On October 5th, 2019, a new chapter in Honour House’s outreach was officially unveiled 10 kilometres south of Ashcroft, BC.
Located on 120 acres of rolling hills that overlook the South Thompson River, Honour Ranch is a tranquil retreat, a place of education and personal growth. Here, members of our Canadian Armed Forces, Veterans, Emergency Services Personnel, and their families can discover cutting edge strategies in the treatment of operational stress injuries including anxiety, depression, and PTSD. The goal: empower these heroes so they are better equipped to navigate the often debilitating emotional and physical stresses of selfless commitment to service.
But if we have been willing to give our lives to this enterprise, which is for the honour of our country, I appeal to our countrymen to see that those who depend on us are properly cared for.
For almost a year, volunteers and local tradespeople came together to restore and update the property’s 10 private cabins and family-style lodge. Like Honour House, donations in materials and cash poured in from many sources.
When COVID-19 shut down the world in March 2020, we had to adapt. We instigated new safety protocols and physical distancing standards. It meant fewer people onsite and a delay in opening.
But as heartbreaking as this unforeseen delay was, even the pandemic couldn’t dampen the enthusiasm and generosity of the many people who accepted the challenge, “your country needs you.”
Now this safe haven is ready to become a much-needed platform for mental health experts and specialists to deliver a diverse range of supportive programming including equine therapy, music, meditative practices and movements. All are required to meet one fundamental criteria. Any organization that presents a workshop or retreat at Honour Ranch must have an established infrastructure in place so when participants return home, they have access to a support network of professional practitioners.
Like Honour House, Honour Ranch receives no direct funding. It relies solely on donations and fundraising to meet its operating costs and allow our brave men and women in uniform to access these life-changing programs at no cost.
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES
Regular Force and Reservist members of the Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force)
EMERGENCY SERVICES
Police Officers, Firefighters, Paramedics, Corrections Officers, Sheriffs, Coast Guards, Emergency Dispatchers, Search and Rescue, Border Guards, Conservation Officers
VETERANS & RETIREES
Veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces and retired members of the listed Emergency Services Groups
THEIR FAMILIES
The immediate family members (wives, husbands, common law partners and their dependent children)
