Danielle Kelley, originally from Long Island, New York, came from a childhood scarred with abuse from a close family member. She found solace, peace and purpose when she was introduced to a horse owned by her girl scout leader, as a young girl. Danielle and that horse, bonded to such depth, that it gave her hope and a reason to want to live.
Danielle had always dreamed of one day owning her own horse, every picture she drew in her growing years featured horses with a little girl on top, in a saddle or walking and leading the horse with a rope to a beautiful mountain setting with a lake. In that setting Danielle would escape with daydreams of one day owning such a beautiful ranch filled with beautiful horses of all kinds.
Encouraged by her Girl Scout leader Nancy , Danielle began to spend many hours with Nancy’s horse, she had told Danielle, he will be like yours, but he will live here and I will pay for him. Every spare moment Danielle found her way to visit her horse, many times having to walk miles just to get there. When she would arrive she would groom him, saddle him up and ride, there she would find her escape for what seemed like an eternity of horrific abuse. In those peaceful moments, no one existing in her universe, but her the horse and the beautiful sound of his hoofs clapping on the earth, soothing and providing a secure surrounding, when nothing in her life felt secure. There was a trust and love built there, in her world there was no trust or love.
After Danielle Kelley graduated high school, she went on to nursing school, through her psych class she realized the therapeutic effect her horse had on her life. Her greatest achievement was to become a mother of two beautiful girls, learning from her past of what not to do, she successfully raised her children in the faith. Danielle went on to become a Licensed Cosmetologist and earned her Master status in Cutting and Color Specialist.. She began to work with youth and served as a youth minister for a total of 6 years. In 1998 she graduated from Rhema Bible Training Center in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma and became a licensed and ordained minister.
With all her education and life achievements, Danielle never forgot the “abused and neglected child.,” her heart was always drawn to them, because she knew what made them “tick,” she knew the darkness of their world born from the hands of an abuser, or lack of love.
E-MAIL FROM DANIELLE TO CRYSTAL PEAKS YOUTH RANCH
Dear Troy , Kim and Staff,
I attended your conference in June of this year. We had started on a dime and a shoe string and a prayer, "Zoe Sky Ranch." After attending the conference with many insecurities of how to do this operation God seeded in our hearts, so many of my questions were answered. The conference for me...was life changing! I found out we were on the right track and many of my questions were answered. I came back to Colorado charged up.
We are 501-C3 now and have adopted, rehabilitated 5 horses, 4 are trained for the kids. We have 40 kids in the program already. First we started with kids with challenges and now we take any kid that wants to ride horses, but wouldn't normally have that opportunity, because of finances or whatever reasons there may be.
What's been magical...(well everything is magical in this ministry)... is seeing all the kids bond, challenged or not. Watching them fall in love with our horses and watching the horses know that these kids are here to be with them. It's sweet.
If I hadn't come to the conference, I am not sure how far along we would be right now, but since coming we have grown soooooooooo much and the love that dwells here is awesome!
Thank you.
With Love and Appreciation,
Danielle Kelley
CRYSTAL PEAKS YOUTH RANCH RESPONSES
Dear Danielle,
Oh my Goodness! I am reading your message with tears streaming down my face! You have blessed me more than I can say! Know that Troy and I are SOOOOOOOO proud of you my Friend. I'm pretty sure that if you listen REALLY hard . . . you will hear us cheering for you from there. "Goooooo Daniellllllllle, goooooooo Girl goooooo! You can doooooooo it! Keep runnnnnnnnnnnnnnnning Girl, keep runnnnnnnnning toward our King!!!"
God Bless You and be with you Sister . . . you ROCK!
Much Love,
Kim Meeder
Dear Danielle,
Your email is such a mighty encouragement to all of us here at the ranch. That you would take the time out of your busy schedule to say thank you means so much to us! God bless you sister!
Wow, thank you so much for taking the time to update us on God's remarkable work at Zoe Sky Ranch!! Five horses and forty kids! J He is truly amazing in the ways that He can use us to accomplish His will.
We REJOICE with you as you are choosing to follow God's powerful leading in your life. I know He is proud of you Danielle!
Know your family in Oregon is cheering you on!
In His Name,
Sarah
Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch
19344 Innes Market Rd
Bend , OR 97701
crystalpeaks@cpyr.org
