Dear friends! We are thrilled to share this incredible news with you—Ride On St. Louis has secured a permanent property for our Forever Home! Hooray! 👏👏👏 After five years of displacement due to recurrent flooding, we've been working towards generating awareness, funding, and a watertight (pun intended) campaign strategy. The generosity, enterprise, and dedication of many, including you, have made this not only a reality, but one with tangible results. We are deeply grateful to every one of you who has contributed to this major milestone, and ever trusting and grateful to our Lord for providing for all our needs as we navigated this unprecedented endeavor.
So I'm sure now that you want all the details! This new property opens up a world of possibilities for those we serve. With nearly 30 acres of ground, caretaker's residence, and a convenient location merely 3 miles off Highways 21 and Z, the excitement is palpable as we envision the positive impact we can make in the lives of so many.
As we prepare to transition our herd and services to the new location, there is work and renovation to be done first. In the first phase, there are existing structures to demolish and a barn to buildout with stalls, tack room, and work areas in and outside of the barn. Utility lines to establish and the beautiful rolling fields will need to be sectioned and fenced, among other activities. We are hopeful to complete this phase in the fall of 2024. During this improvement phase, our programs and services will continue in their current capacity, serving children and adults with disabilities at our temporary residence in Cedar Hill, near House Springs. Ride On St. Louis retains a wait list of 116 people of all ages seeking our services, and our herd of service horses will need time to adjust to their new environment, as well as undergo re-evaluation and training to determine appropriate involvement in programs that have been abbreviated, suspended or altered at our interim location over the last five years.
We ask for your continued prayers and support during this exciting transition period. There will be numerous volunteer opportunities for individuals, groups, and skilled laborers, and our staff and campaign committee members continue their development efforts and event planning to raise immediate funds to renovate and improve the property prior to our full transition onto the property. We are looking forward to scheduling an open house in the future, where we can all celebrate together! As we continue to raise funding for this monumental project, prepare our herd, and work towards the full transition of our programs and activities to our new location and Forever Home, we thank you for standing by us and believing in our mission. Together, we are making a difference!
-All of us at Ride On St. Louis!-