RAINBOW ACRES BLOG

If you were not on the Ranch this past weekend, we sure wish you had been!

Under the able leadership of Amy Elmore, the All Ranch Choir presented a 35-minute concert of music from the wonderful world of Disney.  It was a performance, both in sound and difficulty, that has been previously unmatched!

This was a concert born out of inclusion.  At Rainbow, there is a by-audition Traveling Choir, but also a choir that anyone can be a part of (deemed the All Ranch Choir).  Amy has a deep belief that the choir experience should, when possible, be inclusive.  With the Ranchers’s hard work and good attitudes, it was not only inclusive, but also beautiful!

Rancher Scott, who had been told in the past that he had no musical ability, performed a solo of The Ballad of Davy Crockett.  When he received tumultuous applause for his performance, he had a quizzical look on his face that seemed to say, “is this for me?”  It was a priceless moment.

Ranchers Pauline and Melodie also presented memorized solos, while Ranchers Nancy and Heather performed a duet.  It was the best I have ever hear any of them!

I am sad that some of you were not able to make it to this wonderful concert,  but we have good news!  The All Ranch Choir will perform a shortened version of the program they prepared for this past weekend at Rainbow’s upcoming family weekend.  Mark your calendars for the evening of September 24th for your chance to hear the Ranchers!  I promise you a great evening of song!

Rainbow Acres is pleased to announce a number of exciting employment changes that will be taking place this summer!  We are sorry to see the departure of valued employees Steve Gable (Rainbow Acres Comptroller) and Sam Gray (Assistant Ranch Director), but are thrilled that they are embarking on exciting new life journeys.

While we regret saying goodbye, we are pleased to welcome two new staff members to the Rainbow Acres Family.  David Perkins, former Baptist missionary to India, will be coming on as the Director of Programs & Counseling (aka Assistant Ranch Director), effective July 1, 2010.

In light of the new responsibilities that the new community center will bring, Ranch Director Eldon Elmore has agreed to accept a new position as the Director of the Palmer Community Center. Mike Kowalski, who currently serves on the Rainbow Acres Board of Trustees, has accepted our offer to become the Director of Ranch Operations & Staff Development (aka Ranch Director).

Please pray for Rainbow Acres during this time of great transition.  We regret saying goodbye, but look forward to welcoming new and able talent to the Ranch.  To read more about the employment changes, click here.

On Tuesday, June 1, the members of the Rainbow Acres Horse Crew eagerly boarded a van at 8:30 a.m. to head over to Future Hope Equestrian – a horse training facility just outside of Cottonwood, AZ.  Recently, the Ranchers have been anxiously following the story of Mercedes – a mare who gave birth to a foal only about two weeks ago.  They were all so excited to see the little one!  The two weeks the Ranchers had to wait before seeing the foal were well worth it.  They immediately fell in love with the little foal, and some began to ask when Rainbow could have one of their own.

In addition to the excitement and learning afforded by the opportunity to see a baby horse, the day at Future Hope was filled with love, support and service.  Future Hope Equestrian has been a wonderful supporter of Rainbow’s journey into the equestrian world.  They often provide rich educational opportunities, and the Ranchers have made several trip to Future Hope to observe and participate in training activities.

For this particular visit, some members of the Horse Crew were asked to help clean rocks and debris out of a few of the riding arenas.  All of the Ranchers pitched in and did a wonderful job!  Picking up rocks can seem like mundane work, but the Ranchers who have worked with horses know it is an important task in horse management.  The Horse Crew often discsses the consequences of too many rocks or sharp objects in the riding area.  These included hoof bruises and punctures.

It is amazing how much information the Horse Crew has learned when it comes to working with the Ranch horses.  Opportunities to put that information into practice in a new environment, like Future Hope Equestrian, help show that the knowledge is solid and can be practically applied.  The Ranchers take their equestrian education seriously and show a deep sense of responsibility and pride in all that they have and continue to accomplish.

Hypertactility can be a real pain to live with – literally!  The tags on your clothes constantly itch and rub.  The feel of fabric on your skin can be a constant distraction.  You sneeze when you encounter sunlight.  Fragrant perfumes and foods with great texture illicit strong, negative reactions.  You may even be more ticklish than normal!

Individuals suffering from hypertactility often fidget more than others and avoid social contact to relieve some of the symptoms.  And really, who can blame them?  It takes a lot of energy to not run screaming into the night when any encounter with sound or feel can be a painful experience.  Individuals who experience hypertactility use extreme amounts of energy coping and compensating for the many uncomfortable and distracting sensations in their lives.  And, as was discussed in previous posts, these compensatory responses can be misinterpreted as  behavioral problems.

One of the main focuses of Neurodevelopmental Therapy is helping individuals with hypertactility become more comfortably in their own skin.  By helping the brain build new pathways – the pathways it needs in order to appropriately take in tactile stimulation – Neuro can help improve the quality of life for hypertactile individuals.