|
Schools & Program
Visits - Mar, 2000 Issue #67
|
Aspen Ranch Cattle Drive
Loa, Utah
Kreg Gilman, Director Aspen Ranch
800-283-8334 (ranch.admin@ted.net)
Gil Hallows, Director, Aspen Achievement Academy
Visit Report by Jodi Tuttle
October, 1999
jodit@redrock.net
“Head ‘em up and move ‘em out!” were cries heard on the First Annual
Aspen Ranch Cattle Drive. No, it wasn’t students in the program, it was a mixture of educational consultants and other referral sources
for Aspen Ranch and Aspen Achievement Academy. This group was given the opportunity to experience first hand what it feels like as
a student to participate in a cattle drive. What a sensation, especially in the seat of one’s pants and the muscles of the knees!
I have to say that walking was a bit difficult for a day or two after the experience.
All went well on the drive until Elizabeth (Liz) Gordon’s horse
decided to take a time out at the waterhole and refused to leave. Liz Gordon is an educational consultant from Michigan. In order
for us to move on a handsome cowboy dashed to her rescue only to have his horse rare up and dump him into the waterhole. Well, Liz,
after seeing you work with the dolphins at the dolphin show during the last Independent Educational Consultant conference, we have
all decided that you might have more affinity for working with dolphins than horses.
During the weekend event, consultants not only had the opportunity
to experience a cattle drive like the students do, we also participated in an art project, ropes course events, and other activities
in which the students participate while at Aspen Ranch. Tom Callahan, educational consultant from Rhode Island, said “I can completely
understand how students feel when they sit on a horse and work cattle all day on a drive like this.” Tom was also my guide who led
me blindfolded (as someone who was a blind person) across the peanut butter swamp. We definitely learned what it means to depend on
other people and learn to work together as the students do at the Ranch.
The rest of the weekend was spent eating and visiting. We had a
barbecue at the cowboy camp and a feast at the hotel, and visited with students at the both the Ranch and Aspen Achievement Academy.
The cowboy camp had an old sheep camp wagon made in Mt. Pleasant, Utah, my old stomping grounds. Of course, I had to compare it with
my own sheep camp wagon. Mine might be a little more modern.
Anyway, the First Annual Aspen Ranch Cattle Drive was a splashing
success and everyone headed home with a new understanding of the value of both Aspen Ranch and Aspen Achievement Academy. Many thanks
to Kelly Ryan and the staff at both Aspen Ranch and Aspen Achievement Academy for producing such a valuable weekend. My advice for
consultants would be to get your name on the list for next year’s Cattle Drive. It will be well worth your time.
Copyright © 2000, Woodbury Reports, Inc. (This article may be reproduced
without prior approval if the copyright notice and proper publication and author attribution accompanies the copy.)
|