Community & News

Thriving Community

Ken-Caryl Ranch – a great place to live, work & play! Our thriving community offers endless opportunities to get involved and connect with others that share your passion. Whether it’s gardening, parent networks, senior groups, sports or philanthropy, our community has it all! See links on the left for more information.

Participate

Ken-Caryl Ranch Community Organizations

kcr art guild

The Ken-Caryl Art Guild is a non-profit organization committed to the education and development of artists of all levels, and the support of the arts in Ken-Caryl Ranch and surrounding communities. Organized in February of 2004, the Ken-Caryl Art Guild includes artists of all mediums and at all levels of expertise: art professionals, emerging artists, amateurs, students, hobbyists and those interested in appreciating art. Members include professionals, hobbyists, amateurs and students, and those interested in collecting and appreciating art. For more information, please visit their website by clicking on the button below.

bear

CONSERVATION CLUB

The Ken-Caryl Conservation Club (KCCC) supports resident involvement and promotes awareness of issues and activities aimed at preserving and protecting Ken-Caryl’s most valuable asset, our Open Space, wildlife, flora and their habitat. KCCC strives for safe and responsible use of our Open Space by residents. KCCC encourages all residents to join and participate in its activities and meetings. New residents are always welcome. For more information, please email us at kencarylconservationclub@yahoo.com.

kcr foundation

The Ken-Caryl Ranch Foundation was formed in October 1990 with the goal of enhancing the quality of life for the residents of Ken-Caryl Ranch. Its mission is to promote community engagement and solicit donations which include monetary contributions as well as personal and real estate property from individuals, public, and private community organizations. These funds are used in the establishment and development of facilities (which includes park and open space lands), health and wellness programs, cultural arts, educational programs, and recreational programs. Scholarships, historical preservation, trail maintenance, memorial tree program, access for the handicapped, and children’s art programs are also supported. For more information, click on the button below.

old house

The purpose of the Historical Society is to promote awareness of and appreciation for the historical aspects of the Ranch. There are numerous sites located throughout the Ranch with historical significance that are available to the residents of the Ranch for use and enjoyment. The committee shall seek to protect and preserve the sites, as well as to make them more accessible and usable to the residents of the Ranch. For more information, please click on the button below.

seniors at a baseball game

KCR SENIOR CLUB

The Ken-Caryl Ranch Senior Club is a Social Club that has been going strong since it began in 1983. It is made up of couples and singles aged 55 years or better, and averages around 40 members. It meets (with a few exceptions) for a luncheon meeting from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. the second Tuesday of each month at the Ranch House.

Dues are $30 per person per year, payable in January, and prorated after June. New members are always welcome, and for planning purposes, contacting us is appreciated. If you are interested in attending these meetings and possibly becoming a member, please contact Diana Kappes at 224-723-8222, or Stephanie Berg at 571-228-5968.  If you are interested in receiving the newsletter, please provide an e-mail address to Larry Campbell at campbell160@comcast.net.

trail club

TRAIL CLUB

Volunteers that work on the Ken-Caryl Trails in exchange for permission to hike in Willow Springs Private Open Space.

Trail Club

The Ken-Caryl Ranch Trail Club is a group of volunteers operating under a Memorandum of Understanding with the Master Association and a Joint Use Agreement with Willow Springs Open Space. The Trail Club is open to all Ken-Caryl residents. There is no cost to join, and all volunteer service and involvement is appreciated. In addition, members of the Trail Club who are able to contribute 10+ hours of volunteer service annually are eligible to receive permission and an ID bracelet for hiking in private Open Space owned by Willow Springs. The Trail Club promotes stewardship, volunteerism and partnership with Willow Springs on Open Space issues. Trail Club volunteer projects, provided by the Ken-Caryl Ranch Park Rangers, primarily focus on improving and maintaining Ken-Caryl Ranch trails. If you need to reach the Trail Club, email KCTrailClub@gmail.com.

The Ken-Caryl Trail Club exists for the
purposes of:

  • Being good stewards of Ken-Caryl and Willow Springs open space;
  • Enjoying the trail systems associated with Ken-Caryl and Willow Springs open space;
  • Providing community service;
  • Partnering with our neighbors in Willow Springs on open space issues;
  • Sharing open space-related activities with like-minded neighbors and friends;
  • Improving and maintaining Ken-Caryl trails; and
  • Serving as advocates for Ken-Caryl trails and open space.
Trail Club Communication
  • Ken-Caryl Rangers will communicate only with Club leadership on volunteer opportunities, trail use issues, etc.
  • Only the Club Corresponding Secretary will communicate with Club members on volunteer opportunities, meetings, etc. So as to discourage “reply to all” spamming, the Corresponding Secretary will use the “bcc” function on all outgoing messages. As such, individual members will not see the full distribution list on email correspondence.
  • Only Club leadership will communicate with Willow Springs open space representatives on Club matters.
  • Club members are responsible for communicating with the Membership Coordinator on volunteer hours worked dates and location.
Trail Club General Policies
  • An annual minimum commitment of 10 volunteer hours is required of all members to receive a Willow Springs Open Space ID bracelet.
  • Approved volunteer activities include: new trail construction, trail maintenance, volunteer patrol, tree harvest and Christmas tree sale, club leadership/administration, and other Open Space projects that are approved jointly by both Ranger & Trail Club committees.
  • Only household family members 16 years or older may work toward fulfilling the 10-hour commitment.
  • In order to get credit for volunteer hours worked, members are responsible for signing the work log at the project work site with name, date, hours worked, and email address. Contact the Membership Coordinator for any concerns about recorded volunteer hours.
  • If a member completes all 10 hours during the calendar year, he/she will be eligible for a new identification bracelet after the first of the calendar year. NOTE: This policy will be reviewed annually and could change after the end of the year at the sole discretion of the Club leadership. For example, a lottery could be introduced if deemed necessary.
  • If tag demand exceeds the supply, applicants with the most volunteer hours and those reaching the minimum required hours first will receive preference for obtaining a tag. NOTE: This policy will also be reviewed annually and could change after the end of the year in the sole discretion of the Club leadership.
  • If excess tags are anticipated, applicants who did not meet the minimum volunteer requirements may be allowed to complete the minimum requirement with additional logged hours in the new calendar year. A current year tag may be issued once 10 hours has been attained. There is no guarantee that a tag would be available, and it is recommended to coordinate the availability with the Membership Coordinator. After fulfillment of the past year’s requirements, a new 10-hour commitment is then required for next year.
  • Bracelet identification tags must be displayed while Club members are using Willow Springs open space. Only one bracelet will be issued per household.
Sign-Up Procedures
  • After the first of the year, Club leadership will provide an article in the publication, Life at Ken-Caryl, advising residents of the opportunity to sign up for the Trail Club.
  • Residents interested in becoming Club members will read this webpage including attachments on: Ken-Caryl Open Space rules, Willow Springs Open Space rules, trail etiquette and the current year volunteer waiver (links below).
  • Residents interested in becoming Club members will: 1) sign the volunteer waiver and release, 2) send the waiver via email to Mike Garner, Membership Coordinator, at KCTrailClub@gmail.com. This step is necessary to ensure that we have a valid email address for each member. Memberships will not be processed without an email message.
  • After receiving the email message and signed waiver, the Membership Coordinator will verify that the previous year’s commitment has been satisfied. If the applicant has fulfilled their volunteer commitment, the Membership Coordinator will mail the new bracelet (different color each year). Previous year’s bracelets will not be allowed.
Trail Club Leadership
  • President – John Hamilton – johnh@me.com
  • Vice President – Lisa Schuth
  • Corresponding Secretary – Anna Gardner – annaloveg@gmail.com
  • Membership Coordinator – Mike Garner – mike@garner.xyz
  • Social/Special Projects Chair – Gary Salter
  • Treasurer – Rusty Spinney
  • OSC Liaison – Tracy Soukup – soukup@comcast.net
  • New Member Recruitment – Curtis Crites