Transforming Lives Award Winner: Lino Officer Rachel Ryan

By Latoya Shelby

The following narrative was submitted on behalf of Officer Rachel Ryan's award nomination.

Officer Ryan Volunteers at a local equestrian facility in Lino Lakes. Officer Ryan works first watch at the Lino Lakes Facility and when she gets off of work, she goes to the equine facility to help care for the horses. She spends hours a day several days a week feeding, exercising horses and cleaning up after the horses at the equine facility.

This facility houses several horses that are involved in a program that uses horses that need a job and helps them find a second purpose in life. These are horses that may not have ended up in good situations otherwise and may be considered for kill pen.

This facility provides an outlet for several Officers and their families throughout multiple Department of Corrections facilities as well as the local community. This program works with children and adults alike. This program thrives on helping people build confidence and independence through working with horses as well as destressing and connecting with their family members when doing group lessons. Several clients of this program not only come to the facility to learn how to ride, but to learn more about themselves and help heal some of the traumas that they have had to endure in life. Although this program is not a “Equine Therapy” program, therapy does occur between the clients and the horses. Some of the horses in the program come with their own scars and trauma, and through working with people and volunteers they have also begun their own healing process.

Without Volunteers like Ofc. Ryan this facility would not be able to keep their doors open and keep up on the quality of care that the horses need in order to provide the service to the community that they do. Officer Ryan makes sure that the horses not only receive their feed and supplements on a regular basis but that their stalls are immaculately cleaned. Ofc. Ryan helps make sure that the isles are clear and in great condition for students to have a safe area to groom and saddle horses. Ofc. Ryan in addition to helping this program has also volunteered her time to help other people who benefit our community care for their horses while they were enduring hardships in life and could not provide physical care to their animals. Ofc. Ryan shows exemplary team work as a volunteer and is always willing to go above and beyond when it comes to the care of the animals and helping others. This mirrors what it is like working with Ofc. Ryan in the facility. Ofc. Ryan is always willing to go above and beyond to help other Officers and help train in the new Officers in the facility.

Officer Ryan has in addition to her volunteer work at the equine facility rescued several small animals and rehabilitated them on her own and with her own financial contributions.

I truly believe that Officer Ryan deserves recognition for her volunteer work outside of the prison because her work not only impacts those that work in Corrections but it also impacts the community that she already serves as a Correctional Officer. Her role in the program is often easily overlooked as it is part of the background fundamental care needed in order for the horses to excel in what they do.

Thank you for your time and efforts Officer Ryan you are truly an asset inside and outside the fence!