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Hilltop Ranch

Community Living for Disabled Adults

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Updates

New LOGO, New PROJECTS, New Interest

February 16, 2022 by Hilltop Ranch Leave a Comment

NEW LOGO: We’re thankful to Sally Dunn for her work in designing a new logo for us. We love how she brought in our vision to provide homes that offer opportunities for our residents to SHINE!

CATCH UP: Why is the lodge temporarily closed to residents? What has prompted the renovations? See the previous update below this one.


As our architect works with the town building officials we’re finding that:

In order to reopen the lodge as a home where adults can live with friends, we need to have our usage changed to a Group Home. We have to have a fire sprinkler system and two ADA compliant bathrooms in the lodge. We’re building two studio apartments for caregivers that would stay the night or for the use of live-in staff. And we’re changing a large bedroom into three bedrooms. The amount of research and the planning work that is behind those few short sentences is staggering. And the order in which we have the projects done is complicated – some have to be done while still operating under our current usage and some after we are classified as a Group Home.

NEW INTEREST: We are conducting interviews for Care Givers and a Director and talking regularly with parents interested in having their adult children be residents at the lodge.

Changes Ahead – Building a Firmer Foundation!

November 11, 2021 by Hilltop Ranch 2 Comments

Remembering His faithfulness…

Thirteen years ago we were excited to be given a vision to start a residential community for adults with disabilities. After years of diligent effort and God’s abundant provision, He gifted us with the lodge in December 2020. Our first four residents moved in at the end of February.


Our story takes a turn…


During the early months of 2021, before we hired house parents, the parents of our first four residents gave sacrificially by providing care at the lodge. Our first House Parents were hired in June, but then left early in October to live near family in Missouri – partly because their first baby was on the way! Rich and I served as temporary House Parents for the month of October and then our residents returned to their parents’ homes. That time was special for us as we “loved on” our very special residents and were able to make sure they were doing alright with the changes they were facing.

We are as excited and committed as ever as we move forward in preparation to again welcome residents to the lodge but with a solid, secure foundation of experienced staff in place. This involves adding: 
1) Two sets of House Parents that together as a team can provide 24/7 care. House Parents need a private place to be renewed when not “on duty” so we are having two efficiency apartments built in the two unfinished areas at the lodge. 
2) A Director with the experience and knowledge to oversee the development and operation of Hilltop Ranch. Our current “directors” (Rich and Becky) have earned a combined salary of $0 but, our new director might need a tad more!

Rich and Becky…


We’re excited over what we have learned in these initial months and we know we will see the faithfulness of God as we move ahead. We look forward with great anticipation to seeing who will join us as we work to meet a small part of the great need for housing for adults with intellectual disabilities. 
We will stay very involved but at this time of our lives, we need to do the work of two people, not twenty! 


Our fundraising goals…


We’re in the initial stages of getting architectural plans, but we expect the renovation costs for both apartments (and turning one very large bedroom into two bedrooms which will increase our rooms for men) to be about $200,000. We will be able to provide more precise cost projections in the near future.

Our fully staffed operating costs in this next phase will be about $40,000/mo (salaries, mortgage, insurance, etc.), roughly 60% of which is covered by the tuition paid by the residents’ families making our fundraising goal $16,000/mo or $192,000 annually.

Would you prayerfully stand with us and help fund the renovation ($200,000) and salary/operating costs ($192,000) as we develop a thriving home where our “Ranchers” can SHINE?

We would appreciate it if you would be as generous as you can. A huge “Thank You” to those of you who have faithfully supported us. We need all of you now more than ever before to make sure the beautiful lodge God has given us becomes a secure and loving home for the incredible adults He has called us to serve!

The gift of a 15 Passenger Van!

August 30, 2021 by Hilltop Ranch Leave a Comment

Hilltop Ranch’s First Work Day

July 1, 2021 by Hilltop Ranch Leave a Comment

Our first work day was a great success. Smiles were on everyone’s faces!

Our First Month at the Lodge

April 22, 2021 by Hilltop Ranch Leave a Comment

Celebrating the Lodge and our First Four Residents!

April 22, 2021 by Hilltop Ranch Leave a Comment

Move-In Day Approaches!

January 28, 2021 by Hilltop Ranch Leave a Comment

We’re so excited to have the lodge become ours in just four more days! The previous owners have rented back from us for the month of January so February 1st is the first day to feel like it’s ours! We plan to spend the month of February preparing the lodge, thinking through and developing procedures that will make life at the lodge flow smoothly. We’re holding weekly social events for the five or six potential residents (and their parents) to join our three definite residents, giving us all the opportunity to get to know each other and to make decisions on whether Hilltop Ranch is the right step for each of these adults. We’ll determine an official “Move-In Day” for the first residents although they’ll be getting their rooms set up before then. They’re just too excited!

Since we haven’t settled on our first house parents yet (we’re currently interviewing for that position), the parents of the first residents will be taking turns living at the lodge and being the temporary house parents. I think we’re all a bit jealous of our children and want to live at the beautiful lodge ourselves!

The Contract for the Lodge is Signed!

December 1, 2020 by Hilltop Ranch Leave a Comment

Today we signed the contract to purchase the Lodge at 201 Pinecrest Way in the small town of Palmer Lake, CO. It happened to be Giving Tuesday as well as the day we first posted the video of the lodge. A big day! At this time (and Giving Tuesday isn’t over!), we’ve received just over $30,700 in donations. How blessed we are!

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Hilltop Ranch
PO Box #1365
Palmer Lake, CO  80133
Phone: 719-282-3732
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