Introducing horse care and riding to traumatized children has been proven to be effective therapy. The Refuge Ranch in Rochester utilizes that strategy and will now be able to expand its work due to a generous donation from Glennon and Jan Paul of a seven-plus acre historic farm in Springfield.
Refuge Ranch, started by Stephan and Chris Daniels in 2008 as a small farm in Pawnee with a handful of volunteers, two horses and a few children has now become a 17-acre campus near Lake Sangchris serving more than 70 families. Here, those facing trauma – whether mental, physical or emotional – can find hope and healing through the Christian faith and interaction with horses.
Chris Daniels, executive director of Refuge Ranch, said, “We feel it is important to target the most vulnerable and underserved people.”
The Ranch is free to children and parents and offers mentoring, horseback riding in the Freedom Reins special needs program, as well as activities such as fishing, petting goats and gathering eggs from the chicken coop.
Ceci Maloney, a retired District 186 special education teacher, has been around horses her entire life and volunteers at the Ranch. “It is fun to watch kids grow, learn to trust and build relationships with the volunteers as well as the animals. This is a wonderful program,” she said.
The Ranch also partners with community organizations such as Big Brothers & Big Sisters of Central Illinois, Compass for Kids and others.
Expanding the program into the heart of Springfield will now be possible with the addition of the historic Bunn Farm. The property has several fenced acres of pasture, a barn with 20 horse stalls, a riding arena and an apartment.
“We are seriously overwhelmed with gratitude. It's honestly beyond anything we could have asked or imagined,” Daniels said. “This historic farm will not only preserve a piece of Springfield’s heritage but ultimately become a sanctuary for hope, healing and transformation.”
The farm, located on Old Beardstown Road, off Jefferson Street and Churchill Road, was called Fairview Farm when it was owned by Esto and Jacob Bunn III. The exact date when the barn was built is unknown, but pictures of it first appeared in the State Journal-Register in the mid-1950s. The stables were known for their champion Saddlebred horses and Hackney ponies. At the August 1960 Illinois State Fair, the Bunn horses won three first-place awards.
The history of the Bunn family in Springfield began with Jacob Bunn Sr. (1814-1897) who owned a grocery store and became a banker; he served as president of the Springfield Watch Company. His son, Jacob Jr. (1864-1926) also served as president of the Watch Company and helped found Sangamo Electric (his great-grandson, George, founded Bunn-O-matic in 1957). Jacob Bunn III (1914-1977), who owned the Fairview Farm, also served on the Bunn-O-matic board. He married Esto in 1952. They later divorced; he then operated a horse farm in Sherman while Esto continued to operate the farm and stables. She died in 2013 at the age of 92.
The property changed hands several times until Glennon and Jan Paul purchased it in 2019. On March 19, they donated the property to Refuge Ranch in memory of their daughter, Ginger, a special needs teacher in District 186 who died of leukemia in 2024.
“Our timeline is unknown as there is work to be done at the site, but we are excited to have the opportunity to add more horses and expand our programs into Springfield,” Daniels said.
Learn more about Refuge Ranch
Refuge Ranch is holding an event to celebrate the organization’s achievements and share the vision for expansion. The free event will offer live music, food stations, photo ops with horses and other animals and tours of the facility. There will be raffles, giveaways and line dancing.
Expand Refuge: A Night to Dream Big
Saturday, May 3, 5-8 p.m.
9350 Cascade Road, Rochester
Free, but reservations required
https://expandrefuge.eventbritecom
For more information about the Ranch, how to donate or to get involved, visit refuge-ranch.org or contact Chris Daniels at chris@refuge-ranch.org.
