Lives Under Construction Boys Ranch
September 17, 2020
Cindy Hembree
In the late 70s, at 32 years of age, Ken Ortman lived on a farm in South Dakota and had a prison ministry. After a close call with a former prisoner, he began wondering what he could have done differently. Once the young man was captured, Ortman went to see him. The young minister asked why he had not changed his lifestyle. The 36-year-old prisoner told him that if Ortman could have introduced Jesus to him as a teenager, it probably would have made a difference. It was then that Ortman began seeking God to change his direction and began to focus on teenage boys.
Within two years, Ortman purchased 27 acres, razed the house on it, and moved into the 8x8 well house. Not long after, they were provided with a small mobile home and the boys started coming. Ken admits he missed out on much one-on-one time with his wife and three children, but he had to be obedient to the Lord’s calling. According to Ken, it didn’t take long before their children began forging healthy relationships with the newcomers.
When the household began growing, it was apparent that the young minister needed to expand the living space. Another mobile home was added, and a third shortly after that. That was their living space until more suitable living quarters for the wayward boys could be established. Thus, the Lives Under Construction (LUC) Boys Ranch was born.
These days, the ranch is relatively larger than when it was first purchased. Ken Ortman, now 72, has seen many young boys come and go from the non-denominational Christian-based program. Now having dormitories on the property, he can house them comfortably and still keep a “family” atmosphere. The age of the boys can vary from eight to sixteen years old. One surprising fact is that the younger boys are not as compliant as the older teens. “A strong-willed boy will try everything he can to get his way,” tells Ortman with conviction. Eighty-five to ninety percent of the kids who come to LUC Boys Ranch have been diagnosed with ADHD. However, the ranch is a drug-free organization. Drugs and medication are not used to modify the students’ behavior. Ortman treats the boys with love and dignity. He sees them as individuals who have not yet found their way in life. He takes them under his wing and shows them a life that has a purpose.
On the now 186-acre ranch, the students have access to learn skills they can use when they graduate. Those skills include woodworking, small and large engine mechanics, animal husbandry, blacksmith or metal forging, cooking, welding and housekeeping. A grin comes across Ken Ortman’s face when he tells that the latter seems to be the least favorite of the boys. He says that welding, cooking, and mechanics seem to be the favorite skills to learn. The archway that one must pass under to enter the ranch was designed and welded together by students who once stayed there.
The LUC Boys Ranch is a non-profit organization. Nearly ten percent of the funding comes from the families of the boys enrolled in the program. About twenty percent of the backing comes from work projects such as lawn mowing and the thrift store. The rest of the finances are met with donations.
What makes LUC Boys Ranch unique is that the entire staff treats each case that comes in as if they were their child. Ken pours his heart into each case that comes into his charge. His program can take anywhere from seven and a half months to five years. None of the boys are ever kicked out.
He acknowledges most of the wards have “made their own bed,” which is why they are there. Many feel they need to fill the mold their parents have laid out for them and cannot meet the family’s expectations. Each boy at the LUC Boys Ranch must learn accountability for their actions before graduating.
In the late 70s, at 32 years of age, Ken Ortman lived on a farm in South Dakota and had a prison ministry. After a close call with a former prisoner, he began wondering what he could have done differently. Once the young man was captured, Ortman went to see him. The young minister asked why he had not changed his lifestyle. The 36-year-old prisoner told him that if Ortman could have introduced Jesus to him as a teenager, it probably would have made a difference. It was then that Ortman began seeking God to change his direction and began to focus on teenage boys.
Within two years, Ortman purchased 27 acres, razed the house on it, and moved into the 8x8 well house. Not long after, they were provided with a small mobile home and the boys started coming. Ken admits he missed out on much one-on-one time with his wife and three children, but he had to be obedient to the Lord’s calling. According to Ken, it didn’t take long before their children began forging healthy relationships with the newcomers.
When the household began growing, it was apparent that the young minister needed to expand the living space. Another mobile home was added, and a third shortly after that. That was their living space until more suitable living quarters for the wayward boys could be established. Thus, the Lives Under Construction (LUC) Boys Ranch was born.
These days, the ranch is relatively larger than when it was first purchased. Ken Ortman, now 72, has seen many young boys come and go from the non-denominational Christian-based program. Now having dormitories on the property, he can house them comfortably and still keep a “family” atmosphere. The age of the boys can vary from eight to sixteen years old. One surprising fact is that the younger boys are not as compliant as the older teens. “A strong-willed boy will try everything he can to get his way,” tells Ortman with conviction. Eighty-five to ninety percent of the kids who come to LUC Boys Ranch have been diagnosed with ADHD. However, the ranch is a drug-free organization. Drugs and medication are not used to modify the students’ behavior. Ortman treats the boys with love and dignity. He sees them as individuals who have not yet found their way in life. He takes them under his wing and shows them a life that has a purpose.
On the now 186-acre ranch, the students have access to learn skills they can use when they graduate. Those skills include woodworking, small and large engine mechanics, animal husbandry, blacksmith or metal forging, cooking, welding and housekeeping. A grin comes across Ken Ortman’s face when he tells that the latter seems to be the least favorite of the boys. He says that welding, cooking, and mechanics seem to be the favorite skills to learn. The archway that one must pass under to enter the ranch was designed and welded together by students who once stayed there.
The LUC Boys Ranch is a non-profit organization. Nearly ten percent of the funding comes from the families of the boys enrolled in the program. About twenty percent of the backing comes from work projects such as lawn mowing and the thrift store. The rest of the finances are met with donations.
What makes LUC Boys Ranch unique is that the entire staff treats each case that comes in as if they were their child. Ken pours his heart into each case that comes into his charge. His program can take anywhere from seven and a half months to five years. None of the boys are ever kicked out.
He acknowledges most of the wards have “made their own bed,” which is why they are there. Many feel they need to fill the mold their parents have laid out for them and cannot meet the family’s expectations. Each boy at the LUC Boys Ranch must learn accountability for their actions before graduating.