Bald Ridge Lodge

Thank you so much to Denise Ahrens Carleton for your generosity in providing backpacks for our boys. Giving them the chance to choose their own unique bag gave them a small but powerful piece of ownership and self-expression at a time when so much of their world feels out of their control.

Starting a new school year is hard enough for any teenager, but for these young men, walking in with a backpack that actually reflects who they are helps them feel like they belong, like everyone else, not marked as different. That confidence can make all the difference in how they carry themselves through the halls this year.

Your kindness reminds these boys that people outside their immediate circumstances see them, care about them, and want good things for them. That message matters just as much as the backpacks themselves!

It's the first day of school! To all the boys of Bald Ridge heading back to the classroom, we are so proud of you!

Last Month, we recognized Youth Care Specialist Cathy as she celebrates 15 years of employment with Bald Ridge Lodge!

And just like that… summer is wrapping up! It has been one for the books… from lake days to field trips to checking off our summer bucket list, our young men have had an incredible few months. But as much fun as summer has been, we are SO ready to cheer our young men on as they head back to school! Stay tuned as we kick off the 2026-27 school year with the boys.

Two months away and the excitement is building! Have you grabbed your tickets yet for Rock Solid Futures on September 20th? Join us from 1 PM – 3 PM at Rock Solid Brewery for an incredible afternoon celebrating the futures being built right here at BRL. Don't wait too long, you don't want to miss the fun!

Grab your tickets now at https://baldridgelodge.networkforgood.com/events/102484-rock-solid-futures-26

Nothing better than getting out on the Lake! Thank you, Mike Balboa and Deb Matz, for hosting us!

He arrived at Bald Ridge Lodge angry, resistant, and convinced it was just another place that wouldn't matter.

He was wrong.

What he found instead was a household full of people who showed up the same way every single day. Staff who followed through. Volunteers who kept coming back. Adults who made it clear, over and over, that they believed he had a future worth investing in.
Slowly, that started to matter to him.

Today, when he talks about his future, the words come easily. He has plans. He has people. He has something he didn't have when he arrived: hope that his future is actually his to build.

None of that happened without someone showing up first.

Our volunteers are often the first consistent, caring adult presence some of these young men have ever known. That relationship changes things. Sometimes it changes everything.

Could that someone be you? We are looking for volunteers who are willing to show up, stay the course, and invest in a young man who needs to see what that looks like.

They're HERE! Tickets for our Annual Rock Solid Futures event are officially on sale! Join us September 20th from 1 PM – 3 PM at Rock Solid Brewery for an afternoon you won't want to miss. Grab your tickets now before they're gone!

https://baldridgelodge.networkforgood.com/events/102484-rock-solid-futures-26

It's that time of year! As summer winds down, we are getting our young men ready to head back to school for the 2026-27 school year. We want to make sure every one of them walks through those doors equipped and ready to succeed — and we need YOUR help to make that happen!

Check out our Amazon wishlist at the link below and see how you can make a difference this school year. Every item counts! https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/29YKGRA771BSV?ref_=wl_share

He walked into Bald Ridge Lodge at 17, overwhelmed, and overwhelming. Staff described those early days like keeping up with an active toddler who never ran out of steam.
Today, walk into almost any high school sporting event in Forsyth County and something interesting happens. Someone calls his name. A player. A coach. Someone in the stands. He waves, gives a wide smile, and probably knows their record for the season.
In five years, this young man went from having no community to speak of, to being known and loved by what feels like half the county.
That does not happen without structure. Without consistency. Without staff who show up the same way every single day. Without volunteers who take a chance on a kid and keep showing up. Without donors who make all of it possible.
He is moving into the next chapter of his life soon. He is ready. And he will tell you with complete confidence that he will make friends in his new home just like he did at BRL.
This is what your support makes possible.