- May 16, 2024
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The Whispering Meadows equine therapy ranch, which provides services for veterans, children with disabilities and others, has the county government's support to move to a new location near the county fairgrounds and County Road 13, county commissioners decided Feb. 21.
"A lot of people, when they experience trauma, they don't want to talk about it. They need other ways to express themselves, to work through it. ... And to be able to have it here in Flagler County, and have our community have access to it — I can't even begin to say how important that is."
— MICHELE FICOCELLO, victim advocate, Flagler Beach Police Department
The shift from the ranch's current site at 5011 John Anderson Highway was spurred by complaints from a neighbor who thought it shouldn't operate in a residential area, but the County Road 13 site is also larger and will allow for an expansion of services.
The County Commission voted unanimously on Feb. 21 to enter a public-private partnership with the ranch and approve the ranch's application for a semi-public use on the 44-acre parcel, which is owned by the state and leased to the county government.
The ranch, which has five horses, would use about 15 acres on the western side of the 44-acre property.
A proposed site plan shows two pastures, an arena, a grooming station, a caretaker's property, a maintenance and hay storage building, and a driveway and parking area that would lead out to C.R. 13.
Hours would be limited to sunrise to sunset, with exceptions for up to four special events per year.
Commissioners came to their unanimous decision after a number of local residents told them how the ranch, a nonprofit owned by Helene and Richard Davis and their daughter Kristine Aguirre, has helped their loved ones.
"My son has been going to the ranch for over 14 years. ... The ranch is my son's second home — that's a place where he belongs," said Christina Blackburn, a Satsuma resident who recently moved from Flagler County, said at the meeting. "... I appreciate you guys working so hard with Whispering Meadows ranch. I'm glad that we can make this work."
Flagler Beach Police Department Victim Advocate Michele Ficocello told commissioners that she has referred people to the Whispering Meadows program, and that the Victim Services Coalition of the Seventh Circuit recently held a victim advocate retreat there.
"We were all truly inspired by the work that they do," Ficocello said. "... A lot of people, when they experience trauma, they don't want to talk about it. They need other ways to express themselves, to work through it. And Kristine and her team, they have that ability. So the possible expansion of their program is so important. And to be able to have it here in Flagler County, and have our community have access to it — I can't even begin to say how important that is."
Palm Coast resident Elizabeth Jones has been bringing her 89-year-old mother to the ranch for the past few months.
"I believe that the time that we've been able to spend at Whispering Meadows — and with the support of the staff there, and the wonderful people — it has given us an opportunity to heal some wounds in our relationship," she said. "... This is also something that could be a very significant help for seniors in our community."
Resident Homer Smith said the ranch is also important to local veterans in treatment for PTSD.
"Twenty-two veterans a day is the average for committing suicide. That's unacceptable," he said. "It is organizations such as the Whispering Meadows Ranch, which take these veterans in — suffering from PTSD and other issues — and allow them to express themselves. ... We must keep this organization in Flagler County to help our veterans here."
The ranch's shift to the County Road 13 site will also require approval from the state government. The county is still waiting on a final response from the state, but correspondence between county and state officials so far been promising, Flagler County Growth Management Director Adam Mengel said.
"I'm very encouraged by the state's correspondence that came back," he said. "... I would anticipate that there will be a response very quickly."It's not yet clear when the ranch will make its final move to the new location, but it will happen as soon as feasible, said attorney Dennis Bayer, representing the ranch.
"We're not going to just sit here and drag our feet," Bayer said. "I can give you my word, there's going to be no delays."
