As a down home country girl, Kelci's life revolved around good people and dang good horses. She was put on a riding horse before she could even walk. There wasn't a day that she didn't let her kind and happy soul and devotion to God and her family show. If you knew Kelci, you knew that she was never one to place judgement or criticize anyone no matter the circumstance. However, Kelci had some struggles of her own. At the age of eleven Kelci was diagnosed with epilepsy and depression. Kelci saw a therapist regularly and was prescribed medications to help. It was during this time that the importance of mental health awareness hit home for our family. In September of 2019, Kelci lost her battle to mental health. KH Heavenly's goal is to bring awareness to the importance of mental health all while spreading the love and kindness that Kelci is no longer able to share.

    KH Heavenly is the Cooperation that was started to do just that. In February of 2021, KH was granted a 501c3 which officially completed our first goal in becoming a non-profit organization. April of that same year, KH put on the very first KH Heavenly Rodeo in honor of Kelci. This year marked the third successful rodeo for KH Heavenly. I am so often asked when the next years rodeo will be. Without fail the turn out each year has blown us away. It seems that no matter the weather everyone comes out support the cause! The rodeo has not only provided the opportunity to share Kelci's story, but it has also been an opportunity to open eyes and ears to mental health awareness as a whole. 

    Our plan however is so much bigger than just a rodeo. While Kelci fuels the fire behind KH Heavenly it isn't just about her. Losing Kelci has opened our eyes to just how many people really do struggle with mental health. It became apparent that the available resources for healthy outlets that could sooth the mind and soul were hard to come by in our area. Horses are known to be an outlet for so many people and this proved to be the same for Kelci. When Kelci wasn't feeling her best, she would jump on the back of a horse and just free her mind. KH Heavenly's ultimate goal is to open a stable with riding trails in which people could come and ride and receive the same opportunity to help clear their minds. This stable would be open to the public and be a place where anyone could come to groom, ride, and overall, just spend time around horses and other people who might share in their same struggles. Horses have the ability to teach us empathy, respect, responsibility, confidence, and compassion for other beings. That is what Kelci was all about.

    While equine therapy will be a huge focus at the stable it will not be the only thing we'd like to offer. KH would love to eventually have dedicated therapist days specializing in specific needs such as; PTSD, anxiety, depression, and more. Through equine therapy KH would be able to offer available mental health resources while also providing a safe place for children to express themselves, find a new hobby, and clear their minds. Our primary goal with equine therapy is provide these resources to children but in time with growth we'd like to provide the same opportunities to adults as well. An equine environment can provide a goal oriented and more personalized feel as an alternative to the normal office visits that children may be used to. It is so important that kids know they are never alone and that no matter what they are battling there is a place they are able to go to for help if needed. 

    As Kelci's mom, I didn't realize how bad bullying was until it was too late. Kelci used to talk about how impactful it would be to be surrounded by horses and other people that were battling mental health the way she was. She always used to say, "I know there are others fighting mental health and I just want to be with people that have the same problems I do so that I don't feel alone." That is our goal for KH Heavenly. A safe productive place for people to go where they feel equal, can make friends, and like they can be a part of a community that KH created that makes everyone feel like they matter.