Reason to Believe’s Fall Family Fun Fest

Fall is steadily approaching. Hay bales, pumpkins, sweaters—it’s a perfect time to be outside and celebrate the season with family. What if you were able to enjoy all the splendor of autumn while supporting victims of human trafficking, at-risk children and those suffering from disabilities?

On October 26th, Reason to Believe Ranch is hosting their annual Family Fun Fest. From 2-5pm participate in a variety of activities for everyone in your family. Throughout the day there will be opportunities to interact with the horses and learn about what this organization is doing to help those in need. 

The ranch was founded in 2002 by Prim Cockrell, an expert in show horsemanship. Believing in the power of equine therapy, Prim’s dream of helping others became a reality. Today, Reason to Believe is a certified nonprofit organization committed to restoring faith, confidence and self-worth to anyone dealing with pain or suffering in their lives. Programs vary from after-school riding opportunities for inner city kids to teaching victims of abuse and addiction how to love again through caring for horses. Laurie Weathers, a volunteer with Reason to Believe and one of the event coordinators, believes in the power of horses. “Reason to Believe gives hurting people a place to simply get better,” said Weathers. “Horses are caring creatures. This is sharing God’s love to at-risk people through horses.”

Showcasing nine championship show horses and 10 mini horses, Reason to Believe has the opportunity to restore faith and confidence to those in need. At the fun fest, you will have the chance to meet Mr. Hollywood, Pepper and all the other horses who are changing lives.

Start your day of fun in the early afternoon. Embark on a hay or cart ride with the kids. Take a family photo in front of a festive ’59 pickup. Lead a mini horse through the hay maze. Snack on your fall favorites like popcorn, spice bread, trail mix and more. Let the little ones play on inflatables or get their faces painted. It’s only $5 per activity or participate in all the activities with a $20 pass.

This year’s event is focused on raising funds to support an after school program. The after school program reaches out to inner city children ages 6-13. They get to ride, work and care for the horses, while learning valuable life lessons. “The kids come out and work with the horses and journal about their experiences,” said Weathers. “They also need a chance to have their own things—their own helmet, healthy snacks and a t-shirt to remember the experience. We want to be able to provide that.” A long-term goal for the after school program is to have enough funds to buy a van or bus to transport students to and from the ranch. Currently, the ranch depends solely on volunteers for transportation.

The ranch relies on donations to keep the programs running. Plenty of opportunities to learn more about the programs and how to help will be available at the fun fest. In addition to seeking sustained pledges of support, there will be opportunities to contribute to the cause at the event. Raffle tickets will be sold prior to the event—for $25 you’ll be entered to win two round-trip tickets with Southwest Airlines; for only $10 try your luck at winning a brand new Western show saddle.

“I hope this event will raise more awareness about what Reason to Believe does to support the community,” said Weathers.   

Learn more about Reason to Believe Ranch at reasontobelieve.org. Reason to Believe is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.