Amy’s Vision

 

What began as a dream of Amy’s to one day be able to offer a safe place for hurting children who desire to experience horse riding – is now a reality in Las Vegas.  Through the safe haven of the White Horse Youth Ranch (Why Ranch), socially-challenged children experience healing by developing a passionate and connected relationship with their horse. Children are transformed through the application of the proven principles of respect, empathy and acceptance, ultimately empowering and inspiring children to become responsible and active members in their families and communities. 

Currently WHY Ranch offers 25 school children ages 5-18 an opportunity to experience horse time two weekends per month, September through May. However, now that WHY Ranch has its own property, it will begin to expand expand its programs to more than a hundred or more children per month attending after school.  The vision includes also providing a safe haven for both adopted and rescued horses to use in the program.  

Amy Meyer-Terry, the organization’s founder, has had a long- time desire to offer children this  nature-based hope  infused program while also preventing horses from  being neglected. She continues her search for a venue to promote both the inspirational and healing Diamonds in the Rough children’s program and the care and nurturing of horses. Amy’s grandparents created the Paul E. & Helen S. Meyer Foundation (“The Meyer Foundation”) to provide educational programs and scholarships for children. Paul and Helen Meyer also owned racehorses in Illinois, which had a major impact on Amy during her childhood.

After the Meyer Foundation was left in Amy’s care, she founded WHY Ranch which is designed, in part, to enable the Meyer legacy to live on by preserving horses and nurturing children. By reaching out to underprivileged children, WHY Ranch is able to provide them with a unique learning opportunity not generally available within Clark County and its traditional education system.“Our journey to bring this exciting program to Las Vegas began in 1994 when my family decided to incorporate the Paul E. & Helen S. Meyer Foundation to benefit college students and educationally based programs. When my grand-mother, Helen Meyer, went to be with the Lord in 2005, I took a deeper look at my life. I had spent the past 12 years dedicated to my grandparents’ and aunt’s care. After a few months in prayer, I believe the Lord urged me to research Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch. http://www.crystalpeaksyouthranch.org/,” commented Amy Meyer.“Crystal Peaks has an after school program involving horse therapy in Bend, Oregon. I was certain the Meyer Foundation board would think I needed psychiatric attention when I requested to start that same type of inspiring program here in Las Vegas. Thankfully, we agreed and thus began our sojourn to establish the White Horse Youth Ranch (WHY Ranch).

“The last five years have been a true walk in the valley of challenges and roadblocks, that have only strengthened our endurance. Due to challenges with our initial property, WHY Ranch now operates from three host properties in the Las Vegas Valley.“  Our greatest years to serve the youth in Las Vegas are ahead! In January of 2010, we began our pilot program with third generation World Champion Horsewoman & trainer, BJ Schafer!“  Our first ‘Diamonds’ were such an amazing group of kids who entered our program broken and shy. Words cannot describe the transformation. On the first day of our program, they were insecure as they affixed their helmets on their heads with uncertainty of the day before them. Then, there is that moment …that look in their eyes…. when nothing else exists except their horse and the wind flowing through their hair. The Lord is close to the Broken Hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18  “We at WHY Ranch are so blessed to provide continued hope to the youth of our community. We exist from donations from our community. We all know that donations are an incredible blessing in this economy! WHY Ranch has discovered a few ways to think outside the box that offer you the ability to give without affecting your budget. We would love to discuss these opportunities with you.

Thank you for allowing us to share our vision for Las Vegas. I request your prayerful consideration in making an investment in those precious lives. We are so blessed to watch the children grow into the future leaders of our community!”