Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

With a goal in mind to assist students needing foster care, action has taken place. 

Recently, Sunrise Children’s Services held a groundbreaking ceremony recognizing Solid Rock Children’s Ranch at 500 Stoner-Ephesus Road. 

“We wanted to do something simple. We had folks that have been on this project from the start,”  said Dale Suttles, director of Sunrise Children’s Services. “It was just a celebration of how far we’ve come…[and] just being able to celebrate the work that is being done.” 

According to its website, Sunrise Children’s Services – a non-profit organization – seeks to provide care and hope through Christ-centered ministries. 

It does so in a number of ways, including the application of therapeutic foster care, residential therapeutic treatment, and community-based services statewide. 

Sold Rock Children’s Ranch – provided and operated through Sunrise Children’s Services – has two houses being constructed that will be designed to accommodate sibling groups. 

The availability comes thanks to the donation of 128 acres of land, courtesy of Judy Singleton. – a retired Clark County educator of 35 years. 

“Throughout the United States and certainly the commonwealth, there is a crisis to find enough foster homes especially for large sibling groups to keep them together,” Suttles added, noting that teenagers in particular were impacted. “What we thought we would do with Solid Rock from day one is have a piece of land where we could start building houses that could accommodate the need.” 

The event included many prominent attendees, including those associated with the Kentucky Baptist Convention (KBC). 

Among them were KBC President and Baptist Bikers of Kentucky Director Randy McPheron, KBC Assistant to the Executive Director Michael Cabell, and Ephesus Baptist Church Pastor Todd Rader. 

Some organizations – included Baptist Bikers of Kentucky – have helped raise money for the undertaking. 

Plus, a volunteer group called Mississippi Nailbenders, Inc., was present to help with construction. 

Looking ahead, plans are for additional housing to help serve potential needs. 

“As children exit foster care at the age of 18, oftentimes having nowhere to go, we’re exploring the avenue of having tiny homes on the property that these young adults can inhabit,” Suttles said. “[They] can have a place to live. We can team them up with trade school, with junior college, [and] get them off to a good start…it can truly be a therapeutic community where we can really drive these children to their best lives if they can not be reunified with their families.” 

Solid Rock Children’s Ranch also looks forward to acclimating itself further in Clark County. 

“We’re just really proud to be a part of Clark County and the community of Winchester,” Suttles said.