Learning by caring

<p>Blake Ridgway enjoys working with kids and animals. At Forget Me Not Farm in Santa Rosa, he found a perfect place to volunteer.</p><p>Ridgway mentors foster kids who are learning how to care for animals at the farm, a program of Sonoma County's Humane Society. "It's an opportunity to change the lives of kids and help animals, too," he said.</p><p>Last year, he worked with a 17-year-old boy inside the Humane Society's animal shelter. They helped abused dogs with socialization and training by walking the dogs and teaching them to obey basic commands.</p><p>"Working as a team was really great," Ridgway said. His young partner, who was raised in foster homes, had a knack for helping troubled animals.</p><p>"He had an innate ability to work with dogs that were highly aggressive," Ridgway said. "He's a really mellow kid."</p><p>The animal shelter's staff was impressed with the young man and gave him more challenging assignments. "Once they saw how the dogs reacted to him, they upped the ante," Ridgway said.</p><p>"There was a real sense of pride for him. It was neat to see his confidence."</p><p>Ridgway now is mentoring his second foster teen.</p><p>Forget Me Not Farm's mentoring program is for foster youth aged 14 to 19. They learn skills that can lead to jobs as veterinary assistants, dog trainers, dog groomers or animal care technicians.</p><p>About 100 kids have been through the program, said director Carol Rathmann. For those who have been exposed to violence, it's a way to learn compassion.</p><p>"Our goal is to break the cycle of abuse," she said. "We teach them nurturing and caring skills."</p><p>Mentors and teens get orientation and training. Staff match them based on the teens' talents and needs.</p><p>Most volunteer in the animal shelter, next door to Forget Me Not Farm. Others work with farm animals or in the farm's horticultural program. The farm also offers humane education, farm tours and an adventure camp.</p><p>Ridgway, an avid bicyclist, learned about the farm from Levi's GranFondo, the annual Sonoma County charity ride. GranFondo is Forget Me Not Farm's largest private supporter, donating $160,000 over the past three years.</p><p>Ridgway lives in Santa Rosa and works for a lumber company in Richmond, where he sells sustainable forest products.</p><p>"He works great with the kids," Rathmann said. "He's very understanding and patient, an incredible role model." Forget Me Not Farm always needs mentors, but men are especially in demand, she said.</p><p>"Anything you do for kids has ramifications way down the road," Ridgway said. "They may not remember your name, but they remember an act. You can let them know you believe in them."</p><p>You can reach Staff Writer Steve Hart at 521-5205 or steve.hart@ pressdemocrat.com.</p>