A chance business transaction with Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch led Glenn Williamson to be an avid supporter of the organization. After years of giving, he is now establishing an endowment fund in honor and memory of his companion of 40 years, Juanita “Nita” Ramage.
Glenn was a heavy equipment repair technician and later went on to sell heavy machinery. He first heard of Boys Ranch when he sold a brush chipper to the organization. A few years later he started to give financially to Boys Ranch and has made numerous visits.
“The first time Nita and I were on campus we went to the dining hall. Here came this little cowboy with his hat and boots. That impressed Nita to no end. He introduced himself and welcomed us to campus. He was just a kid, but that’s what you see out there,” Glenn said.
“We’ve had dinner at several of the homes. You can see the kids are happy and they interact positively with the staff and teachers. That tells you that they are content and feel safe.”
Glenn said he is a supporter of Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch because it does more than simply take care of a child’s basic needs.
“There are many other Boys Ranch type organizations in the country. Many of those are put together as a foster care place, meaning they feed them and take care of them, but it doesn’t extend to education or job training. Most of them go to public school that’s integrated with other students. It’s not at all tailored to what the kid as an individual needs,” he said.
“That is what sets Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch apart. It’s the greatest organization for kids that I have ever been around.”
Of her many gifts to Boys Ranch, Nita also made a contribution a few years ago by giving funds for the Health Gateway Program, which allows Boys Ranch High School students to take health science classes that prepare them for entry- level medical careers or to pursue further education in the medical field. That program is one of many offered by Boys Ranch in the Experiential Learning Program (ELP), in which youth can learn about various careers, giving them a better understanding of the types of careers that best fit their personality and skills. ELP also helps students to visualize themselves as a part of the workforce, teaches work ethics and develops teamwork, communication, and social skills that are necessary in a workplace.
“There are only 13 percent of available jobs that require a four-year academic degree. There are a lot of opportunities out there for skilled workers, which is a broad term that includes heavy equipment, repair technicians, automotive technicians, electricians, nurses, healthcare workers and engineering assistants,” Glenn said. “The reason I support ELP is that it builds a foundation that can support you in life or you can carry into an academic degree because you will understand the technical side of things. Technical education has always been a soft spot for me because I came up through the ranks.”
Nita passed away July 30, 2023, and Glenn is honoring her by establishing the Nita Ramage ELP Endowment Fund Agreement.
Nita was an entrepreneur and worked for herself until her retirement. Glenn said that the ELP programs at Boys Ranch will continue to expand and improve, and Nita was a supporter of those programs.
“The kids at Boys Ranch have already got work ethic because they had to develop it at the ranch. They’ve learned how to work and when they are ready, they can get support from the Cal Farley Scholarship Program to pursue a technical education or an academic degree,” he said.
“That is another thing about Cal Farley’s program. I don’t know of any other place that will help support the residents after they are 18, especially with finding a career or pursuing an education,” Glenn said.
To learn how you can become involved in the endowment, contact Jennifer Venzor, Senior Director of Engagement, at 1-800-687-3722.