FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact:
Pamela McClure, 615.595.8321
pamela@mmpublicrelations.com
Abused Horses and Children
Help One Another Heal
True Stories Fill Pages of Hope Rising (Change font &
center)
In Central Oregon, aAbused
horses and neglected children have unleash somethinga profound
in commonpowerful force in Central Oregonone other’s company—hope. At Crystal
Peaks Youth Ranch in the mountains near TOWN, Oregon rescues abused and
neglected horses and pairs them with disadvantaged children ,
disadvantaged children are paired with
formerly neglected and abused horses in a therapeutic environment, —often
with miraculous results. Crystal
Peaks is a place where the
impossible flourishes, where dreams survive the inferno of reality—a place
where hope rises. The ranch’s program promises
one child with one horse and one counselor, 100% of the time, at no cost to the
participant—a
commitment matched by no other equine program in the United States. Hosting almost 5,000 visitors annually,
the ranch’s The
success stories of
this Central Oregon ranch could fill
several books, but success stories of healed hearts,
minds and spirits could fill volumes. Now readers can visit the ranch vicariously via a few dozen true
stories
in the pages ofa few of the
most memorable are recorded in
a paperback entitled Hope Rising: Stories from the Ranch of
Rescued Dreams (Multnomah, August 2003) by Kim Meeder. The author, a
co-founder of the ranch, will donate a substantial portion of her book royalties
to the ranch.
Crystal Peak’s nine acres unite pairs ( – delete this phrase. It works for Kim. It
sounds cheesy and predictable in a news release)adds its own history of restoration to the mix. When Troy and Kim Meeder purchased the property in 1992, it lay neglected and scarred; an abandoned cinder mine stripped of beautyall trees, plants
and life. The Meeders restored the land painstakingly,
rebuilding the earth to support discarded and broken plants they could afford. Along with a few volunteers, they built miles of
fence, several
corrals
and pens, necessary
barns and
buildings. They originally envisioned the ranch
as a home to rescued horses—saved from abuse and starvation—but the vision quickly expanded. When children began
to arrive, both the scarred land and restored horses discovered greater
purpose. (The sentence
structure is awkward—I
suggest “As abused and broken children arrived at Crystal Peaks, the scarred land and restored horsed discovered a
greater purpose.).Now Crystal Peaks is a place where the
impossible flourishes, where dreams survive the inferno of reality—a place
where hope rises.
Ranch co-founder In Hope Rising, Kim
Meeder shares stories of both the children and the animals who call Crystal
Peaks their home. Kim Meeder has
seen horses go where no one else couldan
tread—in her own life and in the lives of others—stepping
through the minefield of a broken child’s soul in a miraculous
dance of trust. From a
mistreated horse to a wounded
child and back again, this Meeder was just nine years old at the time of her
parents’ murder-suicide, and a horse provided refuge no human could supply. Now her ranch allows the dance of trust between horse and rider to continue, providing healing to
thousands of children. In Hope Rising, Kim Meeder shares powerful stories of restoration, for book reveals
how a torrent of love washes away
the barren places within both horse and rider, from Crystal Peaks
Youth Ranch
near the Cascade Mountains of Central Oregon.. (This is
very lovely prose, Pamela, but it feels too flowery and descriptive for a press
release. Perhaps I am too “old
school”. I think releases—even
one covering such a
soft subject—should be more factual. Perhaps you can show off the lovely use of similies and word
pictures in the book through an excerpt sheet.
These sentences make
me stumble every time I read the release.)
--more--
Hope Rising/page two
Meeder’s powerful stories appeal not just to horse
lovers, but also to those inspired by heroic compassion, generosity and sacrifice.
Readers will be intensely moved by the true stories in Hope Rising,
such as:
·
In the presence of a horse’s unconditional love, a
mute girl speaks
·
A battered child receives healing love and
protection from a battered horse
·
The generous gift of a horse answers the Christmas
prayer of a poor young horse lover—and brings her closer to her father
·
Despite mocking from competitors of her horse (scarred from abuse), a disadvantaged
teenager wins an endurance race with her loyal friend
·
Half a dozen neglected horses are rescued through
the sacrifice and compassion of a few young girls
Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch, a
nonprofit organization founded by Troy and Kim Meeder, is located in Central
Oregon near the Cascade Mountains.
Funded by private donations and grants with no government assistance,
the ranch’s therapeutic program is always offered at no cost to participants. Since its inception in 1995,
the ranch has hosted 25,000 riders (most are socially, mentally, emotionally or
physically challenged children) and has rescued approximately 300XX
neglected or abused horses. Kim Meeder
is donating a substantial portion of her book royalties to support the ranch. (This still is
begging for specifics—they may not be available.)
Meeder’s powerful
stories appeal not just to horse lovers, but also to those
inspired by heroic compassion, generosity and sacrifice. Readers
will be intensely moved by the true stories in Hope
Rising, such as:
·In
the presence of a horse’s unconditional love, a mute girl speaks
·A
battered child receives healing love and protection from a battered horse
·The
generous gift of a horse answers the Christmas prayer of a poor young horse
lover—and brings her closer to her father
·Despite
mocking from her competitors of her scarred horse (which had been rescued), a
disadvantaged teenager wins a grueling endurance race on the back of her loyal
friend
·Half
a dozen neglected horses are rescued through the sacrifice and compassion of a
few young girls
Multnomah Publishers is supporting the release of Hope Rising with an extensive marketing and public awareness
campaign. Efforts are designed to not
only bring attention to the book but to
the ranch’s
activities as well. National publicity
and advertising efforts are in place, including an electronic press kit, author
interviews and the solicitation of celebrity endorsements.
Kim Meeder owns and operates Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch in Central Oregon with her
husband, Troy. Kim,
who experienced the healing power of a horse after her parents died during her
childhood, is a certifed health fitness instructor, marathon runner, biathlete
and former World Record holder for power lifting. Crystal Peaks is a nonprofit
organization that rescues abused and neglected horses and pairs
them with disadvantaged children, offering the children a place of safety,
peace, and hope. Crystal PeaksIt Youth
Ranch is a place where miracles happen every day
over and over again.
# # #
Hope Rising
Stories from the Ranch
of Rescued Dreams
by Kim Meeder
Inspiration/Motivational/General
ISBN 1-59052-269-9
U.S. $12.99
Can $21.50
252 Pages • Trade
Paperback • August 2003