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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July 2021
First Nature Notes
Check out all our latest updates.
Dear Friends of First Nature Foundation,
It has been a rainy summer this year, following a long spring drought. Our pastures suffered badly, but we limed and fertilized in June, and the rain helped them recover well. This is the first year we had to feed our horses hay all the way until late June to make up for the grass that usually grows in spring. The flower gardens were so much happier with all the rain, as well, though areas of the pasture tracks have had a lot of standing water, so we have been washing the horses’ legs quite frequently as they get so muddy.
In event news, this month we held our first “large” event, a celebration of life gathering for Kerul’s husband, Dave, with over 50 people. It was the first time we rented tables and chairs and had a catered event at the barn, and it went off very well, a good omen for future events
We are currently starting to take reservations for private events at the ranch. Events should have some alignment with our mission (see www.FirstNatureRanch.org). Email me at kerul@firstnaturefoundation.org if you are interested in learning more about our hosting an event.
We have several programs on the schedule for this summer and fall. On Friday, September 10 we will run our well-received Horseplay for Leaders introductory program, designed for newer leaders. In this program, which runs from 10 am – 3 pm, we partner with the horses to teach about some core leadership concepts and more specifically about communication and how to overcome barriers to good communication.
We are working on developing more advanced modules of the program that focus on diving deeper, with topics such as emotional intelligence, resilience, and more. More about the program can be found here. We have also scheduled Leading for Change for Teens for teen girls in the foster care system, which will start in mid-September. And we have been talking to a local yoga instructor about scheduling classes and retreats at the ranch, too. Let me know if you are interested and I will send you the info when it is ready.
Our PASOS (Parents and Spouses of Suicide) Grief Support Group continues to be scheduled for the first and third Wednesday of each month via Zoom. Our list of folks who have registered is growing each month. If you know someone who has been struggling as a parent or spouse of someone who took their own life, please pass along this information to them: https://www.firstnaturefoundation.org/pasos-parents-and-spouses-of-suicid.
And we are scheduling an invitation-only Grand Opening for September 25 in the early evening. We will send out invitations next month. Let me know if you would like to be included on the list!
We are grateful that all our horses are doing well. We regularly work with all our horses on trust and leadership. Max and Buster, our new horses, are making progress in becoming well-mannered members of our herd
Our model is to work with “experts” who consult with or coach or provide services to specific audiences (for example to veterans or autistic folks or executives in the healthcare industry) who are excited to bring these leadership skill-building opportunities with horses and nature to their clients. Together, we would collaborate on designing and delivering programs for their particular audiences. Come see what the facility has to offer in case there is any collaboration potential. Or maybe you know any groups or experts who might want to run a program or two or hold an event there, especially now that we are starting to actually schedule them. We are willing to consider hosting events at the ranch, as long as there is alignment with our mission. I’d be happy to give you a private, individual, socially distanced tours. Please contact me at kerul@firstnaturefoundation or instant message me on Facebook to set up a time.
Take care and stay healthy!
Kerul and crew