Ranch Reboot

The nexus of nature, community, faith and fun are providing an atmosphere of growth and spiritual development for all ages at WLD Ranch.

WLD Ranch has summer camps for kids, teaches horseback riding and horse care, holds retreats for both men and women, and has programs for couples to enrich their marriage. It provides a community for believers to be strengthened in the quiet of nature’s serene backdrop.

As Christy Preston, an instructor at the ranch, explains it, “Camp ministry is so powerful and unique. It gets people out of the normal routine, and immerses them in nature and peace. The distractions of everyday life are minimized.”

One step that WLD Ranch takes to ensure focus is the practice of turning all phones in, with only 20 minutes per day of limited use for contacting friends and family—not for playing games or scrolling the news.

“We want people to focus on relationships and connection, rather than on technology,” Christy explains. “We’re here for friendship building, faith development and fun. Life was designed to be lived with other people.”

WLD Ranch is a nonprofit organization, named after Wayne Leonard Davis, the son of Marvin and Pauline Davis. Wayne grew up with a strong Christian faith and often prayed on the 50 acres where the ranch is now located. Having attended summer camps himself, he saw the value of getting back to nature to connect spiritually.

Tragically, Wayne was killed in a car accident at the age of 20. His parents decided to donate the land where he often prayed to a church, the Federated Church of East Springfield, for the establishment of a summer camp.

By 1964, there was a kitchen built, a dining hall, meeting hall, a play area, sleeping quarters, bathrooms, a first-aid office and a store.

Since 2018, there are now three modern bunkhouses, classrooms, two barns and a stable of nearly 30 horses, including quarter horses, gaited, Tennessee Walkers and many more. There is also an indoor riding arena, plus trails for riding and hiking.

All of the instructors in horseback riding are trained by WLD staff, and most worked as wranglers for several years before becoming instructors. This helps to ensure that safety remains a top priority.

In addition to horseback riding, there is a swimming pool, and visitors can also participate in canoeing, archery, basketball, soccer and a host of other activities.

The facilities have grown as the community itself has, with individuals and groups coming from Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York and other areas across the country—and even Canada—to experience the deepening of faith in natural surroundings.

Programs are held year-round, offering winter camps and horse retreats. There are also Field Day programs in which both public and private school students can learn about horse care and riding, and participate in team building exercises.

Director Joseph Preston says that the ranch will welcome around 1,500 kids from area schools during the spring season. Although the Field Day programs are more secular, every day begins with a prayer for safety and community.

Joseph adds that WLD welcomes many denominations to hold their own church retreats and programs, but they must adhere to the basic tenets of the Christian faith in order to use the facility for programs.

The ranch recently held a Married Couples Retreat in March, and will host a Couples Night Out in either October or November. This is a relaxed evening to enjoy a nice meal, a game or activity, followed by a devotional challenge designed to strengthen marriages.

If you would like to learn more about the programs at WLD Ranch or to donate online, visit wldranch.com.

The ranch provides a unique experience to connect with nature and faith.