November 16, 2017 – By #Deb Holland (Rapid City Journal)

If you are looking for homemade pies for your holiday feast, look no farther than Rainbow Bible Ranch.
This year's Pie Auction, a fundraiser for the ranch, will be at 6:30 p.m. Friday.
The first Pie Auction fundraiser was in 2011, said Larry Reinhold, whose family owns and operates Lonetree Ranch, home to Rainbow Bible Ranch. 

The event was a way to not only raise funds for the work of Rainbow Bible Ranch, which hosts youth summer camps, but also to share the opportunity and "sense of ownership" with some teenagers who attended camp and have served as staff members.

"Even today, the majority of the pies are from these kids and their families. The projects that have benefited in past are chosen with the idea in mind that the kids will relate to them as being an important part of the program at RBR, especially in the summer camp program," Reinhold said.

In the past, funds have helped to buy a pontoon boat and kayaks. After the devastating storm in the fall of 2013, the money helped in the restoration of areas at the ranch.

"We had so many trees damaged in that storm, and with the money raised we were able to purchase trees to not only restore but to enhance the setting as well," Reinhold said.

This year, youths in Rainbow Bible Ranch's Legacy programs will conduct the auction. The ranch offers camps for older youths called Legacy I and Legacy II during the summer. Then, throughout the year, youths from these programs meet for Legacy III Bible study and fellowship at Main Street Square in Rapid City.

Reinhold said the auction will feature nearly 60 homemade pies.

Funds raised this year will go toward some "not quite finished" projects, including finishing a tack room for all the equipment used by the campers, adding another cabin at Misty's Meadow and assisting in completing the Country Chapel where Sunday evening services will be held during the summer months.

Rainbow Bible Ranch had another record-breaking year in attendance, with 483 campers from 12 states this past summer.

"It is our continued desire to keep the camp fees as minimal as possible so that many families can enjoy what the ranch offers," he said.

Reinhold admits that the camp fees are about half of what it actually costs to host a camper.

"The Pie Auction is our only public fundraiser and proves to be a fun time of fellowship as people from all over bid to own a pie," he said.

Reinhold said some have already placed requests for certain pies, and one woman says she will send a contribution if a certain baker will share her recipe for a very popular pie.

"It is going to be a great night," he said.