Santa Maria Sun / Biz Brief

Spotlight on: Recovery Ranch

BY PAMELLA WOOD

Recovery Ranch in Santa Ynez is a structured, sober-living house with a slogan: “We are clean and sober men who live as gentlemen.”

The concept of being a gentleman is one of the keys to the success of the program, according to the ranch’s founders. Profanity is prohibited, good manners are stressed, and the men work together to keep the house immaculately clean.

Out on the links: Recovery Ranch partners Daniel Ross (left) and Andy Kirk get ready for a round of golf. During sober living residents’ stay at the Ranch, they also play golf, learning many life lessons on the course. PHOTO COURTESY OF RECOVERY RANCH

“We want our residents not to just get sober, but to be well-rounded in how they present themselves, and the way they talk,” explained Daniel Ross, one of Recovery Ranch’s partners. “Being a gentleman is a bit of a lost art. We want them to incorporate it into their lifestyle. Also, if you don’t use swearing as a crutch, you are forced to be more articulate.”

Recovery Ranch offers a six-month program for men struggling with drug and alcohol addiction. It costs $2,750 per month. The ranch currently has seven residents, though it can accommodate up to 24 men. It opened its doors on Jan. 1 of this year and is run by Ross and Andy Kirk. They started the business because they feel blessed by their own recoveries, and both have a desire to help others who are still fighting addiction. Kirk worked as a drug counselor for eight years at Project Recovery in Santa Barbara.

The program is open to men ages 18 and up; Ross described it as very action oriented.

“Some programs you sit in groups, talk, share, write in journals, etc. But we try to put lessons into everyday life. If they are working with the other guys and they have a problem, how can they [adjust] the situation on their side of the street to make it better? It is a really tight house, and we all come from a place of love and compassion,” Ross said.

The approach to rehab taken at Recovery Ranch is based on the 12-step program created by Alcoholics Anonymous. Men at the ranch live there fulltime, instead of leaving each day to go to jobs, as is done in some programs.

“They wake up early in the morning and get ready for the day,” Ross said. “There is a daily routine that we follow. We teach the guys to be accountable to themselves and to each other. Again, we want them to not just get sober, but to be well-rounded in how they present themselves and how they interact with others.”

Recovery Ranch residents also help out in the Santa Ynez community, as a way of teaching the men to be selfless and to do something without getting anything in return. According to Ross, residents do odd jobs, like pulling weeds, picking up trash on the side of the road, or doing heavy lifting for families who can’t afford to hire professional help. As a thank you, the ranch often receives donations from people it’s helped. The money goes into a scholarship fund for men who can’t afford the fees.

Recovery Ranch partners Ross and Kirk didn’t get into the business because they wanted to make money; they want to change lives, and they’re seeing results.

“Watching the guys grow in the short period of time they have been here is amazing and rewarding,” Ross said. “It is a great feeling to be able to see them becoming more comfortable with their sobriety and with life in general.”

Recovery Ranch is at 3694-B Tivola St. in Santa Ynez. For more information, visit the program’s website at therecoveryranch.com.

Highlights

• After being closed for several months over the winter, Guadalupe Mexican restaurant La Fogata has re-opened with a new menu and new owners.

Israel and Melisa Gonzalez, who hail from Mexico City and Long Beach, respectively, specialize in preparing traditional Mexican dishes with a modern twist, such as their chile relleno rolls.

The restaurant is at 253 Guadalupe St. just north of Highway 166. Hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Mondays, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends.

For more information, call La Fogata at 343-2040.

Biz Spotlight is compiled by Intern Pamella Wood. Highlights is compiled by Staff Writer Jeremy Thomas. Send items for consideration to spotlight@santamariasun.com.