With the onset of warmer temperatures, communities around Guthrie County are beginning to think about spring cleaning. However, one group in particular is in the middle of a spring cleaning nearly 100 years in the making. Firefly Creek Ranch, a non-profit retreat center in the former Guthrie County Home southwest of Panora, is beginning to take shape ahead of its grand opening to the public.

When Founder Brenda Rose purchased the property in December of 2016, the original intent was to turn the facility into a senior center. However, she soon realized the space could be used for much more. Rose explains her vision for the property going forward. “We’re trying to create something meaningful for this community from a place that was closed and desolate and a deficit for the county…So we needed to think about different ways that we could open this building back up and use it so that it was no longer a deficit for the county and that we were able to bring some heart and soul and purpose back to this building.”

Rose and the rest of the ranch have plenty of ideas to utilize the property, including: retreats, art classes, a community garden, murder mystery dinner theaters, educational opportunities, and other events. The ranch will be hosting an open house on Saturday to give the public a chance to see the updates and tour the facility. The open house is from 2-8pm with entertainment provided by musician Brendan McKnight. There will also be pulled pork sandwiches and other goodies for a free-will donation.

To hear more about the ranch and the open house, listen to tomorrow’s Let’s Talk Guthrie County program.