60
Acres of pastureland outside Freeland
2,500
Children served every year
40+
Years serving children beyond Christmas
100%
Volunteer-run, mostly Whidbey locals
A family ranch that outgrew its family.
Dick Francisco, Don Rall and a group of other Seattle-area families bought the ranch in the mid-1970s so their kids could get out of the city. By the mid-1980s those kids had grown up, and the owners, some of them founders of The Forgotten Children’s Fund, realized the ranch could serve deserving children beyond the Christmas program, promoting old-fashioned fun in a cowboy environment.
It started with groups like Ryther Child Center, Children’s Orthopedic Hospital and the Northwest Burn Center. Today the ranch hosts 2,500 children a year from a variety of challenged backgrounds, with ranch activities and a peaceful refuge for them and their families, supported by volunteers who are mostly Whidbey Island locals.
First horse rides
Gentle horses, patient volunteers, and a corral where many kids ride for the very first time.
Cowboy for a day
Hats, boots and western dress-up, then room to roam the pastures and play freely.
Tractor rides to the beach
The hay-wagon ride down to the water is the day’s favorite trip, every single time.
Open to every child
Wheelchair-friendly grounds and volunteers at every moment, so the whole family can join in.
“My wheelchair enabled me to scoot all over the ranch with no difficulties, and the volunteers were there at every moment. They even brought out a horse I was admiring just so I could pet him. Sebastian usually hates to wear clothing he’s unused to, but today he blossomed. He was so thrilled to dress up as a cowboy. ‘Thank you’ isn’t enough, but it’s all we have.”
“It was the most relaxing day our family has had since I remember. Our kids were delighted by their very first horse rides. Both our ASD kiddos were relaxed the whole time. For safety reasons we don’t get out much. We will remember this day for a long time to come. The ranch was magic for them.”
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