Building Hope-Capital Campaign
Phase 2: Building Hope
This image is fairly accurate–thank you AI. However on the bottom two photos, the front section would come out further. It is a 40×40 gathering area.
As we’ve continued developing our Forever Home, we saw an opportunity in Phase 2 to build smarter and steward resources more effectively. Instead of constructing two separate buildings (original Phase 2 and 3), we are moving toward one larger, multi-use facility that will allow us to serve more youth while lowering overall construction and operational costs.
This updated plan creates a welcoming central hub for mentoring, gathering, and year-round ministry while maximizing every dollar invested in the mission and getting us to an indoor riding arena quicker to better serve our youth.
As of 7/1/26, approximately $60,000 has been raised and we put in a driveway with a small parking area for summer 2026. Click on the ‘Donate’ tab above to see how you can give. Designate by writing: Building Hope.
History of SHYR
Scenic Hills Youth Ranch become incorporated in May 2018 and opened its doors one month later for sessions in June 2018. We were on a small corner of my brother’s borrowed property. We started with 2 horses, 8 kids and 5 mentors. We did not have team shirts or nametags, but we had a GREAT time helping kids in a very simple environment.
In 2019, we added three horses to our herd and served 16 kids. We had planned to double in size the following year but then 2020 came and with it, lots of uncertainty. We knew we had the unique gift of being able to run sessions because we were outside. We served 22 kids that summer. We also added two more horses for a total of 7 horses. We no longer had enough room on that small corner of the property for all of our horses so my aunt and uncle, who had a property close-by, allowed us to pasture our horses there and make hay for them. This started our 4 year journey of 4 trailer trips back and forth between the two properties every week to bring horses to the main Ranch for sessions and take them back to their pastures on the ‘off’ days.
In fall of 2023, we moved to my aunt and uncle’s property full time. In the spring of 2024, we made additional pastures, a riding arena and completed Phase 1 with a purchase of a portable tack shed (see photo below) so we could take it with us when God showed us our Forever Home. We started building the last weekend of April and opened 5 short weeks later on that property for the summer of 2024. It was an absolutely beautiful spot!
By 2025, we were looking for our Forever Home, we found it and started moving mid-summer. At this time, we had over 10 horses and at the end of summer sessions in August 2025, we moved the Ranch to its Forever Home just two miles north of Bloomer. A moment none of us will ever forget!
Fast-forward to the spring of 2026 and we had 15 horses, built a REAL(!) arena, secured an address, put in a driveway and small parking area and opened in June for Summer Sessions. We will also be bringing back Fall Sessions this year and will have served just over 50 kids. As we continue to grow, we are excited to be in this phase of fundraising to build a building. We look forward to offering additional programming and not canceling when it rains in the summer! Thank you for your partnership, prayers and financials gifts! Together, we can change the lives of kids/teens and families throughout western Wisconsin!
Phase 1
Funds were fully raised in 2024 for Phase 1. Thank you!
We moved to a temporary location in 2024 and watched God work miracles. We are so grateful to the land owners who allowed us to run The Ranch on this property. We built pastures, an arena and served families in full capacity for two years at this location. What an incredible blessing!
