On Sept. 29th the Queensbury Convention Centre in Regina was bustling with hundreds of people, all with a common goal – to celebrate the past and welcome the future of Ranch Ehrlo Society.
Dr. Gordon Barnhart
The evening began when Ranch Ehrlo powwow club, one of the longest running and most successful clubs in the agency, drummed in dignitaries and special guests.
The event was hosted by former Lieutenant Governor Dr. Gordon Barnhart and Rustie Dean of My92.1. Between his duties as MC, Gordon shared personal anecdotes of his experiences with Ranch Ehrlo founder Dr. Geoff Pawson and the resiliency he saw from Ranch youth during his time as lieutenant governor.
Several dignitaries, including the Minister of Social Services Tina Beaudry-Mellor, Minister of Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness the Honourable Ralph Goodale, and Andrew Koster, Child Welfare League of Canada (CWLC) chair brought congratulatory messages. Many others, including leader of the official opposition, Trent Wotherspoon, and Senator Pana Merchant, attended.
Community members, current and former staff, and several former Ranch Ehrlo Society youth were also in attendance.
Andrew presented Ranch Ehrlo with a CWLC Special Recognition Award in commemoration of our 50th anniversary.
“Ranch Ehrlo is recognized across the country as a leader in children’s services,” he said.
“Children and youth from virtually every province and territory have called on the Ranch for residential services.”
Andrew Koster and Jeannette Walls
“The Child Welfare League of Canada applauds the commitment of the Ranch to improving entire communities through its outstanding programs,” he continued. “Stronger communities and supported families provide the best opportunities for children and youth.”
Ranch Ehrlo was one of the founding members of the Child Welfare League of Canada and Ranch Ehrlo president/CEO Andrea Brittin is currently serving on the CWLC board of directors.
Keynote speaker Jeannette Walls gave an emotional, touching presentation following the vein of her bestselling memoir, The Glass Castle. She spoke about her difficult childhood, but the theme throughout was that we all have the power to shape and create our futures, regardless of our past – a message we strongly believe in at Ranch Ehrlo Society as we work with children and families to overcome trauma and in turn build strong futures.
Thank-you to all our sponsors for helping to make this evening as great as it was. A total of $42,000 was raised for Ehrlo Sport Venture.
We look forward to serving youth, families, and communities for many years to come.
Below is the 50th celebration video that played during the evening.
To see more photos from the event, visit our Facebook page.
