Supporting Mental Health at Affinity Ranch

Thank you to the Rotarians who helped prepare several small cabins that were being moved from Mustang Ranch in Deer Trail to Affinity Ranch.  They removed the decks from the cabins prior to the cabins being moved.  Click here for more photos of the project, which extended over two Saturdays.
 

Why the cabins?  Here’s a note from Alicia Engebretson, President of the Board of Directors of Affinity Ranch:

The cabins are intended to be meeting spaces primarily with the intention of having sessions in a shaded area with viewing areas of animals. Psychotherapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech therapists can use these cabins as office spaces to work privately with animals and achieving their individual goals.  Many of the cabins will develop our mental health spaces where we can provide private counseling for youth and adults in the neurodiverse community. The mental health and other therapy programs will be human - animal as assisted and provided by licensed professionals.
 
Two of the smaller cabins will be converted for small-animal living spaces as their current spaces are literally falling apart and we are wanting to do more activities with these chickens, goats, sheep and alpacas.  
 
We would also use one small cabin potentially for prevocational skills like processing honey from the bees on site. 
 
One small cabin will also be needed for storing small animal care supplies near the small animal enrichment area.  Our plan is to incorporate a close supply area so it’s more of a natural habitat and participants/clients can be close to animals as they are assisting them in daily chores. This is safer for the client and the animals.