2021 Highlights
2021 has been a busy year! We have much to be thankful for as we look back and see all of the miraculous things that God has done through us. Here is a list of everything that has been accomplished this year!
• Met weekly at Grace Community Church to pray with our prayer team for the ministry.
• Board of directors and staff established for Blue Sky Acres Inc.
• Created mission statement for BSA Inc.
• Logo for BSA designed and approved.
• Drafted and approved Articles of Incorporation.
• Bylaws drafted and approved.
• Financial policy drafted and approved.
• Registered as a nonprofit corporation with the GA Secretary of State and received 501c3 in a mere 96 days!
• Opened a business bank account at a local bank.
• Website developed and maintained.
• Held a goat “meet and greet” for kids at Larry and Linda Fort’s farm.
• Portable trailer acquired and outfitted as a portable handicap accessible bathroom and storage unit for BSA.
• Held a public informational meeting announcing the purpose and vision for BSA.
• Implemented online Mandated Reporter training and background check requirements for BSA volunteers.
• Set up QuickBooks payroll, chart of accounts, vendors, automatic deposit, etc.
• Became a PATH, Intl. member center.
• Became insured through Markel.
• Established monthly budget.
• Began paying staff.
• Had RCOG youth come out for a workday to paint fences.
• Worked with horses including desensitizing Teddy to wheelchairs.
• Received 16 volunteer applications and have had between 10-12 volunteers come out to assist with various tasks including grooming and leading.
• Held a rider/parent “Meet and Greet” for potential clients.
• Fifty-one lessons were completed with 12 students in 6 weeks, with progress notes and attendance kept on each child.
• Staff and board members participated in nonprofit development training provided by Hope Reins, a nonprofit that uses horses to help hurting children.
• Designed and ordered BSA logo t-shirts to sell and give to volunteers.
• Created job descriptions for staff.
• One board member trained as a job coach with B&B Financial services and began working with our first supported employment client.
• Contracted with InvoPEO to set up payroll and Workers’ Compensation insurance.
• Planned and implemented 2 four- week Bible horse camp sessions meeting once weekly during June and July serving 11 campers.
• Applied for and received tax-exempt status from the IRS.
• 3 board members and 1 staff member participated in an Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning workshop and Horsemanship skills test in September in order to obtain PATH, Intl. certifications in this area.
• Held our first Strategic planning meeting to develop goals and objectives for the coming year.
• 56 lessons were completed with 7 students in the 8-week fall session.
• Added 2 students to our waiting list for the spring session.
• Began planning for our 1st annual charity golf tournament for spring of 2022.
• Held our first annual Blue Skies Gives Thanks banquet.
• Became a member of the National Restaurant Association, which will allow us to add to our supported employment program down the road and train individuals to work in foodservice
• Received support from Bethel Lutheran, Rincon Church of God and Springfield Methodist as well as a mini-grant from the Rotary club and countless other individual donors.
As you can see, we have been very busy and we are excited for all that has happened this year! We are also expectant for the coming year and believe that even greater things are yet to come!