" When groups were there I would drive by slowly to try to figure out what was going on. Then one day my husband was talking to a friend and somehow Tulsa Hills Youth Ranch came into the conversation. When my husband explained that we were wondering what was going on over ther...e our friend said "You go over there TODAY and meet Kyle & Tricia". He did that and the rest is history. I serve as Forewoman on Tuesdays. My love for horses, I thought, brought me to the Ranch but then I figured out quickly that it was the people. I LOVE being around like minded people. Kyle, Tricia, Donna and Mike are my kind of people. They want to make an impact on the children of this world and so do I. I really enjoy meeting my volunteers at the beginning of each new semester and watching the relationship between them and their buddies grow into something special. I have had many repeat mentors on my evening and I have enjoyed getting to know them better and have developed a friendship with several. One of my favorite aspects about the Ranch, other than the people, is the fact that our work at the Ranch is very intentional. Loving on kids is easy but being intentional about it takes some training but I am sure it makes a much bigger impact. TBRI, Trust Based Relational Intervention, is the tool that Donna Freeman has taught us all giving us the training we need to work with our kids from tough places that visit the Ranch. I am so very thankful to have found the Ranch and the people there and look forward to many more years of seeing where God leads us."