St. Jude's Ranch for Children

T-14 days and counting until our BIG grand opening for CROSSINGS at St. Jude's Ranch!

We are getting excited!! 

It’s getting close…our big grand opening for CROSSINGS at St. Jude’s Ranch, a supportive housing program for homeless 18 to 25 year olds, is just two weeks away on, MONDAY, JUNE 11, 2012 AT 10:30 AM.  Your invitation to the event is attached, the Press Release will come later. 

This is a one-of-kind facility and program in Southern Nevada that will help support homeless young adults, many of whom have aged out of foster care.  Why is this important to our community? 

• A recent National study showed that 7 in 10 young adults who age-out of the Foster Caresystem will be homeless within 18 months.
• A recent report estimates the lifetime monetary value of saving a single high-risk youth to be anywhere from $2.6 million to $5.3 million per youth.
• The average total cost of providing intensive family preservation services ranges from $3,100 to $10,000 per year. Compared to the lifetime cost to society for a high risk youth, this equates to a 255 to 532 times return on investment (ROI). 

We need to support these young adults, give them a chance, provide them the services they need and allow them the opportunity to become successful, contributing members of our community.  Please join us in celebration of this momentous occasion as we break ground on a facility and program for them! Help us spread the word to the whole community about this exciting program!  

Download Crossings_Invitation

 

2012 Props and Wheels Poker Run

Don't miss this really cool event! Las Vegas' only land AND water poker run benefitting St. Jude's Ranch. How fun is that?  For more info click here or you can also download the flyer.

SJRC to be featured at NHRA Drag Races!

We just received this exciting information from Mary Ray ..read on to learn how SJRC is headed to the NHRA Drag Races...

Anybody looking for some fun drag racing and supporting our St. Jude's Ranch kids at the same time?? My son, Michael Ray, rides a Pro Stock Motorcycle for Gottspeed Racing at the NHRA drag races. These races are held all across the country and telecast on national television. This year the bike will have For the Love of Kids and Harleys and St. Jude's Ranch for Children on it, as well as a "text to donate number". St. Jude's Ranch for Children will also get a lot of TV exposure as the commentators at the races will mention it every time Michael races and he will be interviewed several times over the season. We will also have a table set up at each race displaying St. Jude's Ranch mission, pictures, etc. The qualifying races are televised on ESPN2 on Saturday evenings and the eliminations are shown on ESPN2 on Sunday evenings. I have attached the television schedule, but don't worry, I'll send reminders every time the races are on! Also, you can follow him on his driver blog at NHRA.com. On Saturday, April 21, 2012, 2:00 pm,the motorcycle will be unveiled for the first time with the new paint scheme on it at Gruene Harley-Davidson in New Braunfels. The motorcycle will also be on display at the Bulverde Campus in October for the Las Vegas race. Please keep Michael and his safety in your prayers as he races for our kids. Will keep you posted!!

9th Annual "Moms Rock" Mother's Day Tea to be Held at Southern Highlands

“Non Traditional” Garden Party and Brunch Benefits Children in Foster Care 

WHO:  Over 300 women, children and even a few lucky men from across southern Nevada

WHAT:  Celebrate the bonds of families and friendship at “MOMS ROCK,” the 9^th Annual Mother’s Day Tea and Brunch benefitting Child Focus at St. Jude’s Ranch for Children.  This year’s event will feature live entertainment, a hat parade, special activities for young “princesses and pirates,” a silent auction and raffle, and a special drawing for a mother/daughter diamond pendant designed exclusively for the event by MJ Christensen Jewelers.  The Diamond Heart Award will also be presented to Diana Bennett, chief executive officer of Paragon Gaming, for her lifelong support of children and youth in southern Nevada.

WHEN: Saturday, May 12, 2012 from 11:00 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.

WHERE:  Southern Highlands Spa Clubhouse

WHY:  The 9^th Annual Mother’s Day Tea was created to honor the mothers, daughters, sisters, grandmothers and friends who enrich the lives of many in our community every day.  Billed as a “not so traditional tea for the not so traditional mom,” the event is open to the public and is the primary fundraiser for Child Focus at St. Jude’s Ranch for Children, the only nonprofit program in southern Nevada dedicated to preserving the bonds of siblings who are separated through foster care. 

Las Vegas Valley women will celebrate moms twice in one weekend this year as Child Focus’ 9^th annual Mother’s Day Tea, “Moms Rock,” takes place on Saturday, May 12, from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. at Southern Highlands Spa Clubhouse.  The event is the organization’s largest annual fundraiser, designed to raise both funds and awareness for Child Focus’ mission of connecting siblings who have been separated by the foster care system. 

Each year, the annual brunch offers mothers, daughters, grandmothers, aunts, friends, children and even some local men the opportunity to celebrate the care giving contributions of women in the community.  This year, Diana Bennett, chief executive officer of Paragon Gaming, will receive the Diamond Heart award for her ongoing commitment to children and youth in the community.  The “My Special Mom” award will also be presented to an adoptive or foster care mom, or to a recipient who has played a significant role as care giver in the lives of children throughout the community. 

Since 1999, Child Focus has been the sole service provider in Clark County devoted to the mission of preserving sibling bonds while children are in foster care.  In southern Nevada, there are over 3,200 children living in the foster care system at any given time.  Of those children, 45 percent are unable to be kept with their siblings during this challenging chapter in their lives, and once separated, the majority of these children are never reunited. Each year, Child Focus reunites siblings through a variety of programs and activities, including marquee events such as Camp To Belong and the Gift of Giving holiday celebration.  In March of 2012, Child Focus was acquired by St. Jude’s Children’s Ranch and is now operating as part of the umbrella of services the organization provides to abused, neglected and abandoned children in southern Nevada.

 

20th Annual TCA Open Car Show Just Days Away!!

As you may have read in past years and posts, St. Jude's Ranch is a benefactor of the annual Texas Corvette Association's Open Car Show. This year is their 20th Anniversay and it's going to be HUGE!  (You can view photos from last year's show here.)

Founded 33 years ago in 1979 by two Corvette enthusiasts, the Texas Corvette Association today has grown to more than 300 active members.  With monthly meetings, social gatherings, dinner events, road rallies, car shows, local parades, performance events, restoration parties and more, the club offers something for everyone. 

 

Today, the TCA’s car show continues and what started as a small one day event has grown to a three day event and a Saturday show that last year alone comprised more than 300 entries.   From street rods, to hot rods, to daily drivers, if you love cars, you won’t want to miss this event. It was even featured in Corvette Enthusiast Magazine a few years ago.

 

The Saturday car show is just a third of the fun.  Friday evening April 20th features a dinner and dance at the Boerne Convention Center while Sunday, April 22nd offers a Hill Country Run that departs the WalMart in Boerne, travels through the beautiful hills of Texas and concludes at a lunch for all at the House Pasture Cattle Company in ConCan, TX.

 

With more than twenty-five registration classes as well as music, vendors, food and more, the event promises a day of fun, relaxation and a chance to meet and mingle with lots of great people.  If that sounds like fun, then come join us!  Registration for the show is $25 and includes a t-shirt. A $10 raffle ticket could win you a 1996 SVT Mustang Cobra and admission to the grounds is free for all.

 

For more information on the show and related events, visit www.texas-corvette-association.org and click on the ‘Car Show’ link. We’ll see you at the Main Square in Boerne on Saturday, April 21, 2012.

Pregnant and Parenting Teen Program Receives New Furniture

 

Through an ongoing partnership with Ashley Furniture, our Pregnant and Parenting Teen program in New Braunfels, TX recently received more than $50,000 in furniture.  "We are so excited for our kids today!" said Kimberly Chavis, Program Director, for St. Jude's Ranch for Children.  The collaborative effort is a result of of both Ashley Furniture and St. Jude's Ranch working together to improve the lives of our children and provide a safe, functional and comfortable environment for these new mothers and their babies. Click here to view the photos and THANKS SO MUCH ASHLEY FURNITURE!!

 

 

St. Jude's Ranch for Children's Turnaround Featured at the Tuck School of Business at Darmouth College.

St. Jude’s Ranch’s Chief Executive Officer, Christine J. Spadafor, has been selected to participate in the Alan Smith Visiting Executive Program at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. The Program brings senior business executives to Tuck to share their expertise in different industry sectors. Christine's participation in the Program includes co-teaching the Tuck case study on the Ranch's turnaround (Download SJRC_CaseStudy), now part of Dartmouth curriculum with Professor John Vogel.

 

 

Bulverde Lions Club Continues to Reach Out to St. Jude's Ranch

Hi readers - Click here to read the great article featured in the "Community Circular" spotlighting the great relationship between the St Jude's Ranch Bulverde Campus and the Bulverde Lions Club.  Thank you Bulverde Lions Club!

 

Live Beyond Challenge at Copper Ridge a Success!

The below press release comes to us from Copper Ridge - our thanks to them for a fantastic event!

For Immediate Release 
For More Information Contact: Copper Ridge
Todd Menger – 830.885.6951 tmenger@southlp.com 

The Live Beyond Challenge at Copper Ridge is Super Charged as they Drive Donations and Awareness toward Local Charities!

February 2, 2012

Members of the Texas Corvette Association showed up with their shiny dream machines to support the Live Beyond Challenge at Copper Ridge, benefiting St. Jude’s Ranch. Copper Ridge is an affiliate of Southerland Communities and National Land Partners. At last count, the company’s give-back program had been able to donate over $22,000 to local charities.

The New Braunfels based community of Copper Ridge is half-way into their year-long Live Beyond Challenge. “The program is a way to facilitate the connection between local businesses and non- profit organizations and bring them together by driving awareness and building relationships,” says Jay Patterson of Southerland Communities. “...this is what the Live Beyond Challenge is all about.”

Attendees of the event were able to walk the amazing line- up of cars, which offered a glimpse of past, present and future models of corvettes. Fantastic philly cheese steaks were made to order by Buffalo Wings and Rings and to top it all off, Two Tarts Bakery provided their best deserts. Entry to the event, as well as, all of the activities was completely free.

The event, in support of this month’s charity partner, St. Jude’s Ranch, has currently raised $2,000.

“We are very grateful for all the support and hard work that Copper Ridge-Live Beyond the Challenge event has provided for St. Jude's Ranch for Children and our community. With their generous contribution, it allows us to continue to provide a safe haven for abuse, abandoned and neglected children. With the help of Copper Ridge we are a stronger community and a better place to live. Thank You!” says Sylvia Leal of St. Jude’s Ranch.Save the Date:

The next Live Beyond Challenge at Copper Ridge is scheduled for Saturday, March 3, 2012 from 11:00am to 6:00pm and will benefit Connections.

The “Live Beyond Challenge”, is promoted online at http://www.copperridgetx.com/livebeyondchallenge/index.html and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/copperridgetx

And through the following media sponsors: KJ97, WOAI, Q101.9, 92.5, Ticket 760, Mix96.1, Clear Channel Outdoor, JACK FM, KTSA, KKBQ/KTHT-FM

About Copper Ridge’s Live Beyond Challenge:

The Live Beyond Challenge partners Copper Ridge, local business sponsors, and non-profit organizations with the common goal of hosting monthly events, focused on giving back to the community. Copper Ridge has agreed to donate $1,000 from every land purchase made during a Live Beyond Challenge event to a chosen charity each month.

About the Copper Ridge Property:

Copper Ridge is a beautiful community in the Texas Hill Country that features 1 to 3 acre parcels situated in New Braunfels. An extensively landscaped, gated and guarded entrance welcomes residents to Copper Ridge. Just beyond the entrance are beautiful homesites and a community park that will feature a resort-style pool, Texas-style pavilion with fireplace, BBQ and picnic tables, tennis and basketball courts and scenic walking trails.

What makes Copper Ridge so perfect is a dominant ridge that provides incomparable views from every vantage point. The ridgeline’s east to west orientation is gradually terraced, thus affording almost every ridgeline property owner unobstructed panoramic views of the distant hills, the peaceful meadows below and sunrises and sunsets of every hue. The ridgeline gradually transitions to grassy meadows with islands of oaks and cedar elms. The space is open enough to afford big sky views while providing the right amount of cover to separate you from your neighbor.

Copper Ridge is an affiliate of National Land Partners, LLC, the largest and most successful buyers and sellers of recreational and residential land in America. Their mission is to help every day people realize their dream of land ownership and to help them find the perfect piece of property where they can build a home.

Calendar of Events:

For a full calendar of all Copper Ridge events and the Live Beyond Challenge events please visit http://www.copperridgetx.com/livebeyondchallenge/index.html and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/copperridgetx

###

 

 

DaVita's Efforts Amazing During Volunteer Service Day in Boulder City, NV

You may recall a post awhile back about volunteering opportunities at our Boulder City, NV campus.  We are so grateful to all those who came out to help.  We recently received this video link from DaVita - one of the organizations who came out to the campus to make our surroundings a little better for our precious children.  Take a look at the amazing things they accomplished - congrats on a job well done all and THANK YOU!!

http://vimeo.com/31806570