The Oklahoma Lions Boys Ranch values people and their relationships above all else. We respect the uniqueness and dignity of each individual. We are committed to striving for the highest standards of excellence in all that we do. We believe strongly in the values of trust, honesty, integrity, respect, responsibility, self-discipline, family, community and God.
The Oklahoma Lions Boys Ranch exists to provide comprehensive, community-based, long term residential care of the highest quality; to the "high challenge" Oklahoma young people we serve.
The primary effort is to insure the provision of a safe, nurturing, supportive and structured environment that provides opportunities for the development of capabilities needed to become a positive, productive, contributing member of society.
The acquisition of the resources necessary to truly meet the needs of the individual young person in our care in an efficient and effective manner is of the highest priority.
So far as historical time goes in our country, the day when the Iowa Indian tribe lived along the Cimarron and branded their cattle IOA was but yesterday. In 1885 a pair of Englishmen, Townsend and Pickett, leased the land for a spread about 15 miles long by 16 miles wide, using the same brand. In 1889 it was broken up into farms.
Today, approximately 725 acres of this area is the Oklahoma Lions Boys Ranch (Formerly the I.O.A. Youth Ranch), a major project of the Oklahoma Lions.
Land for the five farms that make up the Oklahoma Lions Boys Ranch was given for its present purpose by the descendants of Mr. and Mrs. George Washington Main, who held it from the opening in 1891
A son, Francis Main, is said to have received inspiration for the project in remedial family living from hearing Cal Farley of Amarillo talk about his project. Francis and his sister, Mrs. Lois Main Donnelley, remembered hearing their parents express a wish to be of help to handicapped children. They felt that in donating land for the youth ranch they were following that parental desire.
The non-profit corporation formed in 1946 resulted. At this time, the Herndon Donnelly family placed land south of Perkins, near the Cimarron River, in trust with the I-0-A (Individual Opportunity for Achievement) Youth Ranch, Inc. with the understanding that the work with youths would begin within five years.
The idea behind the Oklahoma Lions Boys Ranch actually began in 1931 when a young boy shot and killed a policeman in Cushing. The policeman's family started working with scouts and other programs for the less fortunate youths of the area and this work continued until 1947, when the need for a residential home became apparent.
In May of 1952, the IOA Youth Ranch opened its doors and took in the first of many young boys. The first boy arrived at "Homestead" with the support for the work coming from individuals, clubs, and some companies. There were lean years, for to operate a facility with a family style living situation avoiding any semblance of institutional living requires a considerable outlay. The ranch raises some farm produce and livestock but it is not revenue producing.
With its beginnings in 1952 as the IOA Youth Ranch, the Oklahoma Lions Boys Ranch has a long history and tradition of turning young lives around. The ranch has assisted some 600 boys using the program theme that each individual has an opportunity for achievement as an underlying philosophy.
In the late 1960s, the need for an organization with greater fund-raising power became apparent. The Perkins Lions Club joined with other entities in the Lions organization who became involved. By 1966 the need for more boy care continued to grow and a second unit,"Cedars" was opened to house six more boys bringing the total number of boys at the ranch to twelve.
In 1969 the Oklahoma Lions took over the operation as one of its two major statewide projects thus the Oklahoma Lion's Boy's Ranch came into being. Individually and by Clubs they have supported the Ranch and, with help from others, strive to see the Ranch reach its potential.
In 1980 the name was changed to the Oklahoma Lions Boys Ranch, although the I0A philosophy remained. The Ranch is licensed with the state of Oklahoma as a child care facility and works with the courts and other youth referral agencies in the community and accepts referrals from individuals and Lions Clubs.
In December 1985, the Paul Kellert Addition at the "Homestead" enabled the Ranch to increase the number of boys served to a total of sixteen .
The Oklahoma Lions instituted a project known as "The Lions Pride Campaign" designed to raise funds to construct at least one new home and the hope to increase the size and number of boys at the ranch. The result of this campaign was construction of a new facility named the Marbee Lodge. The unit known as the Cedars was closed because of asbestos used in its original construction. It was later converted to an Alternative School under the Perkins-Tryon School system. The Alternative School is now closed due to fiscal constraints.
In 1997 a study conducted in the Perkins community concluded that the Perkins residents were no longer favorably inclined to support the efforts geared to rehabilitating lawbreaking, delinquent types of boys into productive citizens.
The result of the study altered the focus of the Boy's Ranch from providing for juvenile delinquents to providing long term home-type care to young boys who are victims of severely broken homes. Homes that typically involve emotional and/or physical abuse, neglect, abandonment, or some combination of these problems. In many cases the parental rights of these boys have been severed or terminated by the courts. This court action basically makes the boys homeless. The Lion's Boy's Ranch takes steps to fill this void in caring for and raising these boys.
Since the inception of the Boy's Ranch boys have been received from all seventy-seven counties in the state. A boy coming to the Ranch is placed in one of the homes, in a family unit and lives there until he returns home. Each "home" is supervised by a set of house parents who actually live in the unit and work with the boys as surrogate parents. While living at the Ranch, he will share a room with another boy, perform chores on the farm and participate in a farm project in 4-H or FFA. Within the context of a nurturing, supportive and structured environment, the house parents and counseling staff work with each boy in their emotional, academic, vocational, physical and spiritual development.
At any one time the Boys Ranch supports up to 12 abused, neglected, deprived and abondoned boys between the ages of 12 and 18. The ranch provides a safe haven where these boys may be nurtured and guided into responsible, productive adults. The ranch provides a home setting with caring and qualified ranch parents.
All the boys attend Perkins-Tryon public schools and are integrated into the schools programs. Most boys show an improvement in learning skills and school performance. The boys become active in the school extra-curricular activities and local church activities of their choice. Boys typically stay approximately 12-18 months and return home or to a foster home as a productive member of the family and society. Visitors are encouraged from home and the boys are allowed to leave the ranch for short periods of time. Some boys stay and live at the ranch until they reach the age 18 with the ranch helping them make the transition to successful adulthood.
The Oklahoma Lions Boys Ranch is the only project of this type throughout the world sponsored and supported by a Lions International Multiple District.
