Charly is celebrating their ten-year anniversary and they are doing it in a most charitable way. A percentage of all the ticket
sales is being donated to West Ridge Academy to help youth and their families.

The truth
of it all is, West Ridge Academy
saved my life…

I faced quite a few challenges growing up, and didn’t have the skill-sets or abilities to deal with the hardships I went through. My coping mechanisms only made me feel worse about myself, and I was drowning deep in my addictions. Luckily, I had parents who loved me and could see that I was not myself. They were strong enough to admit that we needed outside help, and when I was 15 they placed me in the care of West Ridge Academy.

I spent the next 11 months of my high school years growing and discovering ME. I found that I could love myself, that I loved my parents, and that I could do things I previously imagined impossible. I gained lifelong friendships during my stay at West Ridge. My team of therapists, teachers, mentors, parents, friends and God never gave up on me. They proved to me that I was powerful and had the strength to take control over my addictions. To make the life I always dreamed for myself. And to become whoever I wanted to be. I learned to take accountability. This is a gift I will never be able to repay my parents for.

I am now 22 years old and happily married. I graduated as an honors student with a Bachelor of Social Work at age 21 and have been accepted to the University of Utah’s Master of Social Work program. I will start there this fall, and after I graduate with my MSW I plan to work as a therapist for teenage girls. I know this is what I was always meant to do. Without West Ridge
Academy, and the wonderful, supportive staff there, I would have never discovered the real ME.

Thank you WRA!

Bob is retired from the FBI and volunteers at the state prison.

West Ridge Academy was on Studio5 today to talk about the Re-release of Charly. Check it out http://ow.ly/bGM9z

The tenth annual SME Boys of Steel Golf Tournament was held on Friday, June 15 at the Stonebridge Country Club in West Valley City. Over 232 guests filled the 27-hole course for a great day of golf.  The boys greeted the guests as they arrived and took their clubs to their carts.  They had a delicious barbeque lunch in the country club. There were over 65 raffle prizes given away and the grand pize of a big screen TV and raft.  You could purchase a golden golf ball which had a number on it.  It was dropped from a helicopter, the one closest to the pin won the TV and raft.

Thanks to SME Steel for their partnership and sponsorship in making this fundraiser a huge success.

A group of six boys and the branch leaders rode in the Tour de Cure ride last Saturday. It’s a 65 mile bike ride to create awareness and raise money for the American Diabetes Associaton. Kyle, Vernon, Treven, Mike, Christian and Nick were the boys who participated.  About six weeks ago they started training doing 10-15 mile rides weekly.  So it’s quite an accomplishment for all of them to be able to finish a longer ride like this one.

The boys branch organized a super activity for all the boys who were eligible to go. They had a barbeque on Friday night, then Zac Lund an Olympic skeleton 5th place winner in 2010 talked to them.  He was supposed to compete in the 2002 Olympics and was injured in an automobile accident, then in 2006 he was told he couldn’t compete just one hour before the opening ceremonies.  He was one of the favorites to win the competition that year.  His message was about overcoming challenges, frustrations and not to feel sorry for yourself.

The next day they went up to Camp Tracy where they painted a boat shed and spread 36 yds of gravel on the roads.  After their service project it felt good to swim in the pool.  After having a wonderful lunch they heard from Ann Dibbs another wonderful speaker.