The Ranch Reveille

May 2026

Dear Jane,

The COVR plant sale has become a familiar spring tradition for folks who looked forward to getting plant starts from the Ranch.

This year, we made the difficult decision not to hold the sale. While the plant sale was popular, over the past several years it became less effective as a fundraiser and increasingly difficult to sustain. Most revenue came from small purchases of plant starts, while the work required months of seeding, daily watering, greenhouse space, volunteer coordination, staff oversight, setup, and event logistics.

We’re deeply grateful to everyone who supported the plant sale over the years. If the sale was meaningful to you, we hope you’ll consider making a donation this spring in support of the mission behind it.

With additional financial support and committed volunteer leadership, it may be possible to reimagine the plant sale in the future. For now, our focus must remain on keeping COVR operations sustainable for the veterans we serve.

With gratitude,

Heather Martin

Executive Director

Announcements & Upcoming Events

🎖️Women Veterans Engage Conference Social

On Friday, May 29th, the Women Veterans Engage Conference is hosting its pre-conference social at the Ranch from 3-7pm. Click here to register and get more information!

🏍️CVMA Ride To The Ranch finish line fundraiser

Open to the public - On Saturday, May 30th, from 3-7pm, come out to support the Ranch and the local National Guard I-82 CAV unit that recently retired its colors. The Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association® (CVMA) will be holding a tribute ride ending at the Ranch. All donations from the event and post-ride party at the Ranch will be split between the Ranch and the I-82 CAV's final military ball this September. See the flyer below - and click here to learn more, register for the ride, or donate!

Keri getting ready for Thursday lunch!

Thank You!

🙏 A big thank you to Keri Satterlee, one of the newest members of our Volunteer Collective, who has taken on a big role as our Ranch Host during our Thursday Veteran Workdays and community lunch. She has worked hard to clean out and organize our kitchen, receives and sets up lunches brought by our weekly volunteers, makes sure our veteran volunteers are fed and happy, and keeps our space clean and welcoming. It is hard to find the words to explain our gratitude!

Veteran Crew: How veterans can get involved

Below are highlighted opportunities for our "Veteran Crew". Click here to see our new Veterans page on the website with more ways you can get involved today, such as our weekly Wednesday and Thursday events!

🌞 Harness the Sun - Build your own power system!

Saturday, May 23rd-10am, spend an hour with Rick Bell, Army veteran, who has been living off the grid for over 10 years! He's developed a program for anyone who wants to harness their own electricity. This isn't just about putting solar panels on a house; it's also for RV owners, off-grid enthusiasts, and anyone interested in energy independence. Click here to sign up!

🐝 Beekeeping

Our friend and USMC veteran, Alex Nelson, has volunteered to help us out with bee care at the Ranch (Thank you, Alex!). We're in the process of acquiring a new hive. Click here to let us know if you'd like to get involved with hive care education at the Ranch!

Our Volunteer Collective: Volunteer opportunities for all at the Ranch

We’re ramping up for a great 2026 season and have a brand new Volunteer page on our website!

🥘 Thursday Community Lunches

Wow! A big thank you to all our community volunteers who have committed to providing lunches through June! We're incredibly grateful - the growing season is here and our Thursday veteran workdays are busy. We still have plenty of openings available in July and August - Click here to sign up.

Thank you, Jessie, Mikey, and family for lunch last week!

🐐Goats?

If there is enough volunteer interest, we may add goats to our growing family. Interested in helping out? Let us know!

Flyers for more local events from our friends, below! Please see our Full Calendar for our complete list of upcoming events.

🎖️Does your organization serve veterans? If you are not already on our Veteran-Serving Partner list, we'd love to add you to the list for any specific announcements or collaboration opportunities. Just reply to this email!

Click below for our full calendar!

Central Oregon Veterans Ranch is an official 501(c)(3) non-profit registered in the State of Oregon. Your donations are fully tax-deductible. Tax ID: 37-1755279
© 2026 Central Oregon Veterans Ranch. All Rights Reserved.