front&center Cherie Davis

THREE RIVERS AREA — Cherie Davis calls herself a “professional mom,” not to be confused with stay-at-home mom or working mom. She doesn’t consider what she does a job. It’s more of a lifestyle, and it happened almost by accident.

Davis was satisfied with her career as a licensed massage therapist; however, she had thought about becoming a foster parent to fulfill her desire to help kids. A close friend of Davis’ went to work at the Arkansas Sheriffs’ Youth Ranch in Bethesda as a caseworker and told Davis there was an opening for a relief houseparent on some campuses.

Davis, a single mother of one son, wasn’t sure she wanted to take a job that would send her traveling around the state to several Youth Ranch campuses. She applied anyway and was called for an interview the next day. She got an offer, took the job and began working at the ranch in Bethesda on Dec. 6, 2007, with the understanding that she would go to a different campus at the end of the month. But before the end of December, a job opening for a full-time houseparent opened, and she was able to stay at Bethesda.

She suddenly had eight new daughters.

Leaving her home in Cave City, Davis and her young

son, Layne, moved into a house on the ranch, which she

said was frightening.

“You’re moving into a houseful of teenagers you don’t

know, and they don’t know you,” Davis said. “I had my

own son, too, and I was single.” At first, Davis said, the girls resented her moving inwith her new set of rules.

“These kids have been removed from their homes and sent to live with new people,” Davis said. “Then I was known as the meanest houseparent ever because I imposed all these rules, and kids off the street aren’t used to rules, such as eating dinner together, going to bed at 9:30 - all good moms require things and expect things.” One of Davis’ rules is that the girls all sit together at the same table and eat dinner, which some of them thought was odd. Now they think it’s odd not to eat together as a family.

Davis does all the things a normal mom would do, just many times over, such as taking the kids for doctor visits, dance lessons and school activities and getting them there on time.

“We go to ballgames together, shopping, church, and we all go to the mall just like a normal family,” Davis said with a laugh. “We go to the movies and take up a whole row, and we take up a whole pew at church.” Most houseparents are expected to work for 10 days and have four days off; however, in Davis’ case, there are some months when she doesn’t get any time off.

“These are my kids, and that’s the way it is,” Davis said.

“You live with someone, you form an attachment. I see them come in abused and neglected, and you show loveand stability, and it almost heals them. These kids have nowhere else to live.”

Although Davis said she loves her lifestyle choice, it’s not all fun and games.

“There is lots of laundry, I cook really big meals and have to make sure all the beds are made, and you’re never alone,” Davis said. “You do give up life as you know it, and being a single houseparent, [the kids and I] have to do everything together.”

Michelle (we are not allowed to use last names of the children) has lived at the ranchfor four years and is one of the girls who has been with Davis since she moved in. Michelle believes Davis has had a huge impact on her life. Michelle is only 16 and a freshman at college.

“Cherie Davis has made the most incredible difference in my life that anyone ever could. When no one else in the world wanted me, Cherie took me in, showed me love and taught me what a real family was like. It’s safe to say she saved my life,” Michelle said. “She is my mom for all intents and purposes. She may not be the one who gave birth to me, but she took care of me and taught me how to be who I am today. IfI had not come to the ranch, I would’ve never gone to college, I would’ve flunked outta high school and probably not had much of a life.”

Ranch superintendent David Ward said there are five sets of full-time houseparents, but most of them are couples who devote their lives to the children in their care.

“Cherie takes on things that most people would be afraid to tackle by themselves,” Ward said. “She puts God first, the kids second and herself third.”

Davis also believes there is a misconception of the reason most of the kids come to live at the youth ranch. Theseare not bad kids, she said, but they are kids who come from bad situations. Most of them have been abused, neglected and left to fend for themselves. When some of the kids come to the ranch, it is their first taste of what family life is like.

“I love watching the kids grow into mature and confident adults,” Davis said. “The most challenging aspect is when I get another kid, and getting the other kids to make the new kid feel accepted. They look at her like, ‘You’re coming into my house and taking up my mom’s time.’”

Since becoming a “professional mom,” Davis saidher view on many things has changed.

“Some kids are followers rather than leaders, and they make bad decisions,” Davis said about children who have very little parental involvement. “When I see a child in town who others would look at as a thug, I see a kid crying out for help. Kids need and want structure, and when you give that to them, the transformation is remarkable.”

The Sheriffs’ Youth Ranch’s mission statement includes the sentence, “It is better to build a child than to repair an adult.” Many people believe Davis epitomizes this by devoting her life to building up children.

“She is a lady who devotes every second to making the lives of children safe and happy,” friend Chris Kimball said. “She is a true hero in my book, and every time I see her I feel the presence of an angel. Cherie and I stand in the trenches together fighting for children.”

The ranch is a not-for-profit corporation and licensed child care facility serving the state of Arkansas. To learn more about the ranch, visit its Web site, youthranches.com.

- jbrosius @arkansasonline.commatter of fact Name: Cherie Davis Birth date: July 11, 1974 Birthplace: Dallas, Texas Biggest influence: Jesus and my brother, Michael First job: Town and Country in Cave City As a child, you said, “When I grow up, I want to be …”: A mom and have six children and be a beautician One thing you want to accomplish in life but haven’t: Have a self-sufficient lifestyle Most people don’t know I’m: The oldest of four kids I cannot live without: God as the source of my strength My favorite memory is: Playing outside with my brothers when we were kids Hobbies: Being outside, spending time with my kids and my nieces and nephews, sewing, redecorating my house Favorite quote: “We know all things work together for good to those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose” - Romans 8:28

Three Rivers, Pages 119 on 03/21/2010

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