A Chance to Dream... A Chance to Do...

"A dream can be a fragile thing. And, for a young boy, the difference between a dream realized and a dream foregone often depends on things you and I take for granted."

A loving home with caring parents...enough food to eat...an interested teacher...a word of encouragement...a positive role model...and many other things like these can make dreams reality. Without them, the dreams of youth too often fade into the bleak reality of adult life without purpose or meaning.

Since its founding in , Texas Boys Ranch has been giving young boys the chance to pursue their dreams. To date over 500 young men and boys from more than 125 Texas communities and representing a variety of backgrounds and circumstances have called Texas Boys Ranch home. Some came because they literally had no place else to go; they were homeless. Others came through referral from social workers, seeking to remove them from home environments of abuse or neglect. Still others were referred by courts, wanting to provide these young men life choices and life skills beyond those leading them head-long into delinquency.

But no matter the circumstances bringing these young men to Texas Boys Ranch, they are given a renewed opportunity - both to dream and to realize their dreams.

The Realization of a Dream...

The Texas Boys Ranch was first conceived in by concerned citizens of Lubbock, who wanted to make a difference in the lives of homeless, neglected, dependent, and pre-delinquent boys of the South Plains area. Mr. and Mrs. Edwin L. Forrest also wanted to make a difference and, in , this pioneer Lubbock couple donated the land on which Texas Boys Ranch is located. With this act of concerned generosity, they took the first step in making a dream become reality.

Others soon stepped forward to help make a difference. The first cottage was finished in the summer of , and the Ranch was ready to accept boys. Simmons Pump Company donated an education/office building. Mrs. Fern Cone donated a recreation/dining hall.

In , the Lubbock Lions Club constructed a second cottage, and the Caprock American Business Club built a vocational training building. In , a beautiful chapel was completed, named to honor Mr. and Mrs. Ben Bruckner, Sr.

In , a third cottage was built by Lions District 2T2. The donations and support of countless others who wanted to make a difference, helped build a pavilion, corrals, animal shelters, and a hay barn.

In , the Lubbock Lions Club donated funds to provide for a new playground. Until then, the Boys Ranch did not have any kind of playground on campus. This new addition met a pressing need for the boys, who are now coming to the ranch as young as six years old.

A Dream in Action...

For the young boys and young men who call it "home", Texas Boys Ranch is, first of all, a place far different from what most have experienced - a working ranch covering some 320 acres located to the northeast of Lubbock.

The Texas Boys Ranch is also a place of opportunity, far different - and better - than most of these boys have ever known. TBR is a place to learn the value and rewards of hard work. It is a place to receive whatever individualized attention is needed to receive a sound fundamental education. It is a place to learn the value and rewards of cooperation, teamwork, and respect for others. It is a place that encourages healthy and meaningful religious experiences.

Every resident is responsible for his fair share of ranch work and household chores. In return, each boy earns wages and learns to manage his financial resources, held for each individual in a money management account. With their wages, boys buy their clothing and personal hygiene and other items.

The boys are taught the relationship between the work and effort they invest and the rewards - both financial and personal - they receive as a result. As they care for the ranch and farm animals, and as they haul hay, fix fences, do lawn care or repair work, or help in the dining hall, they learn real life skills. Equally important, they and their fellow residents become part of a real, functional, and supportive family. And, as part of that family, they learn what it means to be respected and to have respect for others. They learn to be proud of themselves and their abilities. They learn what it takes to be a responsible and productive citizen.