McCrossan Boys Ranch Today & Tomorrow

Posted on Aug 16, 2016
 

Drawing on 38 years of professional experience with youth and young adults, Brian Roegiers spoke to member of the Rotary Club of Downtown Sioux Falls, Monday, Aug. 15, about juvenile justice in South Dakota and how McCrossan Boys Ranch offers “New Hope for a Better Life” to troubled boys, ages 9 to 20. Roegiers, who noted underprivileged youth have “a special place in my heart,” has been executive director of McCrossan since 1998. “By working on values, goals, education and life skills, we prepare our boys to live a balanced life outside the ranch,” says Roegiers. The private non-profit McCrossan Boys Ranch, situated near the northwest edge of Sioux Falls, serves boys who have experienced conflict in their lives and provides “one-on-one counseling as well as specialized educational services so they can heal and grow intellectually.”

 

 Program Highlights:

  • Melinda McCrossan founded the ranch in 1955.  She died in 1956.  She believed that if good food, moral support, religious training and a good education is provided to less fortunate boys, they will turn around.
  • The ranch serves 200 boys, and have 60-70 on the place at one time.  The boys mostly come from SD and the upper Midwest, but is open to all boys regardless race, religion, disability or national origin.  The majority have been abused and/or neglected or both.
  • A typical stay is 6-9 months, and some boys are raised at the ranch.  The Ranch has an on-campus year round accredited school and has sports teams known as the McCrossan Wranglers. 
  • The boys are provided with therapy, counseling, mentoring, medical services, group sessions, chemical dependency services, chaplain services.  There is an independent living program for boys 17-20 years old, who have no home to go back to.  Work is never given as punishment.
  • The ranch has been nationally accredited at the 100% level for the last 12 years.  It costs $230,000 per year to feed the boys.
  • Contact info:  47135  260th Street (north on Marion Road or take the I-90 Marion Road exit);  www.McCrossan.org

Next Week’s Program:

Molly Satter, Sioux Falls School Health Services, Avera—eCare School Nursing/Expanding School Nurse Access

 

August 15, 2016 meeting attendance:

  • 83 out of 313 or 27%
  • 55 of 83 attendees in attendance were Paul Harris Fellows or 67%
  • Others present at the meeting were:  4 Guests; 2 Visitors