Kids Don’t Come with an Instruction Manual

All parents wish their children came with an instruction manual. It often feels like we are just making it up as we go along, not sure if we are getting it right. Join the club, you are not alone! We have all felt that way.  Healthy Families Nebraska Panhandle – a home visiting program through Panhandle Public Health offers support and guidance to expecting parents and for those that have young infants; during what can be a confusing time. The focus is on strengthening parent-child relationships, healthy child development, and enhancing family well-being. This is all done in the comfort of the family’s home at their convenience.

Community Support

With great community support, we are able to successfully assist families with many of the resources needed. With a recent grant from the Snow-Redfern Foundation, we were able to purchase, cribs, crib mattresses, and car seats; to assist our enrolled families with these critical resources. We take pride in ensuring safety of our families and our community; many of our staff are Certified Car Seat Safety Techniques as well. To witness the gratitude from the families for the aid in resources needed for their children, is a special moment to be part of.

Let’s Celebrate!

The evidence-based home visiting model, Healthy Families America recently celebrated 30 years of serving families and our local program has been around for 10 years.  Stronger families will lead to stronger communities!

We are committed to partnering with vital programs, such as Healthy Families, to ensure children across the state have opportunities to be healthy and happy.  By sharing a gift with us, you are assisting kids in so many ways!  Invest in kids today: https://www.snowredfern.org/give-today/

For more information about our FREE and Voluntary Program visit us at: http://pphd.org/Pages/hfa.htm

Learn more by visiting their website and Facebook page! Like our Facebook page

Carpenter Center Executive Director, Matt Carpenter, shared his appreciation with us recently, saying

“Area kiddos could not participate in the annual Carpenter Center Summer Camp without the generous support of the Snow-Redfern Foundation!”

Matt hopes to impact MANY  this summer!

“Snow-Redfern’s generosity allows us to remove financial barriers so that no matter a child’s financial status they can have the summer camp experience at NO CHARGE! Our summer camp continues to provide fun, summer activities, in addition to literacy, intergenerational opportunities and food sustainability tracks. Our camp is full every summer, and COVID-19 did not change that. We realized how critical it was to continue camp, so we just restructured it and carried on. We are deeply grateful for the support of the Snow-Redfern Foundation!”

As summer quickly approaches, we want to ensure all kids have the opportunity to be safe, healthy, and happy.  Consider investing in the GOOD life for kids by sharing a gift that will impact many kids this summer, such as those at Carpenter Center!

Give Today – Snow-Redfern Foundation (snowredfern.org)

A Tribute to Arvilla Snow-Redfern

The Young Women’s Leadership Program is being developed as a tribute to our fearless founder, Arvilla Snow-Redfern.  For decades she dedicated her life to growing great kids that came to her ranch in need of structure, skills, nurturing, discipline, and purpose.  She created an endowment for the express purpose of ensuring perpetual support of kids that needed what she so openly provided in her lifetime.

We think that implementing a program that is specifically aimed at creating opportunities for young ladies to gain experiences, skills, and self-awareness of their innate leadership potential is a project worthy of Arvilla’s respect and approval.  Afterall, who better to emulate a program than our fearless female leader who was developing structured programming long before it was considered “proper” for a woman to be doing.

“The first year of the Young Women’s Leadership Program is underway and has been structured as a pilot project.  This allows us to test various aspects of the framework so we can strengthen the overall program design and content for future cohorts.  It also provides opportunity to elicit input from a cohort of young women as we develop the program parameters, including curricula design and logistics”, said Teresa Sanders, Snow-Redfern Foundation board member and Young Women’s Leadership Committee Chairperson.

Kick-Off

The program kicked off on February 20 with a focus group facilitated by ToP facilitator and Executive Director of Panhandle Partnership, Faith Mills.  Six high school girls from Gering, Scottsbluff, Morrill and Hemingford shared their voices in this robust conversation in a beautiful venue that was donated by another strong female leader in our community.

Lisa Weborg, owner of Hotel 21 and Weborg 21 Center, created a space for the girls to convene.  After completion of the two-hour facilitated discussion, the girls were thrilled to take a tour of the lavish hotel’s main floor.

Among the multitude of insights shared by the girls was their feedback about descriptors of female leaders, which included: nurturing, hard-working, organized, responsible, persistent, assertive, self-aware, able to do things for themselves.  They also expressed that female leaders often have to work harder than males in order to get what they want/need.

The Program

The short-term cohort-based workshop series is designed to enhance the leadership skills, college/trade preparedness, and/or career development of young women in Nebraska. The program prepares 16- to 19-year-old female presenting participants for the workforce, post-secondary education, and leadership in their communities.

There will be a four-workshop series for this first cohort, which will include content ideas expressed by the girls as important to them as they develop their leadership skills.  The curriculum is currently being designed by Allyson Berggren, Service Excellence Director at Regional West and previous elementary school teacher and principal.  The workshops will be facilitated by Dr. Maya Chilese, seasoned ToP facilitator, administrator with Public Health, and owner of Blueprint Consulting LLC.  Dr. Chilese has also been instrumental in the development of the Youth In Power program for which Snow-Redfern Foundation awards funding to Panhandle Partnership and CAPWN to implement.

“The workshop series will be presented virtually”, said the facilitator, Dr. Maya Chilese, “creating a more intentionally inclusive cohort design that allows participant diversity and the ability for young women to join from anywhere in Nebraska.  The design lends itself to a more robust model that integrates technologies, skill introduction, and relationship building with broader impact that can be scaled and repeated for future cohorts.”

 

As we grow this program, we are seeking support from those interested in sponsoring the development of curriculum or sponsoring a future participant.  Please contact Sara Nicholson at [email protected] or at 308-763-6370 if you are interested in investing in this program as it expands state-wide next year.

As this exciting project unfolds, we will be sure to share updates!  Keep an eye out for these incredible young women!

The first time Leslie Shaver, new Snow-Redfern Foundation board member, recalls truly taking an interest in children and their circumstances was when she was working as a lifeguard for several years in high school and in college.

“The differences were very apparent”, she said.

Even in a small community it was clear to her that children had different opportunities available to them and different types of love, care, support, and attention at home.  For some, the pool, with its usual lifeguards and regular patrons, became a safe place and a second family during the summer.

These same observations continued into adulthood when Leslie became an attorney and on occasion handled cases on behalf of the local municipalities that involved adjudicating juveniles.  Those early observations about not every child having the same opportunities and levels of care and guidance became even more glaring when dealing with teenagers and the situations they found themselves in within the court system, and when advocating for parents about what was in their children’s best interests in child custody cases.  Those experiences, coupled with seeing what is possible for all children eventually in the higher education realm, in which she currently works, are what made her want to be a part of the Snow-Redfern Foundation.

 “I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of encouraging and creating positive opportunities and experiences for children in Nebraska!”

 

The National CASA/GAL Association for Children reported that, in 2017, 9 out of every 1,000 U.S. children were determined to be victims of abuse or neglect. Physical abuse and neglect are two of a number of highly stressful, potentially traumatic experiences known as “adverse childhood experiences,” or ACEs. Children who have experienced abuse or neglect are far more likely than others to have experienced a large number of ACEs.

Court Appointed Special Advocate® (CASA) volunteers are appointed by judges across Nebraska to advocate for children’s best interests. This best-interest advocacy makes a life-changing difference for children and youth who have experienced abuse or neglect, many of whom are in foster care.

Through our funding to many of Nebraska CASA’s, we hear touching stories that demonstrate the great need for these incredibly big-hearted volunteers. Executive Director, RuAnn Root of CASA of South Central Nebraska, shared a story about a 3-year-old boy named “Tommy.”  (Real names of children are withheld to protect them.)

A Boy Named “Tommy”

“Tommy” was removed from his house when he was 3-years old. When the police initially responded to the family home, Tommy answered the door holding a beer can, trying to take a drink. The police entered the home and attempted to wake up the mother who was recovering from a hangover and still in bed at 2:00 pm.

The police removed the child and placed him in the custody of DHHS. Tommy was so scared during the removal, crying, wetting his pants, and not letting anyone get close to him. The DHHS caseworker came around the corner and gave him a suitcase filled with emergency supplies such as soap, shampoo, clean clothes, undergarments, socks, a toy, etc. The suitcase had a picture of the cartoon character, Sully from the movie Monster Inc.

Tommy ran to the suitcase and began to hug it and kept poking the “monster” in the eye, which caused him to laugh. He loved that suitcase so much he refused to walk to the caseworker’s car. Finally, he agreed to go once the CASA volunteer secured him on top of the suitcase. When he was being strapped into the car, he asked that his suitcase be strapped in beside him and when they arrived at his new foster home, he again refused to walk into his new foster home until allowed to ride on top of Sully.

The suitcase program is funded by Snow Redfern Foundation and has helped CASA provide essentials that foster kids may need.  The presence and kindness of CASA volunteers also helps to reduce trauma, while reminding children that someone cares for them.

The Impact of Trauma on Children

Experiencing abuse, neglect and other forms of trauma can impact physical and mental health, academic achievement, and more. The support of a CASA volunteer can help children build resilience to counter those impacts.

The Importance of Supportive Adults

Having a stable relationship with a supportive adult can also help children do well, even when they have faced significant hardships. CASA volunteers are trained to understand the impact of trauma on children. They spend time with children and the people in their lives. They talk to service providers, teachers, and social workers to gather information that will help them make informed recommendations to the court.

Based on what they learn, CASA volunteers also advocate for services that promote healing, which help children develop resilience without causing additional trauma, and that encourage the strengthening of parents’ relationships with their children.

We are proud supporters of the CASAS’s across our state and are very thankful for the love, compassion, and strength they share with foster children, when they need it most.

Once upon a time two brothers who lived on adjoining farms fell into conflict. It was the first serious rift in 40 years of farming side by side. They had been sharing machinery, trading a labor and goods as needed without a hitch. Then the long collaboration fell apart. It began with a small mis-understanding and it grew into a major difference which exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence.

One morning there was a knocked on elder brother’s door. He opened it to find a man with a carpenter’s toolbox.

“I am looking for a few days of work”, he said. “Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and there. Could I help you?”

“Yes!” said the elder brother. “I do have a job for you. Look across the creek at that farm. That’s my neighbor, in fact, it’s my younger brother and we don’t get along. Last week he dug a wider passage for water into his farm. But he ended up creating a very wide creek in between our farms and I am sure he did it just to annoy me. I want you to build me something so that we don’t have to stand and see each other’s face from across.”

The carpenter said “I think I understand the situation. I will be able to do a job that will please you.”

The elder brother had to go to town for supplies, so he helped the carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off for the day. The carpenter worked hard all that day measuring, sawing, nailing.

At sunset when the elder brother returned, the carpenter had just finished his job. The elder brother’s eyes opened wide and his jaw dropped. It was not what he had even thought of or imagined. It was a bridge stretching from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work, beautiful handrails. And to his surprise, his younger brother across the creek was coming to meet him with a big smile and arms wide open to hug him.

“You are really kind and humble my brother! After all I had done and said to you, you still shown that blood relations can never be broken! I am truly sorry for my behavior”, the younger brother said as he hugged his elder brother.

They turned to see the carpenter hoist his toolbox on his shoulder.

“No, wait! Stay a few days. I have a lot of other projects for you,” said the older brother.

“I’d love to stay on”, the carpenter said, “but, I have many more bridges to build!”

Moral: There is no shame in accepting your mistake or forgiving each other. We should be kind and humble. We should try to stay together as a family and not break away from it over the petty arguments.

Teresa Sanders, new board member, shares a bit about what has brought her to this moment in her life.

“Work Hard and Be Nice to People.”  This short sentence and simple sentiment is the most valuable advice I have ever received.  This is a choice that ultimately becomes a way of life.

I have gravitated towards leadership roles throughout life and I have to rewind all the way to my childhood to understand the “how and why” of this path.

I grew up in a small farming and ranching town on the eastern plains of Colorado. My two brothers and I worked for my grandpa year-round on the farm and ranch.  Every fall, we put in 60 miles of electric fence around cornstalk fields, ran cows on the cornstalks all winter, and then took all the fence back out when the cows went home in the spring.  60 miles of fence requires using a sledge-hammer to manually pound 4000 fenceposts into the ground.  This could be classified as just one of many excellent examples of manual labor in the production ag industry!

Girls Can Do Anything Boys Can Do

There’s an important reason I share this piece of my history.  At 9 years old, my grandpa started treating me a little different than my brothers.  He seemed to be going easy on me since I was “a girl.”  He was being the ultimate gentleman but my 9-year-old self was not having this at all.  I sat him down and set the record straight.  I let him know that I could work as hard as my brothers and do everything that they could do….period.  He listened with a smile and bless his heart, he acted accordingly, and I am forever grateful to him for that.

At this young age it seemed simple to me, you either were a “doer” and you worked hard…. or you weren’t.  Those that were the “doers” were going to get further ahead and closer to their goals than those who sat back and watched.  To this day, I still believe this 100 percent.

Being Driven and Working Hard

I often think of this story and how it influenced my life.  I went on participate in as many activities in high school as I could, started a business when I was 17 years old, served as a Colorado State FFA Officer so I could travel the state and work with high school students, and held multiple jobs while I was in college at Colorado State University to put myself through school.  When a person is driven and works hard, they are always moving forward and regret will rarely knock on their door.

My favorite volunteer opportunities are those that involve youth AND agriculture!   4-H and FFA are two youth ag organizations that provide an unlimited amount of personal development, leadership opportunities, and FUN to youth.  I encourage all youth to check out these two programs the first chance they get.  One thing kids may not know is that you don’t have to have an agricultural background to join 4-H and FFA – they are truly two organizations where there is opportunity for everyone.  And is there fun?  Absolutely…positively…yes!  Having a great time should rank right near the top of everyone’s life priorities list.

I was touched by the history of how Snow-Redfern began.  It’s a story of the giving spirit of love and family combined with agriculture and hard work.  I was honored to join the Snow-Redfern board and I look forward to being a part of their positive influence on today’s youth and ultimately generations to come.

-Written by Teresa Sanders

Amy Gullion currently serves as our Executive Assistant, but she has been impacting youth through our foundation for 38 years! Over nearly 4 decades, Amy and her husband, Steve, have held various positions with the foundation and the Nebraska Boys Ranch and even raised their children at the Ranch for a period of time!

Amy generously shared a bit about her history with Snow-Redfern Foundation and the impact it has had on her.  Anyone that has had the opportunity to meet Amy has felt her warmth and compassion, and it is no wonder that she has impacted so many kids over the years.  She expresses, however, that it was working at the Ranch that changed her perspective on life, stating, “You don’t have to look very far to see someone worse off than you.  Reaching out to those in need gives them hope!”

Let’s hear from Amy on some of her experiences at Nebraska Boys Ranch!

How did you and Steve find yourselves working at the Ranch?  What year was it?  

Steve had applied for the Recreation Director position,  but they had hired someone else.  There was a houseparent job, so we accepted that position as a “couple” in 1984.   When we had our interview at the Ranch, we fell in love with the area and were drawn to wanting to help the boys that we met.   We had a 3 year old son and 3 month old daughter when we moved from Lincoln to the Ranch.  At that time, housing was provided for us connected to the housing for 8 teenage boys. 

What were your general duties as house parents?  

When we were hired, there were no night staff, so our duties were 24/7 with 8 teenage boys – doing just what you would do with your own kids…..getting them up, reminding them to brush their teeth, make their bed, put their laundry away, making sure they were on the bus on time for school or activities, work along side them on “work crews” (cleaning the house, etc)  As a house mother, I helped with the cooking when the full time cooks were off duty and supervised boys in the kitchen.

What was it like raising your own kids at the ranch?  How did it help make them better people?

It was both difficult and rewarding raising our own kids at the ranch.  We were only house parents for a couple of years out of our 25 years at the Ranch as Steve became the Recreation Director and late on the Campus Administrator.  I worked in the office at the Ranch and later at the Business office in Alliance.   When we lived away from the campus area, it was easier to separate our own kids and as they grew, they became involved in school activities and friends.  We still ate meals “family style” in the dining room with the boys.   It helped our kids become compassionate and caring adults.

What impact do you think you and the other house parents/staff have on the boys at the ranch that came to you with so many challenges?  

 I feel we, as staff/house parents, had a great impact on the boys that were at the ranch.  We set boundaries, created some structure for them, but had fun, too.  When first went to the Ranch, there were boys who had been there for 7 years, so it was their “home”.  As time went on, the boys did not stay at the ranch near that long and it was difficult to really make a difference.

Perhaps you can take a moment today to send Amy a message and tell her how wonderful she is!  It is the incredible humans, like Amy, that make our world a better place for kids!  Thank you for all you do and all you are, Amy!

For the past six years, the Cirrus House youth services has co-hosted a mental health awareness arts exhibition along with the West Nebraska Arts Center, with Snow-Redfern Foundation as a funding partner.

Cirrus House has worked with dozens of local artists of all ages to share stories and images of trials and healing every year.

“In 2021 we decided to try something new and after completing our typical two-month stint the Bronson Gallery in Scottsbluff, we have taken this year’s show “Re-Bound: New Beginnings” on the road”, shared Matt Reese with Cirrus House.

Traveling Exhibit

This traveling, pop-up version of the exhibit has been in Chadron, Oshkosh, Kimball, Bridgeport, and is currently on campus at WNCC in Alliance, where it will stay until January 31st, before moving on to the next stop.

The show has been very well received at the different venues, and Cirrus House has received excellent feedback. In addition, they have been invited to return next year, and plans are already underway for their 2022/2023 mental health awareness exhibit.

Planning for Next Year

Next year’s theme will be “The Hero Inside: Comics and Mental Health,” which will run in the Bronson gallery from September through October 2022 before making the rounds across the Panhandle.

These art shows are but one small part of what Cirrus House does. From their Day Program, to their counseling program and Community Support programs, they are dedicated to providing the people of the Panhandle with mental health services, from the most urban to the most rural environments.

Without partners like the Cirrus House, many kids would not be able to access quality mental health support in the Panhandle.

As a kid growing up on a small farm and ranch outside of Bayard, NE, new board member Sean Ridgeway did not initially realize the life skills he was gaining from his rural circumstance. Growing up in FFA and 4H programs taught him the value of responsibility, giving back through volunteer service in addition to the many other values farm and ranch life teaches kids.

Achieving Dreams

His life has taught him to work hard to achieve dreams and Sean lives by his favorite quote, “doubt will kill more dreams than failure ever will.” (by Suzy Kassem).

Sean nurtured those “farm/ranch kid” traits and belief in shedding self-doubt long after graduating from Bayard in 2009 and heading off to obtain is bachelor’s degree from the University of Wyoming. While there, he took his childhood service learning to heart and continued to serve on the executive committee for both Collegiate FFA and Block and Bridal while studying for the achievement of his Ag Business degree. After arduous work and dedication to his studies, he graduated with a business emphasis so that he could return to the world of agriculture that he grew up in and give what it had given him in his formative years.

“As a young 4-H and FFA Member my goal was to be able to one day help the youth the way several of my mentors helped me along the way. There has always been a piece of me that has wanted to give back and at the time I didn’t understand how.”

Becoming a Community Leader

As Sean has grown into his position as a Community Banker at FNBO over the past 6 years and reflects upon his past experiences with FFA and 4-H, he has realized that he has the capacity to give back in new ways. In addition to being a new board member with Snow-Redfern Foundation this year, he also currently sits on the Chamber of Commerce Ag Committee for both Alliance and Scottsbluff/Gering Chambers, the Community Redevelopment Authority in Alliance, and the Carnegie Arts Center Endowment Board.

In addition to all his hard work in the community, Sean also enjoys spending time at the ARC or spending time in nature with his beautiful wife, Molly, their baby girl, Brecklynn, and their two favorite fur babies, Riley, and Nellie.