TAPS Dude Ranch All Populations Retreat

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You are warmly invited to join TAPS for a special retreat for all survivors grieving the loss of a loved one who served in the Armed Forces.

The TAPS Dude Ranch All Populations Retreat will be a place to have courage — to push your boundaries, to overcome stumbling blocks and to move forward on your grief journey — alongside fellow survivors. During the retreat, you will get to work with ranch staff to learn how to ride and care for horses, participate in a cattle drive and try your hand at roping. Through these shared activities and moments of reflection and remembrance, we will connect and learn from each other.

TAPS Retreats

SCHEDULE

Day 1: The first day includes travel to the ranch and the official opening of the retreat. TAPS staff will be at the airport to greet participants, and you will have a chance to shake off some nerves as you get to know fellow survivors on a two-hour shuttle ride to Raymer. Once at the ranch, we will share a family dinner and have an opportunity to introduce ourselves and our loved ones. You’ll also get an overview of what to expect at the retreat.

Day 2: The second day starts by getting acquainted with your horse, who you will ride and care for all week. A hot breakfast is enjoyed each morning — but only after the horses are groomed and saddled! The rest of the day will be spent exploring the ranch together and becoming more comfortable with your new four-legged friend.

Day 3 and 4: The third and fourth days will be full of group activities on horseback. Possible activities include cowboy games, ranch chores, long rides and a cattle drive. There will also be free time to relax and further connect with the other attendees.

Day 5: This will be our final day of activities, and we'll wrap up our time together with a closing ceremony to honor ourselves, our new connections and our journeys.

Day 6: We'll say our final goodbyes and travel home.

RETREAT FEES

Thanks to the generosity of our donors and sponsors, TAPS will provide lodging, most meals and all activities at no cost to you. A $50 deposit will be collected at the time of registration. At the conclusion of the retreat, you may choose to donate this deposit to TAPS to support future programs; otherwise, it will be fully refunded to attendees.

LODGING AND TRANSPORTATION

Lodging will be provided for all attendees from Sunday to Friday. You will share a room with another retreat attendee. TAPS covers the cost of lodging at no cost to you, and we'll take care of booking your lodging for the retreat.

You'll need to cover the cost of your transportation to and from Raymer. If you plan to fly to this event, the nearest airport is the Denver International Airport (DEN). Please do not book your flight until you receive the welcome email.

ADVENTURE LEVEL

This retreat is rated as a challenging adventure. These are our most physically demanding retreats. Activities will challenge you and may involve heavy physical exertion and demanding environments.

This retreat will take place on a ranch, and group activities are designed to support the work of the ranch. No experience is necessary, and you will be trained by professional cowboys, cowgirls and ranch staff, however you should expect to work hard and get dirty. Activities may include riding and caring for horses, cattle drives, roping, branding and more. There will also be plenty of time for relaxation and connection with your fellow survivors.

APPLICATION DETAILS

Retreat attendees will be selected through an application process. Applicants will be notified of selection or waitlist status in July. Applicants not initially selected to attend will be placed on a waitlist and notified as space becomes available.

If you have any questions, please email retreats@taps.org or call 800-959-TAPS (8277).