A CENTER FOR 21ST CENTURY LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT:
Where the wisdom of the past, present, and future of leadership comes together for the dignity and benefit of all.
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Your Donations are Tax Deductible.
August 2024
First Nature Notes: Gearing Up for Fall at the Ranch
Dear Friends of First Nature Foundation,
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If you read last month’s newsletter, we were making preparations for the height of hurricane season…and just in time! We welcomed Hurricane Beryl at the ranch in late July. Fortunately, it wasn’t a major weather event for us, though we endured hours and hours of rain and moderately strong winds, even a tornado watch, but that was about it. We were surprised that we didn’t even have flooding in the usual places at the ranch. We lucked out with that hurricane, and are saying prayers for those more damagingly affected by it and by unusual adverse weather (Vermont and Connecticut, we feel you!). We are at least better prepared now for being squarely at the height of the hurricane season. We had a short dry spell over the last couple of weeks, and the gardens and pastures were limp and thirsty-looking, but we are now back to daily afternoon/evening thunderstorms, with heat indexes in the upper 90s to low 100s, typical for this time of year. Everyone here is looking forward to cooler weather!
We are so excited for our biggest ever fundraising event, the Whiskey Dinner at the Ranch on October 12. The dinner is raising funds for our Horse Wisdom for Heroes program. We’ve been running the program without any sponsorships this year so far, though we have submitted several grant applications and are waiting to hear whether we’ve been awarded. But, just this morning we received funding to cover our Glass Sponsorship for this event! Thank you to The Transition House for stepping up!
Are you local and a fan of whiskey, or know someone who is? Come join us for some upscale whiskey business at the ranch! October is such a great month for fun Fall activities and ours is a don't-miss event. Welcome cocktails, whiskey pairings, and a 3-course meal from fantastic caterers. Not to mention those sunset views and horses! Indulge all of your senses at our big fundraising event benefiting our local Veterans. Seats are limited so make sure to grab your ticket here, or consider sponsoring the event.
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Volunteer Spotlight: Recently, we’ve been featuring some of our more mature volunteers here, but this month we’d love to introduce you to one of our younger ones. Rylee Crawford has been volunteering with us for quite a while now; she started as a high school student earning community service hours, and is now a college student. Rylee helps us on Wednesday afternoons, and has also helped with some weekend programming. She is an active and involved young adult who has been involved in, among other activities, competitive fishing, she has done service in a veterinary office, and she has worked for the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office. Pretty stellar for a teen! We treasure her sense of humor, her enthusiastic and can-do work ethic, and her collaborative attitude with our staff and other volunteers.
Have you been considering volunteering? You don’t have to get hot and dirty helping with horse care and programs, if that’s not your style. Maybe you could connect us with potential sponsors, donors, and clients, or help us with events and fundraising. Learn more about volunteering and applying here! And see below for other ways to support us.
You might even end up on television! Yes, one of our volunteers will soon be featured on television! Our regional cable news channel, Spectrum News, has a weekly spot called Everyday Heroes, and wanted to feature one of our volunteers. Jennifer Sierra, who was featured in this newsletter a couple of months ago, was at the ranch when Spectrum News called asking to do a spot at the ranch with a volunteer, and agreed to be the featured volunteer. A photographer/videographer/interviewer came to the ranch last week to shoot the spot, and we are waiting for an air date. Exciting! We will post a link to the video here next month once it’s been added to the Spectrum News website.
Our beloved staff member, Emily Cardona, left us recently to move to New York with her husband, as he got a promotion there. She will be dearly missed! Here’s some of what Emily said in her resignation letter: "I just wanted to take the time to tell you how much I appreciate the opportunity to work at First Nature Ranch. I have been able to learn so many valuable lessons not only from the horses but also from the leadership programs. There are so many things you've taught me that I will be taking with me on my journey through life, to reflect, to build boundaries, to take the time to sit and breathe, but most importantly, to set the intention for my life to succeed. Thank you so much for the opportunity to be part of your team, and to be able to work with your horses that I hold so dear to my heart, and to be able to do such fulfilling work to help people who have similar struggles in life to myself." We’ve just started this week on a trial basis with a new horse care professional, and will introduce her next month once she aces her trial period. She’s got big shoes to fill!
In programming news, we are in the final stages of vetting organizations to partner with to conduct a whole year of twice-monthly Horse Sense for Teens programming for teens, to enhance their self- and social-awareness and regulation, and their emotional resilience. Using this grant, awarded through Central Florida Foundation, we will bring at minimum of 100 teens through the program by the end of June 2025. The 3rd cohort of our Horse Wisdom for Heroes program graduates at the end of this month! And remember our PASOS program, the grief support group for parents and spouses of suicide? Two of the members of PASOS will be visiting the ranch tomorrow, one local and one from Pennsylvania, who will be in the area with her family on vacation but wants to meet us in person, as well as the horses. We are delighted and looking forward to welcoming her! We have PASOS participants from all over the country: New York City, South Carolina, Florida, Louisiana, Arkansas, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Washington, and elsewhere! We don’t charge participants for this programming, though we do have program expenses. Thank you to Advent Health for their sponsorship, which is helping cover some of the programming costs! If suicide grief is near to your heart, might you consider helping us continue this programming?
Our Horses Healing Hearts programming for Help Now of Osceola County continues to be such a fulfilling effort for us, helping families recover from needing shelter because of domestic violence. We keep hearing that the impact is amazing, and we keep evolving the programming for even better outcomes for their staff, their women, and the women’s children. As you read this newsletter we will have completed our 4th month of year-long programming. The program funding covers only part of our expenses, so if domestic violence is a cause near and dear to your heart, please donate.
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Last week we hosted a monthly Seeds of Hope meeting at the ranch, and will be welcoming the Saint Cloud Chamber of Commerce Board Retreat in November, along with another women’s retreat. While we are not a party venue by any stretch, we do host events and retreats that have some alignment with our mission and focus. Our rates are affordable, with discounted prices for nonprofits and governmental organizations, so if you are looking for a venue for an event you may want to check out our gorgeous facility: contact me at kerul@firstnaturefoundation.org if you’re interested.
What a blessing that you find our work engaging, so kudos and big appreciation for continuing to read this newsletter! And thank you in advance for paying it forward by sharing with anyone who works for an organization that invests in employee wellbeing and leadership development, or that funds charitable organizations. We are making a little progress with our “The Year of Revenue” but if you could help connect us with any potential sponsors, or with interested businesses who might want to book a date for our Horseplay for Leaders playshops for their leadership teams (which help subsidize other programming expenses), or nudge your friends to donate, maybe through a Facebook birthday fundraiser it will help us continue our programs! And if nobody comes to mind, there are other ways you can help…please continue reading!
How Can You Help First Nature?
Each person is bestowed with gifts or resources that are valid and valuable. Every little bit helps, and your support can make a big difference in our mission and out community. Below are some ways First Nature is looking for assistance:
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Advocate: Let your connections know about us. Share our posts on social media. Forward our newsletters to a community leader who could use staff development for their team.
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Fundraise: We’re looking for someone to help us with grants and sponsorships. Have you helped a nonprofit with fundraising? If so, reply to this email and let’s talk!
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Donate: There are a variety of donations we accept; one time, recurring, in-kind gifts, etc. You can find out more and donate here!
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Volunteer: Your time and skills help us maintain our horses and facility. Get the application here. Or are you interested in serving as a board member for our nonprofit? We are still looking!
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Sponsor: Make an impact in the lives of a veteran, a teen, a survivor of domestic violence, or a parent or spouse of suicide. Become a program sponsor or just sponsor the whole organization! Learn more here.
From our hearts to yours,
Kerul and Crew
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First Nature Ranch / First Nature Foundation
“Where the past, present, and future of leadership come together for the dignity and benefit of all.”
