'TRAK' overcomes pandemic to help others heal

As school districts across the country prepare to go back to school, small businesses that rely on child visitors are watching closely.

SCHOOL -- SMALL BUSINESSESTHAT RELY ON CHILD VISITORSARE WATCHING CLOSELY.

NINE ONYOUR SIDES LUZDELIA CABALLEROSPOKE TO "TRAK" -- A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION -- ABOUTWHAT THEYRE DOING TO STAYAFLOAT.LUZDELIA FOLKS AT THETHERAPEUTIC RANCH FOR ANIMALSAND KIDS SAY CREATIVITY HASBEEN A KEY COMPONENT INNAVIGATING THROUGH THEUNCERTAIN WATERS OF THEPANDEMIC PKG NATS HORSETHERES NO TIME FOR HORSINGAROUND AT TRAK-- ITS ALLABOUT WORK AND SAFE FUN-- ATFIRST WE HAD A LOT OFCANCELATIONS.

PEOPLE WERESCARED AND RIGHTFULLY SO.MELINDA SHARMA IS THEDEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR AT TRAK--SHE SAYS WHEN THE PANDEMICHIT, THEY WERE OPERATING ATABOUT 20% CAPACITY.

AND WHILETHEIR EVENTS ARE CANCELED FORTHE YEAR, THEY FELT THEY HADTO STAY OPEN-- OUR MISSION ISSTRENGTHENING KIDS ANDCOMMUNITY THROUGH ANIMALINTERACTION, BUT OUR FOCUS ISWITH EVERYBODY--UP TO THEELDERS.

SEEING AN INCREASEDNEED FOR EMOTIONAL AND MENTALHEALTH, THEY BEGAN BY OPENINGUP A CAMP FOR ESSENTIALWORKERS.

AND SO WE HAVE BEENRUNNING A CAMP TO HELPEVERYBODY WHO IS A FRONT LINEWORKER HAVE CHILD CARE.

WESTILL HAVE PARTIES.

WEREKEEPING THEM AT A LIMIT OF 10.OUR CAMPS WERE DOWNSIZED THISYEAR BUT THEY STILL SOLD OUT.THEYRE EVEN DOING A CAMP FORKIDS WHO ARE LEARNING FROMHOME.

THE KIDS WITHDISABILITIES HAVE REALLYSUFFERED THEIR WHOLE SCHEDULE,THEIR STRUCTURE, EVERYTHINGCOLLAPSED.

THE PARTIES THATWERE PLANNED, THEY JUST SAWEVERYTHING DISINTEGRATE IN AMATTER OF DAYS AND WE HAVE TOBE HERE FOR THOSE PEOPLE.

ANDSO THE ACTIVITIESCONTINUE--OUTSIDE.TEMPERATURES ARE TAKEN, MASKSMADE A REQUIREMENT, AND SOCIALDISTANCING IS ENFORCED.

ALL TOKEEP PEOPLE EMPLOYED ON THERANCH, WHILE HELPING OTHERSHEAL.

WERE DETERMINED THATWERE GOING TO HELP PEOPLE.ITS A LOT THAT;S BEEN PLACEDON THE FAMILIES AND WE WANT TOBE HERE TO STRENGTHEN THEM.LUZDELIA FOR MORE INFORMATIONABOUT TRAK, VISIT OUR WEBSITE,KGUN9 DOT COM.

REPORTING FROMTHE RANCH, LUZDELIA CABALLERO,KGUN9 DOT COMLET'S TURN NOW TO BRIAN