NESTLED IN SOUTHERN INDIANA'S WOODED HILLS NEAR THE HISTORIC
INDIANA TOWN OF FRENCH LICK SITS WILSTON RANCH.
ONCE A HUNTING LODGE THE HEAVEN LUN LUN HAY KUR PROPERTY WAS
PURCHASED BY ENTREPRENEUR TO RETURNED TURNED INTO IT A MODERN
DAY OASIS, FEATURING QUAINT CABINS, HIKING TRAILS AND
HORSEBACK RIDING. BUT OWNERS KNEW THEY NEEDED
SOMETHING MORE TO SET THEM APART FROM OTHER LOCAL ATTRACTIONS.
>> OUR SISTER PROPERTY, BIG SPLASH ADVENTURE, WE BROUGHT
ANIMALS IN AND LET KIDS PLAY WITH ANIMALS, TOUCH THE ANIMALS
AND WE HAD AN ELEPHANT THERE. IT WAS AMAZING HOW THE KIDS
LOVED IDEA OF BEING CLOSE TO AN ELEPHANT, TOUCHING IT, AND
THAT'S KIND OF WHERE THE IDEA SPARKS.
OH, PEOPLE ARE REALLY INTRIGUED BY THESE ANIMALS.
THE OWNER OF THE ELEPHANTS AND OWNER OF WILSTON HAVE KNOWN EACH
OTHER A VERY LONG PERIOD OF TIME AND THEY LOCATED IN FLORIDA AND
THEY USED TO TRAVEL A LOT, AND THE OWNER HAD SAID, HEY, WHY
DON'T YOU GUYS NEXT TIME YOU ARE DRIVING THROUGH THE AREA STOP,
HANG OUT, BRING THE ELEPHANTS AND THEY ACTUALLY HAD AN EVENT
IN PERU, INDIANA TWO YEARS AGO AND HAD ANOTHER EVENT IN
CONNECTICUT. SO THEY THOUGHT, WELL, WE'RE
KIND IN THAT AREA. WHY DON'T WE COME FOR A COUPLE
MONTHS. WE DID A SLOW KIND OF JUST TO
SEE IF IT WAS SOMETHING PEOPLE WOULD BE INTERESTED IN, AND IT
WAS PRETTY SUCCESSFUL. SO THEN THEY JUST DECIDED TO
MAKE IT A PERMANENT DEAL. >> BEGINNING IN MARCH OF 2015,
THE OWNERS AND THE ELEPHANTS ARRIVED IN FRENCH LICK FOR THEIR
VERY FIRST SUMMER IN INDIANA. AND THUS BEGAN THE ANNUAL
ELEPHANT RETREAT WHERE GUESTS CAN EXPERIENCE UP CLOSE ENCOWER
TURS THROUGH SUCH ACTIVITIES AS THE ELEPHANT SPA DAY.
>> WE WANTED TO CREATE NOT ONLY AN INTERACTIVE OPPORTUNITY BUT
ALSO AN EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY. THE BATHING EXPERIENCE IS
DEFINITELY MORE INTERACTIVE. THEY GET TO PHYSICALLY BATHE THE
ELEPHANTS. THE EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS ARE
WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE, AN EDUCATIONAL WHERE PEOPLE CAN ASK
QUESTIONS, THEY'LL GIVE YOU ANY INFORMATION THEY CAN GIVE YOU
ABOUT ELEPHANTS. YOU'LL LEAVE LEARNING AS MUCH AS
YOU COULD WANT TO KNOW ABOUT AN ELEPHANT.
YOU'LL ARRIVE HERE, CHECK IN, AND YOU'LL GET ON OUR BUS.
THEY'LL TAKE YOU UP TO THE ELEPHANT BARN.
AND YOU'LL GO IN AND SIT DOWN AND THEN THEY CALL EVERYBODY UP
TO ACTUALLY BATHE THE ELEPHANTS. YOU'LL PAINT THEIR NAILS WITH
MINERAL OIL. SO THEY WASH ALL THREE
ELEPHANTS. SO THEY -- EACH ELEPHANT TAKES
ABOUT 20 TO 25 MINUTES OR SO TO
WASH. AND THEN AFTER THAT, YOU'LL GO
TO THE EDUCATIONAL SEMINAR WHERE YOU WILL GET TO LEARN ABOUT THE
ELEPHANTS, THEY'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE MORE BACKGROUND, AND THEN
AFTER THAT YOU GET TO TAKE PHOTOS.
WE ALWAYS SAY THAT YOU CAN COME HERE AND MEET OUR ANIMALS, NOT
JUST FEED THEM. SO WE REALLY WANT PEOPLE TO LIVE
KNOWING THE ELEPHANT'S NAMES, KNOW YOUNG THEIR PERSONALITIES.
EDUCATION IS THE BIGGEST PARTED OF WHAT OUR MISSION IS HERE AT
WILLISTON.
SO THE ELEPHANTS LEAVE US IN THD WILL GO DOWN TO FLORIDA WHERE
THEIR OWNERS HAVE A HOME AND THEY HAVE PLENTY OF ACREAGE TO
GRAZE THERE. THE REASON THEY LEAVE TO GO TO
FLORIDA IS BECAUSE ELEPHANTS CAN'T BE IN TEMPERATURES BELOW
40 DEGREES. SO OBVIOUSLY IT WOULD BE UNSAFE
FOR THEM TO STAY HERE THROUGH THE WINTER.
WE'D LOVE TO KEEP THEM YEAR-ROUND.
SO WE ARE LOOKING AT WAYS TO POTENTIALLY KEEP THEM HERE,
WHETHER IT'S BUILDING BIGGER BARNS OR HEATING THEIR FLOORING
SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO GET TRANSPORTED TO FLORIDA, BUT
UNTIL THAT HAPPENS THEY WILL GO TO FLORIDA DURING WINTER.
>> IN ADDITION TO THE ELEPHANTS ON PROPERTY, WILLISTON HAS
CREATED EDUCATIONAL EVENTS THAT FEATURE GIRAFFES, KANGAROOS, AND
ZEBRAS. AS WELL AS ONGOING SEMINARS
ABOUT INDIANA'S MORE COMMON ANIMAL NEIGHBORS, LIKE COWS AND
PIGS. AND THE OWNERS CONTINUE TO
EXPAND THE PROPERTY TO INCLUDE ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCES AND
ANIMAL ACTIVITIES. YET, THEIR MISSION REMAINS THE
SAME... TO PROVIDE PERSONAL ANIMAL INTERACTIONS THAT HELP
SHAPE THE LIVES OF THEIR VISITORS, BOTH LARGE AND SMALL.
>> IT'S ACTUALLY REALLY AMAZING. WE'VE HAD PEOPLE CRY.
WE'VE HAD PROPOSALS. WE'VE HAD PEOPLE THAT BRING A
GROUP FOR THEIR BIRTHDAY PARTIES.
WE GET A VERY BROAD RANGE OF PEOPLE, AND IT'S KIND OF AMAZING
TO SIT THERE AND SEE PEOPLE LITERALLY COME TO TEARS, BECAUSE
THIS IS SOMETHING THEY'VE WANTED TO DO THEIR WHOLE LIFE.
WE GET A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT COME AND SAY THIS IS ON THEIR BUCKET
LIST, THIS IS SOMETHING THEY HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO.
PRETTY AMAZING JUST TO SEE HOW PEOPLE REACT TO THEM.
AND THE ELEPHANTS LOVE IT, TOO. SO IT'S A