PYR Celebrates 10 Years at Cowboy Up 2021
Since 2011, Parks Youth Ranch (PYR) has provided Home for Today, Hope for Tomorrow for abused and neglected youth. PYR’s annual gala, Cowboy Up, celebrated the 10th anniversary milestone on Saturday, October 2, 2021 in The Lodge at Safari Texas. Cowboy Up featured emcee George Lindsey from 100.3 The Bull, Seth Breckenridge Trio, BBQ dinner, dessert bar donated by Sweet Boutique Bakery and Mon Cheri Macarons, liquor & wine raffle and silent and live auction. Cowboy Up was enjoyed by over 400 area leaders, business owners, and community members as they danced the night away in support of Parks Youth Ranch. The PYR Board of Directors would like to extend their thanks to the generous attendees and hard-working volunteers, who helped make Cowboy Up 2021 a success!
Each year at Cowboy Up, the Carl Favre “True Believer Award” is given to a valued volunteer or community supporter who helps make our mission and vision a reality, in recognition of their devotion to our cause. This year, we honored Tracy Schindler for her inspiration in creating PYR as a place for homeless youth to seek refuge. PYR is truly blessed to have Tracy as one of our True Believers! Previous recipients have included Dick Hogan-2013, Mary Favre-2014, St. Laurence Social Concerns Ministry-2015, Fred & Mabel Parks Foundation-2016, Pat Somers-2017, Dee Koch-2018, Mike McGrath-2019 and Lucy and Ron Hudson-2020.
In the 10 years since opening, PYR has housed and cared for over 1,600 youth from Fort Bend County and across Texas. The majority of the residents at the Ranch are teens who have been victims of emotional and physical trauma. Our shelter serves as a safe, temporary home for up to 28 boys and girls. While the youth live at PYR, we provide them with all their basic needs: their own bed, age appropriate and properly fitting clothing, food, personal care products, educational support and counseling. PYR remains the only non-profit emergency shelter for youth in Fort Bend County.
Please visit @ParksYouthRanch on Facebook and Instagram to view pictures from Cowboy Up 2021.