Extraordinary gift allows Crystal Peaks to expand

Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch (CPYR), a local haven for rescued horses and a touchstone for challenged kids, received an early Christmas present this year that will make major changes in the offerings of this local non-profit.

After 18 years of literally "digging in a cinder pit," this internationally known and widely acclaimed program that uses rescued horses to enhance the lives of kids through "horse therapy" will be expanding their 10-acre "cinder pit" to include a 50+ acre established ranch across the road from their long-time Innes Market Road location.

The "present" began to take shape at the end of June during a visit to the ranch by group of out-of-state 4-H kids. The group had raised donations for the CPYR program, and journeyed to the ranch to deliver their donation and volunteer for the day.

Ranch co-owner Kim Meeder was saying good-bye to the group when she made the comment, "You know, I believe that someday the Lord is going to provide more room for the ranch so that when groups like yours come down, we'll already have a place for you to stay. Just think how easy and fun that would be! All we need is just a little more space."

Meeder noticed that one of the adult 4-H leaders was listening a little more intently than the others.

Within the month that followed, that anonymous donor had purchased the 51-acre parcel of land across the road and donated the property to CPYR. As an added bonus, this benefactor included five years of operating expenses for the additional acreage. Overnight, the ranch had grown from 8.9 acres to nearly 60 acres.

The $1.1 million property includes a large barn, a ranch house, an indoor arena and 25 acres of irrigated hay field.

"It has topsoil!" said Meeder, lamenting their attempts to grow gardens in their "cinder pit."

The plans for the additional property are very fluid at this point. Current plans including adding another five acres of hay pasture, planting 200 fruit trees, planting a large community garden, and building a canning center. A pond and a root cellar have already been added by a contractor since the acquisition.

"Our goal is to be as self-sufficient as possible, not only for our ranch family but for all the families that come here. That is our goal. To have a ranch that serves a community, not itself. That is a ranch worth having," said Kim.

Meeder indicated that the operation conducting free riding lessons for the kids will most likely remain centered on the existing 8.9-acre property.

Bi-weekly fellowship meetings, horse and kid rescue clinics, and leadership conferences will most likely be moved to the newly available and much larger indoor arena. These activities currently draw hundreds of visitors that pack the old barn that was one of the first building Troy and Kim built 18 years ago.

Kim said, "My husband and I bought the ranch property in 1992 because it was the only piece we could afford. It was actually being mined for cinders in Central Oregon. Cinders are used to put on the road in the wintertime as road base to keep you from slipping off the road. The property was so ruined that no one else wanted it. Then in 1995 we actually rescued our first two horses.

"We have been involved in the rescue of over 300 horses," continued Meeder. "The ranch now sees between 4,000-5,000 visitors a year. It's a tiny acreage that's really, really busy. The ranch is very unique in its structure and is the only one of its type so far in the U.S., in that we pair a rescued horse with a disadvantaged kid, and have one leader, one horse, one child, 100 percent of the time."

The Meeders and their staff work with over 100 similar horse-child rescue ministries in 39 states and eight other counties including India, Australia and Romania.

There is never a fee for the riding lessons. When the kids show up for their appointments, they are paired with a staff-member and they pick a horse. They also must pick a chore (feeding, cleaning stalls and paddocks, clean-up, gardening, etc.). Before they can ride their selected horse, the kids brush the horse's coat, curry the horse's mane, and clean the horse's hooves.

If the kids do not care to ride, there are many other activities available for them to participate in including carpentry, art projects, or just playing a board game with their staff-person.

Despite the strong faith-based convictions of the Meeders and their staff, there is never any pressure or expectation that the visitors will share their convictions.

"No matter why people come here, to love people where they are defies the logic and reason of men, and genuine love changes a life," said Kim.

The Meeder's work is also known through their writings. Kim has four books on Amazon.com, all focused on the ranch's connection with children and hope. Troy has a recent book out called "Average Joe."

For more information visit www.crystalpeaksyouthranch.org.