ELECTRICITY COMES TO THE RANCH

PG&E installed a new transformer at the ranch which will bring electricity needed for planned projects such as: the horse hospital, visitor's welcome center, library and classroom in the barn, arena lights, as well as to make activities after dark safer. Funds must be raised to build these planned projects and the installation of electricity provides a major part of the foundation for building them.

A water system is the next component for bringing our building projects closer to reality. The ranch is in need of donations or deep discounts on: a small compressor, 5,000 gallon water storage tank, 1,000 feet of 4 inch PVC water pipe, and twenty 4x4x2 tees. Please contact Diane if you are able to supply any of these materials.

OUR BARN IS FILLED WITH HAY!

Our horses have been blessed with an anonymous donation of nutritious grass hay trucked all the way to the ranch from Oregon. Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch facilitated the generous donation that will supply enough hay to feed our precious equine counselors for a year!

Quality hay is our single biggest ongoing expense and it's a challenge to raise funds to meet this need each year. This special donation frees our limited budget to finish other important ranch projects and reach more children.

Please join us in praising God for the miraculous ways He continues to meet the needs at Morning Star.

CUESTA COLLEGE STUDENTS RAISE FUNDS

Cuesta College students in a Speech class for Working in Small Groups was challenged to adopt a local charity and do a fundraiser for them.  Morning Star Youth Ranch was blessed to have been chosen by one student group who collected recyclables and furnished donation jars in local businesses to raise funds.
Alyssa Reynolds, Matt Bower, Gwendolyn Pratt, Tiara Sterrett, Amanda Gouin, and Shannon Noel worked together for their class session to raise $160.00.  Shannon drove out to the ranch with her children to present the check to our program director, Diane Odell.
Morning Star gratefully thanks the caring students who volunteered their time to provide the donations. Thanks also go to the numerous businesses who supplied counter space for the donation jars including DK's Donuts and the Cowgirl Cafe.

RAINY DAYS

The ranch has turned a vibrant green after the weeks of much needed rain. The horses love nibbling the sweet blades of grass.
Volunteers working to feed and brush mud off of the horses are grateful for the work done in the summer to install drainage and spread DG to provide walkable pathways. Ms Fire has been elected "mud queen" of the pasture.

RAIN CAUSES FLOODING

Above average rainfall has brought some flooding as the ground has become saturated. Residents and volunteers don rubber boots to wade through pools of water to go about their ranch chores. The dirt road became difficult for regular passenger cars as a running creek formed at the front gate.

LIVE NATIVITY SCENE

Morning Star volunteers dressed their parts for a live Nativity scene while a talented, caroling, family sang to those attending the Vine Street Showcase in Paso Robles. Despite rain showers the event was well attended and hundreds enjoyed the Christmas message.
Special thanks go to Mark and Delisa Harris for hosting the players on their beautiful front lawn.