What's New

What's New (Updated 5/19/10)

Our Annual Membership Campaign Is Underway -- Every Member Counts!

This is the time of year when the Foundation thanks its members and supporters, and asks them to renew membership or become members. Our members' support is key to preserving and protecting the Empire Ranch we cherish today, and to ensuring that future generations can continue to enjoy and appreciate this historic treasure.
If you have not already done so, please act now to start or renew your membership for the coming membership year (July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2011). With your help we can fulfill our mission to protect, restore and sustain the Empire Ranch's historical buildings and landscape as an outstanding western heritage and education center. Every member counts, and we're counting on you!
Click here to start or renew membership.

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Historic Preservation

WATG! Youth Summer Camps

Student "Legacy Day" Events

Volunteer Projects

Riding the Empire on April 17-- What a Great Day!

Under the most beautiful skies Arizona has to offer, more than 100 riders, ranging in age from 9 to 84, headed out under the direction of trail boss Steve Boice to experience the beauty of the lands of the Empire Ranch and Las Cienegas National Conservation Area. They returned at mid-day from the morning ride, thirsty and hungry, and filled with exuberant accolades.
       Volunteers had lunch at the ready and, shortly afterwards, riders headed out again, toward the cottonwoods and Empire Gulch for the afternoon ride, while others stayed to enjoy company or join the Ranch House tours conducted by Gerald Korte, former Empire cowboy and ERF president.
        Many thanks to the many volunteers and the Bandit Outfitters wranglers who made the 2010 Trail Ride such a success!
       Click here for more on the 2010 Trail Ride.

Preservation Successes!
On February 18th the screw-jack supports under the south lintel of the Zaguan were removed after a celebratory rope cutting ceremony. Finally, this iconic central passageway, with heavy traffic and high visibility, is free of unsightly shoring! The repair involved redistributing the weight above the lintel by installing, out of view, a steel truss in the wall above it (see top of photo on far right) and inserting tie rods to support the lintel from above. Next in line for major preservation work is the historic Adobe Haybarn, for which fundraising is underway.

Away with the zaguan lintel's shorings!

Volunteers made impressive preservation progress as well. The artistically weathered but fragile door to the Cowboy Kitchen, a favorite of artists and photographers, was disassembled and reinforced by John Weiss, a local historic woodworker who with a team of volunteers also helped reconstruct the real hall partition. The volunteer team also repaired and replaced where needed deteriorated wood on the walls of the Tack Shed (photo on right shows lead volunteer Rick Dirks and trail rider Cole Carlton in front of a repaired wall).

(Click here to see a cumulative list of preservation projects completed or scheduled since 2000.)

Enrollment Now Open... Wild About the Grasslands! Summer Camps, June 2010

Enrollment registration is now open for our popular Wild about the Grasslands! outdoor educational summer day camps, to be held on June 2-4, June 7-11, and our new summer overnight camp June 11-12. The camp sessions will each take place at the historic Empire Ranch located on Las Cienegas National Conservation Area in Sonoita. They are programs under the nationally recognized Hands on the Land National Network of Field Classrooms, sponsored by the Empire Ranch Foundation and the BLM.

Separate camp sessions are designed for children in age groups 9-11, 12-15, and 14-17 years.

Click here for more information.

CLASS SIZE IS LIMITED--MAKE RESERVATIONS SOON!
There is a 10% discount for families registering more than one child.

Latest Newsletter
The latest issue of the Empire Ranch Foundation News contains more information and detail on our activities. Click below to download a copy (requires Acrobat Reader; 4 page document in .pdf file format). Second link provides access to articles in current and past newsletters.

	May 2010 ERF News
	Cumulative Index of Newsletter Articles

Current Working Calendar


JUNE
2-4                 Wild About the Grasslands! Summer Day Camp, for Ages 9-11, 9am-3pm, Empire Ranch Headquarters.
                            (For more information, click here, call 888-364-2929, or email admin@empireranchfoundation.org)
7-11               Wild About the Grasslands! Summer Day Camp, for Ages 12-15, 9am-4pm, Empire Ranch Headquarters.
                            (For more information, click here, call 888-364-2929, or email admin@empireranchfoundation.org)
11-12             Wild About the Grasslands! Summer Overnight Camp, for Ages 14-17, 4:30pm June 11 through 1:00pm June 12,
                             Empire Ranch Headquarters.
                            (For more information, click here, call 888-364-2929, or email admin@empireranchfoundation.org)
19                   Volunteer Work day, 8am-Noon, Empire Ranch Headquarters. Call 888-364-2829 to volunteer.
JULY
17                  ERF Board Meeting, 9am-Noon, Empire Ranch Headquarters
AUGUST
21                   Volunteer Work day, 8am-Noon, Empire Ranch Headquarters. Call 888-364-2829 to volunteer.
SEPTEMBER
18                  ERF Board Meeting, 9am-Noon, Empire Ranch Headquarters
OCTOBER
16                   Volunteer Work day, 8am-Noon, Empire Ranch Headquarters. Call 888-364-2829 to volunteer.
23                   10th Annual Empire Ranch Roundup & Open House, 10am-4pm

ONGOING
*                Volunteers needed for special events, preservation projects, other Foundation activities
                   (Please contact admin@empireranchfoundation.org or call (888) 364-2829)

Send e-mail correspondence to: info@empireranchfoundation.org