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Ranch Ehrlo arena officially named

Sep 21, 2011 | 7:52 AM

Ranch Ehrlo board member Donalda Hansen says she’s overwhelmed and unworthy, after the Donalda Hansen Centre for Equine Therapy, was named for her.

Hansen had been a board member from 2006 to 2010, when the 17,500 square foot multi-purpose facility was built.

On Tuesday afternoon friends, family and colleagues gathered to make the new name official.

Hansen has been a strong advocate of Ranch Ehrlo and the programs that are run at the youth facility, said Randy O’Shaughnessy, senior director of programs north for the Ranch Ehrlo Society.

“At Ranch Ehrlo we have a long standing tradition of honoring our retired, so to speak, board members and naming buildings after them,” O’Shaughnessy said.

“So this is an appropriate building that just completed construction in 2010 and corresponds with Donalda’s and considering everything that Donalda has done for us it’s a very appropriate naming.”

The building will be used for a variety of purposes, but O’Shaughnessy said the main purpose is for their horse therapy program.

“Which entails having kids participate in a variety of different aspects of horse related activities whether its western riding or English riding,” O’Shaughnessy said.

The Ranch Ehrlo society is a charitable organization that combines clinical treatment, education, work and recreation to improve the lives of children, youth and their families.

With the new center the Buckland Campus, north west of Prince Albert, is the only campus that offers equestrian therapy.

“I think it’s a special place and horse therapy has been a very important piece of helping young people come to terms with some of the difficulties they may have experienced in life,” O’Shaughnessy said.

Hansen said she had first learned about Ranch Ehrlo when they were integrating some students into Red Wing School.

“I was just so impressed with the program and the support they gave the kids,” she said.

Although her name is now associated with a muti-purpose arena that specializes in riding, don’t expect Hansen to be testing out the saddles.

“I’m really glad you didn’t make me ride a horse. I’m terrified of them. But I love to sit and watch from a distance, so thank you. Thank you to everyone.”

sfroese@panow.com