BLUE H AV E N
Ranch A
by Mark Miller | photos courtesy of Blue Haven Ranch
s a dental hygienist and chiropractor, respectively, starting a non-profit organization was not part of Aubrey and Bryan Schlackman’s original plan. But with a grandfather who opened one of the country’s largest church-based camps, something like it was bound to happen.
work education and support throughout
“I grew up in large-scale things like nonprofit ministries, so it wasn’t a huge stretch in my mind to achieve something like this when I’ve seen it my whole life,” said Aubrey of Camp Blue Haven that Scotty Witt opened in Las Vegas, New Mexico, in 1956.
Partially in his honor, they started Blue Haven Ranch last year in their Argyle home as a ministry to help single pregnant women with existing children. They provide support groups, counseling, aptitude testing, cooking, and life skills training. They also provide
While the Schlackmans said other agencies
pregnancy and up to 12 months after the baby is born so the moms can become self-sufficient again.
provide for pregnant single women without kids or those with kids but not pregnant, none combine all in a long-term setting.
“This is an opportunity, and we’re only taking moms who want this opportunity,” Aubrey said. “I’m not dragging anybody through
this. There’s a difference between people
who want a handout and a hand up. They
want to get out of their situation. And that’s
what we’re targeting this ministry for — if you want a hand up, we’ll provide that help.”
The trigger for a full-blown maternity ranch came in January 2020 when she saw a
property for sale in Bartonville on her way
home from grocery shopping. She and her
husband always wanted to own land and be self-sufficient with animals, and adding a hospitality aspect of helping single moms seemed a natural fit.
After Bryan agreed with her vision, they
started to research what they needed to do to get started. They purchased their 16 | ARGYLE LIVING | JULY 2021
www.LiveLocalMagazines.com
