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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November 2024
First Nature Notes: With Much Gratitude
Dear Friends of First Nature Foundation,
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It’s finally seasonally cooler here in Central Florida, with this morning being the chilliest so far this fall. I know it doesn’t sound cold at 60 degrees Fahrenheit, but there was a cold wind blowing hard, and I needed more than just a jacket! Hey, weather is why I moved to Florida! I get frostbite below 70 degrees.☺ We are all grateful for the cooler weather, and with it less grounds maintenance, although the fire ants are really giving us a run for our money this year! Their mounds are so numerous and persistent, and while we hate to use poisons at the ranch, it’s one of the very few toxins we feel are necessary to keep horses and people as safe as we can. Speaking of safety, we are starting a capital campaign to add outdoor lighting at the ranch so we can conduct evening activities for teens, veterans, survivors of domestic violence, and other program participants. Please give generously here or by clicking the button below! And see more on the details of our capital campaign a few paragraphs down.
November and December still usually offer temperatures in the 80s, sweaty and uncomfortable for our horses who develop heavy winter coats, so we had Goldi and Buster clipped in late October so they could be more comfortable until their hair coats grow back in the early part of the year when the weather is coldest. Our clipping professional, Brooke, gave Goldi a gift, which you can see in the photo below.
Volunteer Spotlight: October and November also brought us a new crop of volunteers you’ll be meeting over the coming months. However, one of our long term volunteers, Wendy Dabrowski, has been coming to help with horse care and programs over the last couple of years. Wendy is an active mom and grandmother, and donates time and attention to elderly people in need of assistance. She’s an accomplished artist, enjoys family time and walking her beloved dog, Lucy, and she’s a gem helping us with our programs.
From Wendy: “I’m originally from the Buffalo, NY area. My first trip to Osceola County was in 1961, to visit my grandparents. In 1991, our young family moved to St. Cloud, to be near relatives and to enjoy the sunny weather. I’ve seen a lot of change in our county. The dusty dirt roads, the abundant orange groves and the cattle ranches with Brahma Bulls were common sights. I appreciate that First Nature Ranch maintains the value of respect for our environment.
First Nature Ranch land is home to a wide variety of wildlife. While walking the trails with the horses I have had the pleasure to see Sand Hill cranes, turkey, deer, and the beautiful bluebirds. The ranch is a conscientious, Earth-friendly space.
In addition to being a volunteer at the ranch, I’m also a participant in the PASOS program. Volunteering has helped me on my path to healing. I help take care of the horses, but really it’s the horses that give back more to me with their gentle affection and peace. I am grateful for the opportunity to volunteer and connect with nature at First Nature Ranch.”
We’ve had a busy November, hosting the Saint Cloud Chamber of Commerce Board retreat, the IntegrateHer women’s retreat, a retreat for staff from Catholic Charities of Central Florida, and a Gun Safety Class, in addition to our regular programming. By the time you read this we will have graduated our 4th and final 2024 cohort of Horse Wisdom for Heroes veterans, and we are half way through making good on our grant for Horses Healing Hearts.
We are finally ready to make our public announcement about the grant we received for Horse Sense for Teens! This project was funded in part by a grant from the Rex V. Stevens and Dulciza Stevens Fund at Central Florida Foundation, an endowed fund at Central Florida Foundation. This endowment fund is a permanent community asset that was originally established by a generous individual whose desire was to help maintain and improve the quality of life in Central Florida. Their lasting contribution will help address current and future community issues forever. We have been working with Rebuild Yourself Inc., whom we’ve mentioned in previous newsletters, and with the Help Now of Osceola’s Pathways to Hope program to bring teens for this programming. We also started a pilot with Edgewood Ranch this past weekend, so we can be assured of bringing a minimum of 100 teens through the program by the end of June 2025. It’s been a busy autumn!
Capital Campaign Announcement! The next step in our evolution as a nonprofit is to add lighting to the inside and outside of our covered arena, so that we can run programs in the evenings. The lighting, estimated to be $15,000 in materials and labor, will light the interior of the arena as well as our parking area and open arena. When interviewing organizations for the aforementioned grant for Horse Sense for Teens, we had the impediment of busy teens who only had a few hours in the afternoon and evenings to invest in our program. In order to more fully serve our community and expand our schedule to accommodate those who may only be available during weekday evening hours, we want to create a safe and well-lit space to expand our programming offerings to more participants. Please help us reach our goal!
We’re in the news again! A reporter from the Osceola News Gazette, a local publication here in Central Florida, came to a Horse Wisdom for Heroes session and the newspaper published an article about the program. Thanks to those who attended and won silent auctions at our Whiskey Dinner Fundraiser last month, the proceeds from the fundraiser will help cover the costs for the first half of the Horse Wisdom for Heroes program in 2025, though we need more donations and sponsors for the second half of the year. PASOS continues to attract more members, and last week’s support group meeting had over a dozen spouse and parent survivors of suicide receiving solace by being in the company of others who understand the grief of losing a child or partner to suicide.
Want to use our ranch to host your event? Many events and retreats are private, and our rates are affordable, with discounted prices for nonprofits and governmental organizations, as well as for individuals. If you are looking for a venue for an event you may want to check us out and see if there’s a possibility to use our beautiful, serene, first class facility for your event: contact me at kerul@firstnaturefoundation.org if you’re interested.
As always, we depend on your ongoing support to continue our work. We so appreciate you for reading this deep into our newsletter and for those kind responses that keep us motivated to keep moving ahead! Please forward this newsletter to anyone you think would be interested in our work and in supporting us though donations, sponsorships, booking programs or events, or hooking us up with organizations who have participants who would benefit from our programs. Could you 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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Fundraising: We’re looking for someone to help us garner more 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: Check out the information about our Capital Campaign and help us meet our goal!
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Volunteer: Are you interested in serving as a board member for our nonprofit? We are still looking for several local people to help us reinvigorate our board and increase our impact in the community.
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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.
Wishing you a season of gratitude,
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.”
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