JEGoodRanch Cattle for a Great Cause
by: Mark Park - Reprinted with permission from the Oklahoma Cattlmen’s Association It looks like a working ranch because it is a working ranch with many of the same goals of beef operations across the state. The endgame, however, sets JE Ranch apart. “The cattle support the charities associated with the
Scott Richey and his family use the JE Ranch near Blanchard as a tool to promote wildlife habitat, responsible agricultural practices and to reach out to kids. JE Foundation,” explains Scott Richey whose family is at the heart of a quest to help kids from all walks of life see the potential for a tomorrow that’s better than
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today. “The ranch is a teaching tool,” he continues. “It’s an opportunity for kids to learn about wildlife and the outdoors and how agricultural production can be a responsible part of nature. It also provides some wide open spaces — a place where a kid can be a kid.” The JE Ranch was organized near Blanchard in 1996 by Scott and his wife, Anne, along with Anne’s parents, John and Catherine Wotten. The Christianbased project reflects the family’s own appreciation for God’s handiwork, for nature and the importance of agriculture’s role. Most of all, however, it’s about the kids. “We’re just trying to be a small part of the answer,” Scott says. “There are too many kids hurting in all socio-economic segments. You get them out here on the ranch and you can see some of the innocence return that society has stripped away. There are a lot of kids with sad, hard eyes out there and if we can make them smile, well, maybe that’s a beginning.” All kinds of kids — both rural and urban — come to the ranch for a wide range of events, many focusing on wildlife habitat, hunting, conservation and other types of educational outreach. The charitable work of the JE Foundation is not limited to the kids who actually visit the ranch, though. The Richeys work with individuals and groups to assist youths and families in need. Projects like “Christmas to Remember” that provided clothes, toys and other gifts for more than 60