The Journey and the Book
John and Jan Gillespie invited Jerry, a 13-year-old young man struggling with life to spend the day with them. He was the first of 350 more foster teens to arrive. In 1965 with their own two sons, ages 3 and 7, they moved into a large home allowing them to help more boys.
For the next 35-years they had 10 teenage boys from juvenile courts living with them for a year each. They named the program Rawhide Boys Ranch. In the second year they were joined by Green Bay Packer Quarterback, Superbowl I & II M.V.P., Bart Starr and his wife Cherry, who partnered with them for the next five-decades.
This book, appropriately named, Our 351 Sons, is filled with heartwarming stories of young lives changed forever. It has dozens of proven tips for raising boys and girls of any age and is a great resource for parents, grandparents, teachers and others working with children and youth
Jan and John and their sons, Tim and Steve
The boys were 3 and 7 years old when, along with their parents, moved to Rawhide in 1965
The first boy, Jerry.
As a teenager he first visited the Gillespie’s
for the day… and stayed for 2 years.
He was the first of 250 more to follow.
Chapter one in the book is titled “Jerry”
Jan and John (Center row left)
with a house of their foster boys and two staff.
