November News!
Happy almost Thanksgiving!!
There is always so much news to share!!
Cheyne Ranch will be at the Makers Market (night market!) this Friday night
Thanksgiving plans for Cheyne Ranch
Orlando Ballet Nutcracker field trip
Kiwi’s Spay Surgery
December winter break camp
January classes
Volunteer opportunities
Calendar - Important Dates!
The Abilities Workshop presents Makers Market!
Cheyne Ranch will be there with Pearl & Princess (miniature ponies).
We did this last year and it was SO FUN!! and the park is SO BEAUTIFUL with all the Christmas lights!! Please come see us!
This Friday night from 6pm - 9pm
Lake Concord Park
127 Quail Pond Circle
Casselberry, FL 32707
More info: Makers Market
Thanksgiving!
What are you all doing for Thanksgiving? We're not exactly kitchen wizards in this house, so we're going the easy route: takeout! Yes, I’m not kidding! We're ordering from Brisket BBQ Shack (fabulous mom & pop restaurant near the traffic circle towards Oviedo) again this year. Their Thanksgiving boxes are SO YUMMY.
Before I was married, I spent a few very lonely Thanksgiving holidays alone, usually working. If you are alone on Thanksgiving, or just want some animal (or people) (or puppy) love, please reach out. My house is messy and our food is take-out, but you are WELCOME HERE!!
The 5 teenagers on Thanksgiving 2023
Our fabulous Thanksgiving in 2023
Field Trip to the Orlando Ballet Nutcracker!
This is our 3rd year for this incredible field trip opportunity. Last year, we had over 140 people join us. This year, we have 100 tickets (and only 100 tickets). They are $22 each. Please purchase online tickets here: chra.us/ballet
We're excited to share that we're working with the Dr. Phillips Center to create a more inclusive environment for groups with diverse needs. While this year's invitation is a bit late due to unexpected circumstances, we're hopeful for a more accessible future. If you're interested in learning more about our advocacy efforts, please don't hesitate to reach out.
Cheyne Ranch is excited to offer this ballet field trip opportunity for a few reasons:
Community Connection: Inspired by our friends at MaPLE22, we love sharing inclusive & accessible cultural experiences with our community.
Family Pride: Grace Cheyne, one of our 18-year-old twins, is a talented performer in the ballet.
Supporting a Good Cause: By attending the Nutcracker at a special price, you can also support Cheyne Ranch through a donation.
oh Kiwi - she needs a special surgery
Have you all met our adorable, sweet, gentle 18 month old pig named Kiwi? She is so smart. and so sweet. Except when she is “in heat".
Which is every 3 weeks.
The University of Florida Animal Hospital offers a spay surgery to adult sows (female pigs). It is so much more costly than we originally thought. It is about $1,800 for her to receive the special surgery. And she needs this surgery - she is actually quite pushy and a bit aggressive when she is in heat.
Please consider a donation to help get her spayed.
If 25% of our readers readers donate $5 each - we can cover this expense.
Have you heard that big things come in 3’s? We are currently experiencing this:
Kiwi needs a spay surgery ($1,800)
Our 10 horses are receiving dental care on December 3rd ($1,700)
Luna, our black spaniel dog needs her eye removed (this is a Cheyne family expense for $1,800, which means our family can’t cover Kiwi’s spay like we normally would)
Please Donate, we accept all the ways to pay 🐷 Click here
Winter Break Camp!
Yay! Registration opening soon. contact me with any questions.
January classes - our Spring semester! Starts Monday, January 13th!
Can you believe it is already time to start thinking about January classes?
For current families: Please let me know your plans for the spring, we would love you have you continue with us.
Are you new to Cheyne Ranch? There are 2 important steps to get started here:
Read this webpage: Top10 FAQ (thank you if you already read this top10)
To secure a spot in our weekly lesson schedule (for any of our programs), a visit to Cheyne Ranch is required: If you have never been here before, please schedule a Family Visit
When possible, you and I can usually come up with a lesson time spot right as we are meeting during our Family Visit!
Volunteer Opportunities!
Did you know I receive inquiries from new families every single week asking how their student can volunteer here at Cheyne Ranch? My answer is always the same: Our volunteers start off as students so they can get the safety and animal care training necessary to contribute here.
For those families who have students who volunteer here - THANK YOU!! We appreciate all of our volunteers and the work you all do is essential to continuing our mission.
There are SO MANY opportunities in November, December and January to volunteer. I will get a list prepared and sent out soon. An example is when groups of students come to Cheyne Ranch for a field trip. We have several scheduled:
2 High schools in Seminole County are bringing their students with special needs here
Down Syndrome Foundation of Florida is having a field trip here
A homeschool group is having a field trip here
Our Winter Break camp!! we love volunteers for camp
Several more… I need to look at the schedule
Please reach out if your middle or high school student would like to volunteer here. I can explain the process and share specific dates we need help (and it is really fun too).
Please check out our yearly calendar - it is online and available for the entire school year: chra.us/c
Thanksgiving Break (sort of closed) - Monday, Nov 25 - Saturday, Nov 30
Winter Break Camp - 3 days | Tues, Wed, Thurs | Dec 31, Jan 1, Jan 2
Break between Fall & Spring Semester (sort of closed - Monday, Dec 23rd - Sunday, Jan 12)
Spring 1 weeks 1 - 8 begins - Monday, January 13th
Level-UP Workshop - Sunday, Jan 12
**Ask me what “sort of closed” means
Last, but not least… Please donate
Do you know that my husband, Philip Cheyne, is the largest donor to Cheyne Ranch? After that, we have a very generous board member, and several members of the community give regularly too.
A CPA is preparing our books to make them public and transparent to you. That is all part of being a non-profit, and I’m happy to share any financial details related to Cheyne Ranch.
We are all so passionate about how much impact we can have on the lives of others by sharing our animals, and teaching animal care and connection.
Sally (me) does not receive a salary - but let’s talk about all the reasons I am so driven to continue this mission, and how there is no salary that would convince me to go back to the corporate world.
I can’t do this without your help. Please consider a monthly, quarterly, or 1-time donation. These animals and this community means so much to so many people.