The Ranch

Children influence people everyday to do things with their lives that help change the world. And sometimes they can bring people together to achieve great things. The Pearson Ranch and BJP Youth Ranch plan on doing just that.

Beginning seven years ago, Bill and Jan Pearson began a ranch near Gainesville, MO where they could change the lives of youth in the surrounding communities through various youth rodeo events. As they saw the success of this venture, their dream grew to offer other programs to help an even broader array of youth and families.

Located just outside of Gainesville, MO, Pearson Ranch will continue to offer rodeos for all ages from spring to fall, with events almost every weekend, but that is only the beginning. With over 400 beautiful acres including ponds, the river, barns and arenas, horses and cattle, an airstrip and lots of beautiful pastures, there is plenty of things to do for "children of all ages".

The BJP Youth Ranch, a nonprofit organization, began by offering therapeutic riding, a "Hooked on Fishing not Drugs" and "Youth Opportunity" programs (At Risk Kids). However, the long term goals of the ranch far exceed these expectations. A ropes challenge course and a Jr. NRA shooting range is due to open up in the near future. Bill & Jan Pearson, owners of the ranch said, "Wouldn't it be great if there were kids here everyday."

The goal of the Jr. NRA rifle range is to acknowledge that many youth in this area are introduced to guns through many different avenues. By pairing the youth with an adult mentor through this course, the program offers the youth to learn not only about the guns but the safety requirements and responsibility that is often lacking with youth and guns.

The "Hooked on Fishing not Drugs" program will focus on giving youth the opportunity to learn about all types of fishing from local volunteer fishermen. This is a national program that local fishermen hope to bring to this area with the use of the ranch. Mentoring will be a large part of this program as well as the hope to give kids activities and direction away from the drugs and mischief that idle youth can be led into.

From that, the staff hopes the youth will establish bonds not only with the adults but with the horses and will then want to stay in the program and help as volunteers with the therapeutic riding and rodeos. Bill's vision is, "That if we can change the direction on one kid's life a year, then we will have achieved a great thing." Eventually his goal is to house youth on the ranch as a full time functioning youth ranch with "30-40 kids here all the time".

As a non-profit organization, the BJP Youth Ranch will need the help and support from people and organizations from the surrounding communities in order to achieve our goals. Donations from individuals, businesses and organizations are needed to keep these programs up and running.