McDonald Ranch

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Our Story

Motivated by the Colfax family who successfully home schooled their children on a working ranch in Boonville, California; Linda McDonald started a camp for kids to have hands on experiences that would teach such life skills as responsibility, commitment, leadership, compassion, acceptance and more. Linda’s first summer camp was offered throughout the summer of 1993 serving 8 children. Now, 26 years later, the camp serves more than 500 children each year.

Richard Crenshaw began volunteering at McDonald Ranch during it’s second year of operation. Although he started by helping to keep the go carts running, Richard’s real talent was in art. Richard quickly came to realize that McDonald Ranch was a great place for him to share his passion and love of painting, lapidary, ceramics and leathercraft with children. Not only did Linda and Richard’s business partnership flourish but their personal relationship did as well. Together and married for 25 years, the two have not only raised their own children through the program but also added a foster child as well who also benefited from the many skills learned at the ranch.

In 2015, Lisa Lombardi, was introduced to McDonald Ranch. Lisa had been a professional equestrian trainer many years. Lisa is full of positive energy with safety foremost in her mind at all time. Linda McDonald had searched for many years looking for the perfect riding instructor for her program. She wouldn’t settle for anyone who wasn’t able to balance the love, care and concern for lesson horses with an equal amount of the same for student children. Not only did Lisa fill those high expectations, she is also one of a very few CHA certified riding instructors assuring parents of her knowledge, skill, experience and commitment to equestrian disciplines. Together, Linda, Richard and Lisa run the only after school program offering the most amazing and enriching activities to kids as well as offering one of the few summer camps with such a variety of activities. Ask Linda, Richard or Lisa about their partnership and any one of them will tell you, “It doesn’t get any better than ours.” They have the highest regard, ultimate respect and the most cohesive partnership as any business in Sonoma County.

So, is everything perfect at McDonald Ranch? Well, we have to admit, it isn’t. Like most non-profits, McDonald Ranch struggles with funding. Richard and Linda are spread to their limit running the program which leaves very little time for fund raising and grant writing. The truth is, Linda and Richard have volunteered their time to the ranch since it’s beginning. While that may have been noble, it wasn’t smart because they failed to build an organization that could sustain itself once they retire. At this time, McDonald Ranch needs volunteers more than ever especially professionals who will sit on the board of directors. A new business plan needs to be written with a focus on how to keep the ranch going after the founding couple is ready to pass the organization on to someone else who has as much love, passion and drive as Richard and Linda have had. If you know of anyone who might be interested, we would be more grateful than we can say if you would pass our message to them.