Volunteer for Erik’s Ranch & Retreats
Thank you for volunteering! Today there are three ways to help support Erik’s Ranch & Retreats:
- Erik’s Minnesota Adventures (a voluntourist opportunity)
- Erik’s Montana Adventures (a voluntourist opportunity)
- Help us spread the word!
Beginning in May
Erik’s Minnesota Adventures, an innovative program for young adults with autism, is set to launch. The May pilot will kick off the program that will gear up for more tours during the summer.
This program provides an opportunity for individuals with autism to use their unique talents and expertise to lead voluntourists on outings as experts in specific areas within the arts, history, sports, environment – whatever their passion. Whether you’re a novice or experienced, you will find an adventure that will engage your interest and ability.
Each four-hour tour in the Twin Cities metro invites six voluntourists to participate in adventures such as accompanying a skilled equestrian to the racetrack and participating in a private session with a jockey, attending an art exhibit at a quaint wine shop and learning about artistic technique and color, or learning about gangster activity in St. Paul during the 1920s. By participating in this program you are:
- Providing a unique community service
- Learning and experiencing something new
- Helping an individual with autism expand his or her network of friends and social skills
No specials skills or abilities are required to participate in tours. Registration for Erik’s Minnesota Adventures will be available beginning April.
Register->
Beginning in November
Erik’s Montana Adventures
We invite families with young adults with autism, voluntourists and outdoor enthusiasts, to relax and enjoy the tranquility of Montana’s breathtaking scenery. Join us at Erik's Ranch in Paradise Valley, MT, for a volunteering and vacation experience. Stay in a heated yurt on our secluded, mountain enclave. Enjoy skiing, snowshoeing into Yellowstone, and much more.
In addition to enjoying the natural surroundings, excellent food, pool and spa, you may choose from several activities and tours led by an experience guide, a young adult with autism spectrum disorder in residence. Whether you’re a novice or experienced, you will find an adventure that engages your interest and ability.
- Enjoy a cross-country ski tour through Paradise Valley. The experience guide will teach you the fundamentals of cross-country skiing on mountainous terrain, followed by an invigorating trip. Lunch "on the trail" will be created around a campfire, where you’ll enjoy a relaxing meal and conversation. Following lunch, you’ll don your skis once gain to take an alternate route home.
- Snowshoe into Yellowstone National Park and understand the migration patterns of large mammals in the Valley and the history of these animals in the Park.
- Unwind and relax in the winter wonderland of Paradise Valley with yoga. The experience guide will begin with a poolside 30-minute guided meditation to soothe your senses and bring your mind and body into the present moment. From there, you’ll pull on your winter outerwear for a 30-minute easy hike outdoors.
No specials skills or abilities are required to participate in tours. Registration for Erik’s Montana Adventures will be available beginning late Fall.
Register->
Spread the Word
Erik’s Ranch & Retreats is in its early stages. Our organization has made great progress, largely because of volunteers who hold the same hope for young adults with autism. As we continue to build the Ranch in Montana and Retreat in Minnesota, our most pressing need from volunteers is to understand what we are doing and why, and then to help spread the word.
Once we have enough physical and financial support, there will always be a need for volunteers to keep the project fresh, new and innovative.
For the moment, the service we need from volunteers who are serious about joining and growing with our endeavor includes:
- Attending monthly teleconference calls to learn about our progress and talking points to enlighten others about the program.
- Visiting www.eriksranch.org, reading our blog and signing up for our monthly e-newsletter by contacting Jessica.eastman@eriksranch.org, then sharing it with family, friends, co-workers, special education teachers and anyone else you believe could be an asset to this innovative undertaking.
- Liking us on Facebook. Tell your social media community to join the conversations.
- Tweeting about Erik’s Ranch & Retreats to share our story with the world. Start with this: Let’s focus on what young adults with autism can do, rather than what they cannot. www.eriksranch.org
As Erik’s Ranch & Retreats becomes more visible and our cause is championed by more people, a bright and engaging future will certainly replace the specter of a dismal institution for young adults with autism.
Thank you for helping make a dream a reality.
