Dear Affinity Ranch Family,
It is hard to believe that our summer session is already coming to a close. While summer always brings new opportunities, I am excited to welcome back many of our riders who took the season off and to continue building on the progress of the wonderful new participants who joined us this summer.
We were also thrilled to host two outstanding speech camps in partnership with Kieva Speech Therapy and Dragonfly Speech Therapy. These camps brought incredible energy to the ranch, introduced us to many new families, and highlighted the powerful impact that equine-assisted services can have on communication, confidence, and connection.
A heartfelt thank you goes to the volunteer teams from Journey Church and AdventHealth, who spent time serving at the ranch during some of the hottest weeks of the summer. From mucking paddocks and feeding animals to helping with general ranch maintenance, their willingness to serve with such positive attitudes made a tremendous difference. We are deeply grateful for their partnership.
As summer comes to an end, excitement is building for our Ponies with Purpose Gala! Final preparations are underway, and we are looking forward to an unforgettable evening celebrating the life-changing work happening at Affinity Ranch. If you plan to attend, I encourage you to purchase your tickets soon, as seating is limited and we expect the event to sell out.
If you are unable to join us in person, you can still participate by bidding in our online silent auction, which will open approximately one week before the gala. Our live auction will be exclusive to guests attending the event. Sponsorship opportunities are also still available, and we would love the opportunity to discuss how your business or family can partner with us to make an even greater impact.
This week, a parent shared with me how remarkable it has been to watch her daughter's world expand because of her experiences on horseback. As she spoke, I found myself remembering when I said those very same words about my own daughter years ago. Moments like these remind me that what happens at Affinity Ranch is so much more than riding lessons. Every lesson builds confidence, independence, hope, and possibility.
As we prepare for our largest fundraising event of the year, we are not simply raising dollars—we are creating Unbridled Possibilities for the more than 200 individuals currently waiting for services. Meeting that need will require all of us working together. We need financial support, additional instructors and therapists, dedicated volunteers, and more equine partners to help expand our programs.
Affinity Ranch is home to the largest equine-assisted services campus on Colorado's Front Range, giving us an incredible opportunity to serve even more individuals and families. Together, we can reduce our waitlist and ensure that more people experience the healing, growth, and joy that horses make possible.
Whether you choose to make a donation, volunteer your time, share our mission on social media, introduce us to a friend, attend the gala, or connect us with horse owners who may be interested in leasing a horse into our program, you are helping change lives.
Thank you for being part of the Affinity Ranch family. Your generosity, encouragement, and belief in our mission make everything we do possible. Together, we are creating a place where hope grows, confidence flourishes, and lives are transformed—one ride at a time.
With gratitude,
Shannon Forslund
Executive Director, Affinity Ranch
