“Nicolette was a return camper… And she was so excited that some of the camp counselors recognized her at registration! She had an incredible experience, once again! Both kiddos told me about their Bible verse and how they really understood how “God works all things together for good”. What Princess Leah said really resonated with them.”

“This was our 9 year old’s first time at Lonesome Dove Ranch and he had so much fun! He especially loved fishing and seemed to make some great connections with camp counselors. He struggles with anxiety, but seemed to really have a great time and tried some new things. Thank you all!”

“This is the first time I’ve ever picked kids up from camp that they cried and were inconsolable for several hours. EllaRose cried because she’ll be too old to attend next year and Keely cried because she loved it so much and was going to miss being there and seeing the counselors and other kids. They both had the best time and loved every minute of it. Thank you so much.”

“[NAME REDACTED] loved the camp. She talked about all the fun activities she participated in. It was so nice for her to have those experiences. It was also helpful to give our family a respite break knowing she would be experiencing so many things.”

“My child loved EVERYTHING about camp – and can’t wait to go back next year.”

“Everyone of you went out of your way to make this experience incredible! The photo albums, bags, gifts, crafts .. incredible! I cannot thank you enough for your willingness to serve our children well.”

“For us as foster parents, it was a time to take a breath and relax for a few days. We love fostering. It’s what we believe the Lord has called us to do in this season of our lives. That said, some days are long and hard. We have days that are met with the effects of trauma and leave us drained and exhausted. The days [at the ranch] provided us a chance to spend time with each other, without interruption, even go on a date (a first in 6 months!). There are restrictions with who can care for our children which mean we are limited in our abilities to spend time alone or go on a date. You’re willingness to volunteer your time and your ranch was such a gift to us as foster parents and the children we serve.

THANK YOU!!!”

“We are so thankful for the girls to have had the opportunity to attend camp. This was a first for Jaycee. She comes from a history of significant physical abuse and has spent more of her childhood raising her siblings rather than being a kid. These experiences are invaluable. She’s seeing what healthy relationships look like in being around adults that are kind, respectful, and loving toward children. Jaycee has a huge heart and loves big. While there, she felt loved, seen, and wanted. She was so excited for the time she got to spend at camp. It’s an experience she will never forget.

“Justice (9 yr) states her favorite thing was riding Hope, the horse. She stated “I got to go 2 times!” She loved swimming with her counselor, Andrea. She states, “Andrea was so nice.” She liked getting to ride the jet ski’s and got to “go fast!” That was the first time she’d ever gotten to do that. The bubbles were so much fun. She said, “they filled the entire parking lot!!!” Justice loved all the different crafts and described everything she made. Her favorite was sand art and slime.”

“Jaycee (12 yr) said her favorite thing was going fishing. She shared stories of Mr. Rich helping her and her most exciting catch, “Larry the Fish”. Jaycee states she “Caught so many fish”. Her most exciting and new experience was riding on the jet ski’s. She describes it as “the best thing ever!” She talked about a “tree that had fallen over during a storm but that it kept on growing”. When asked how that relates to her she states, “we can still grow when we fall”. Her most valuable thing she learned was “we are all loved by Jesus.””

“This was our first year to send any of our foster kids to camp. We will definitely be sending future placements to LDR camp in the future. As parents, we were highly impressed with the caliber of events and attention our girls received.”

“Warren had never attended a camp before, so this was an entirely new experience for him. He came home with lots of stories of how Camp counselors went above and beyond to help him stay on track, work out problems, and enjoy the activities.“

“Thank you for doing this. We are brand new foster parents and have not had a break is 112 days since he arrived when he left for camp. He needed it and we needed it. Words just can’t express what this means to us.”

Sam had a great time at camp. He is still talking about the people he met and the experiences he was able to enjoy. Sam has only been in foster care for 3 months and he told me about sharing his story with the other campers in his cabins and hearing theirs as well. I think it is so helpful to for him to connect to peers in a similar situation and know that he is not alone on this journey.

“We are so impressed in how registration is run. You have it down perfect. This was [NAME REDACTED] first time at a camp. His favorite was the fire truck. He was able to be with other kids and hopefully learn some social settings with a routine.”

“As always, my children had an awesome time. [NAME REDACTED] had so much to talk about! He absolutely loves fishing!!! He loves it so much, I think I need to buy him his own rod and reel. Lately he has been dealing with constant dishonesty. It warms my heart to know that he can freely talk about these things with camp counselors. But, I am especially overjoyed to know that he understands how he can lay things down at the foot of Christ.”

“My son had a blast. He is still talking about it tonight. When he got home yesterday, he said mom we should go to church and we did. I’m so thankful for this experience for him.”

“My daughter had a fantastic experience at Lonesome Dove Ranch! The horseback riding and jet skiing were definitely her favorite parts. Since this was her second year at Lonesome Dove, she felt more comfortable and enjoyed it even more than last year. Her leaders were wonderful, caring, and fun. We couldn’t ask for a better experience for our daughter! That you so much!”