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 St Jude’s Assistant Family Teacher Rosalind Francis helps Priscilla (left) and Kim (right) with their homework assignments. Photo by Marvin Pfeiffer
Staff Writer
Every kid deserves a kind, loving home and that’s exactly what St. Jude’s Ranch for Children in Bulverde wants to give them. For children who have been abused or abandoned and found their way into the foster care system, St. Jude’s Ranch offers an alternative to bouncing from home to home. “Our mission is to rescue abused, abandoned and neglected children,” said Community Relations Coor-dinator Erika Curtis. “Our goal is to provide them with a brighter future and break the cycle of child abuse.” The ranch was the dream of Jack Adam, an Episcopal priest in Nevada. In 1966, he organized a celebrity-packed gala called Nite of the Stars to raise money for the original St. Jude’s Ranch. Stars such as Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra helped raise $30,000 to create a safe haven for children of all races and religious backgrounds. Eventually, the organization spread to campuses in Boulder, Colo. and Bulverde, which provides the same services as the Nevada campus. In addition, an emergency children’s shelter in New Braunfels cares for children up in the age of 13 in crisis situations and until a more permanent shelter can be decided. Today, the ranch looks more like a summer camp than a home for abused children. Cabins line open fields with a playground located in the center. Honey the ranch dog often rounds the area, checking on all her favorite people. One point that often needs clarification is St. Jude’s Ranch has nothing to do with St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital for terminally ill children other than sharing the the name of the patron saint of Jude, protector of the desperate causes. “We’re the best kept secret in Texas,” Curtis said. “People are always surprised when they come out here.” However, the staff at St. Jude’s does more than simply give kids a roof over their head. They give children a home. The ranch provides an outcome-based personal therapeutic program, tailored to fit the child’s needs and goals. The program believes that by providing a structured program in a save and loving environment, abused children will be able to reach long-term goals and live stable adult lives. “We can provide a family environment,” Curtis said. “We can show them what a family environment should be and feel like. We have staff 24/7, checking on the kids at all times. Our kids have constant support, guidance and structure. For so many of them, that was missing before. We take for granted having the experience of a normal childhood. That’s what we want to give these kids.” At St. Jude’s, even teen-agers get to relive their childhoods. All holidays are celebrated in an enthusiastic manner, with the staff educating children on holiday expectations, such as how to thank someone for a gift. Other lessons are simply about getting through day-to-day life. Curtis said several children have to be taught not to hoard food because at St. Jude’s they will always have a meal. Other children are amazed they get to go to school every day and have more than one set of clothes, or their own toys. For many children, they experience their first birthday party at St. Jude’s Ranch at 13 or 14 years old. Campus Director Arnold Valdez said he still remembers a child who told his teacher he was proud to have seven shirts and seven pairs of underwear that he didn’t have to share with anyone. “The idea is that every moment is a teachable moment,” Valdez said. “A lot of what we do is re-teach relationships — father and son, teacher and student, friendships. You’re always going to get support. Going to school is a right and we’ll make sure you get there and get what you need. And they also learn lessons about giving back. I try to teach them that even if your situation isn’t great, it can always be worse.” Cody, a teenager at St. Jude’s, is an enthusiastic participant of the program. He said that Arnold was one of his favorite people and through the program he had found a job at the Harley Davidson dealership in Gruene. “They do so much for me,” Cody said. “They help me organize things for the future.” Although the camp has had a few kids leave the program, most of the children become overwhelming success stories. All four students who were old enough to graduate last year, did graduate. Three went on to San Antonio Community College. One is majoring in pre-med. Valdez said the staff and children at St. Jude’s are an extremely close-knit community. Many who have passed through the program keep in contact with staffers. “Once a ranch kid, always a ranch kid,” he said. “Many people are surprised our kids are regular kids. Our kids could be anyone’s kids. They’re just regular kids. “ St. Jude’s Ranch is gearing up for its Halloween celebration next week. Donations of individually wrapped candy and gift cards to purchase prizes are welcome. The center can always use donations of toiletries, clothing, toys and common household goods such as paper towel and toilet paper. For more information, visit www.stjudesranch.org, or call (830) 885-3203. Or, e-mail Erika Curtis at ecurtis@ stjudesranch.org. |
