Fornits

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An open discussion about the troubled parent industry

I came across this comment in response to an old article about Joyce Sterkel's Ranch For Kids on an adoption message board forum. It was posted several years ago. No one responded to it.

June 25, 2009 at 3:13 pm

I think that before ANYONE wants to call Joyce Sterkel a hero they should make a surprise visit to the ranch SOON! Her son Bill (who now runs the ranch)verges on violent & dangerous with the kids. He is using the money from the parents of these kids to expand his ranch & his pocketbook, then charges extra $ for the kids to receive therapy that these kids do not get,not from a therapist anyways. The money the families pay actually goes toward noodles that the kids eat for dinner nightly,they are only allowed Milk,fresh from the cow at least, or water. And fruit that rats have taken bites out of first, the kids are forced to eat it, even after showing management the bite marks. That is 100% true,I’ve seen it. When we as staff point out these issues or stand up for the kids, they cut our hours, if that doesn’t make us quit, they try to put us down in front of the kids, in hopes the kids will lose respect for us, no longer do what we ask and give them a reason to let us go. It really is as bad as your picturing,and then some. I urge you to go see for yourself,but don’t call first or they will have the kids clean up for you by telling them the Vice President is coming so they work hard to make the place shine to impress the Vice President.(yes he did that to them, when he was preparing for a state building inspection)He uses the kids as his personal ranch hands. When the kids try to tell their parents about the mistreatment,Bill tells the parents that the kids comments cant be trusted,”they will say anything go home”. I would do anything to get these kids out of here. I work @ the ranch,its like torture watching the way these kids are treated and watching their spirits being crushed by the way Bill & his wife Lenna treat them and talk to them by mocking the kids if they bring an issue to their attention. He even shared, in front of all of the kids that one of the little boys regularly masturbates with his teddy bear. You could imagine the teasing this boy endured. There are so many reasons this place should be shut down but I fear If I go on it will seem like rambling and wont be taken seriously. The only reason I stay with this job is knowing that while I’m @ work, the kids are being treated well. Its also hard to see that all of these national publications write stories on this house of horrors and are only shown what the ranch wants them to see, so it makes Jo and Bill look like saints. At the same time the Ranch gets free advertising and its shedding a positive light on a place that should be shut down. If anyone has any ideas on who to contact to end this mistreatment please do so, or post your idea in a comment on this site! This issue is much bigger than can handle on my own, but needs to be handled immediatly.Thanks