Archives for February 2023

April 28 – 30, 2023 Genoa, Nevada

GENOA, Nev. – For one weekend each April, Genoa, Nevada honors its place in the history of the state and the west by presenting the Genoa Western Heritage Days Celebration. This year’s event will be April 28-30, 2023. The three-day festival is brought to you by Friends of Genoa and sponsored by 1862 David Walley’s Hot Springs & Resort, Daniel’s Restaurant, Ranch One, Heritage Bank, Carson Tahoe Health System, Carson Valley Medical Center, Carson Valley Visitors Authority, Gillmor Coons Real Estate, Dorothy Gardner, Betsy Cooksey and many individual Heritage Sponsors.

The Friday April, 28 concert starts the event at 7:30 p.m. with a Town Hall performance by Ryan Fritz and Kristyn Harris. Tickets are $45.

Saturday, April 29, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., attendees can amble throughout Genoa and enjoy Western Music, Cowboy Poetry, Chautauqua actors portraying historic characters, children’s activities, Ag in the Classroom with the Douglas County Farm Bureau, Native American demonstrations, a Civil War Camp and the Truckee Meadows Pioneers for heritage living, crafts and demonstrations. All events, activities and performances are free and family friendly.

Saturday daytime performances include:
– Music by Sierra Sweethearts, Jon & Betsy Elliott, Jakota Wass Band, Krista Jenkins, Ten Dollar Pony, Those Windburn Brothers, Lost Reverends of the High Sierra and Carson Chandler.
– Cowboy poetry by Tony Argento.
– Chautauqua actors: Mark Twain performed by McAvoy Lane, Eilley Bowers portrayed by Kim Harris and Snowshoe Thompson performed by Steve Hale. These afternoon presentations are in the Town Hall.

Also on Saturday, there will be an Artist Gallery in the Mason’s Hall, Artists, Vendors and Makers in the Trimmer Lot across from the Town Hall and art and collectibles at the Genoa Gallery and Home in the Country Inn building and lawn area.

Food and drinks are available throughout town for purchase. Many local restaurants have specials and will be the outdoor performance venues.
Returning this year is the Progressive Dinner. If you’d like to sample the fares of 5 eating establishments, the dinner will be from 4:00 – 6:30pm. You’ll have a passport and a colored wristband and will rotate in groups in a timed fashion between Sierra Chef, The Pink House, the Country Store, Genoa Station Bar & Grill and the Hungry Hearts Food Truck. You’ll get a Nosh & Libation at each stop. Tickets are $40 per person.

Saturday, April 29, at 7:30pm a Town Hall concert will feature cowboy poet Floyd Beard and the western band The Cowboy Way. Tickets are $45.
Sunday, April 30, at 9 am is Cowboy Church in the Town Hall, featuring Doug Figgs of The Cowboy Way with Pastor Patrick Jolly.

Tickets for the Concerts, the Progressive Dinner and a Heritage Sponsorship can be obtained on EventBrite.com, by going to www.genoanevada.org and downloading a mail-in ticket form or by calling – 775-782-8696 – or going to the Genoa Town Office at 2289 Main St., Genoa. For more information, visit Genoa Western Heritage on Facebook.

About Genoa Western Heritage Days: While the event’s name has changed over the years, the passionate volunteers behind this annual spring celebration have not. Genoa Western Heritage Days (GWHD) showcases our area’s rich western heritage from Native Americans to the early settlers who built up the town as we know it today. Historic Genoa, Nevada, is nestled at the base of the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada Range, just 25 minutes east of beautiful Lake Tahoe, and one hour south of Reno. It is home to Mormon Station State Historic Park which commemorates the settlement of Nevada in 1851, when the first permanent trading post was established by a group of Mormon traders from Salt Lake City. Genoa’s natural beauty and historic charm still beckons travelers and local wildlife. It is not unusual to spot mule deer as they come down from the forested area on the west side of Genoa and cross local roads to graze on vegetation or fields along the Carson River Valley to the east of Genoa.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Dan Aynesworth 714-474-1362 FriendsOfGenoaNV@gmail.com

By Kim Chappell

Want to have a life where you actually set goals and reach them?  Want to make things happen which allow you to keep moving forward in your life as you achieve one goal after the other. Want to open doors that you never knew were available to you? Want to build a life of your choosing? If so, the key to your success is by developing a GREAT WORK ETHIC. Not just a good one, but a GREAT ONE.

Anyone who knows me, knows I love to work. I always have. Ever since I was a kid, I always sought out new opportunities by way of working for someone. Thus, I was very busy taking care of horses; painting fences; babysitting every weekend; working after school; and taking on new opportunities as they arose. I had drive, ambition and a desire to learn new things. When I was in college, I was always in the employment office looking at the job board. As a result I had some very interesting jobs that not only offered income but more importantly allowed me to build new skills, create contacts, and grow. Some jobs were fun, some jobs were boring, some jobs were monotonous, and some jobs were incredibly creative and rewarding.  And one job was particularly disconcerting when I took care of a disabled woman’s horses and donkeys, only to see her out dancing one night! (But that’s a story for another time). The point is that every job I had, taught me something – something I would ultimately use when I became a business owner.

Fast forward to my current business where I teach kids leadership skills, life-skills, and the work ethic by way of working with horses and working on the ranch, and you will find Grace Pinto, a young 14 year old with a resume! Yup, you heard me right. A resume.

Grace showed up at the ranch as a 4 year old and has never looked back. She was a shy kid who had a cute habit of scrunching up her nose whenever she was nervous. Initially she had the tendency to let other kids go before her when we were doing our ranch chores BUT that changed as her confidence grew. Even at that young age, Grace had a desire to learn, and do, and learn some more. A trait I easily recognized. As Grace found her footing through the years, she also found her self and her calling.  She embraced each task I set before her. And she did it with good cheer; was willing to learn and ask questions; she has perseverance and will not give up; she knows the importance of accountability and responsibility; and she completes her tasks with dedication and integrity. All of these life-skills are key factors to developing a GREAT WORK ETHIC (GWE).  I could fill a book on what this kid has done in the years I’ve worked with her but her resume speaks for itself.

To date, Grace has worked with a local ranch who bring her on whenever they need an extra hand. She has been involved in branding and vaccination; helps with general ranch chores to include cleaning stalls, waters, bucking hay, feeding livestock, and most recently taking care of an orphaned calf. This one is a big deal in my book, because not only will she tend to the bottle feeding of this calf in these early weeks, but she will also need to let go when it is time for him to go back to the herd. The emotional component of all this ranch work is a real part of this life and it is something she and I have talked about through the years. It can sometimes be the hardest part! But, it is all part and parcel to this work we do.

Outside of ranch work she pet/house sits; does yard work; and learned how to demo and do a remodel with her dad, who said he would only hire her over anyone else because she sticks to her work.

Give this kid a job and she will not let you down. Her work ethic is stellar and because she sees work in the same vein that I do, she will be successful in life. Why? Because she’s willing to do the hard stuff; she’s willing to learn; she’s willing to make mistakes and use them as lessons for personal growth; she’s willing to listen; she knows how to be a team player; she approaches life with a strong attitude and good cheer; and she wants to direct her own ship and choose her own lifestyle. Mark my words when I say, Gracie will have her own ranch and run her own show one day. And I will be rooting for her all along the way!

From my interview with Grace:

How did Ranch School help you develop your work ethic?  “Ranch School helped me develop my work ethic by helping me find my confidence.  I learned how to take instruction and follow through with the job given.  I was able to think through problems and solve them. And I was taught to never quit. Keep working until the job is done well. “

How did Ranch School help you get a job?  “Ranch school helped me get jobs as neighbors and friends could see my confidence and ability to do the work.”

What life-skills do you use on your jobs?  “I need to communicate well with the clients and to speak up if I have a question.  Like one time I misplaced a key and had to let them know. Luckily I found it the next day. I have to remember to show up to care for the animals without my mom telling me.”

Would they rehire you?  “Yes, everyone I have worked for has rehired me and some jobs have also opened doors for new opportunities.  Ranches tend to help each other out, so the ranch I work for told another ranch about me, and that may lead to a new opportunity”.

Learning to have a GREAT work ethic is the golden ticket. What can you do to help your kids learn this vital life-skill? The time to start is now. As they say, “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.”

Kim Chappell, M.Ed., Instructor and Equine-Facilitated Life Coach. For further information on riding programs, Equine-facilitated life coaching, or The Original Horse & Farm Club for Kids, contact Kim at kkc827@aol.com or go to www.chappellranchllc.com.

This year, Kids &Horses put together a calendar highlighting our incredible horses and what we do. Calendars can be purchased for $20 at the ranch or on our website. Enjoy viewing our talented horses and students each month through the year. They are inspiring! If you’re interested in getting a sneak peek or purchasing your calendar now, click HERE. Please note that shipping fees will be included on online purchases.

The Kids & Horses 2023 “Healthy Horse” campaign is alive and well. The goal is to have donors support daily care for the horses we lease. This includes quality feed, medical and dental, farrier services, and anything else they may need to make their place here as our equine partners healthy and happy. A horse at a center has a challenging job with the variety of students riding and the many volunteers and staff involved in the handling.

The winter weather has been a detriment to our ability to work with our students. The cold, along with the rain, snow, ice, and ground conditions, has made it impossible to move horses around the property. Our main concern here at the ranch has always been safety. This includes the safety of our students, clients, volunteers, staff, and horses. Staff and volunteers have come in daily to help with ranch chores. The wet conditions and heavy snow have made it a great workout for all of us.

Thanks to a generous donor, we have leveled our barn aisle, next to the covered arena, and lined it with sturdy rubber mats. This helps with erosion and provides a flat surface for our students, clients, volunteers, and horses to walk on. It’s a great way to keep the area clean and a great place for the farrier to work when the weather is bad. We love it!

Thanks to a generous donor, we have leveled our barn aisle, next to the covered arena, and lined it with sturdy rubber mats. This helps with erosion and provides a flat surface for our students, clients, volunteers, and horses to walk on. It’s a great way to keep the area clean and a great place for the farrier to work when the weather is bad. We love it!

Our dementia workshops, in conjunction with Connected Horse® are scheduled again this spring with a session on April 22, 29, and May 6. A second session will run May 27 and June 3 and 10. The workshops are on three Saturdays from 9:00 until 11:30. Flyers will be out soon and sent out electronically. If you know anyone with an early-stage dementia diagnosis and their care partner who might be interested, please have them give Kids &Horses or Connected Horse® a call. Kids &Horses will be hosting a facilitator training along with the Connected Horse® founders March 31-April 1. A flyer will also go out for this in case you have an interest in working with this population.

We are looking forward to a productive 2023 with our current programs and couple of new programs. We are planning on expanding our services to include work with juveniles this summer and a possible program working with foster youth. I hope you also have a wonderful year in 2023.

 

Thank you to all of you for your donations including:

Gary Broad Foundation
Gerry and Diane Wendel
Weldon and Daunelle Wulstein
Steve and Sue Woskow
Reno Toy Run
The Nara Foundation
Sexton Family Foundation
Marshall Matley Foundation

Don’t Forget!
We have some great content on our Facebook and Instagram accounts. Give us a follow! Also, the Kids &Horses 2022 schedule can be found on our website. Links to both social media accountsand our website or down below.