MILAN, Illinois – Tracey Sanders said she started drinking when she was 12 years old. By the time she was 54, she had pretty much given up on life.
“I had given up on myself. … I thought I would die an alcoholic death,” she said.
But her life quickly changed for the better. About four years ago, she became a client in the Top of the World Ranch – an addiction treatment and rehab facility near Milan. She said the ranch offered the programs, support and trained professionals to help her overcome her addiction to alcohol. She became a new person, and gained new hope and a new passion to help people.
In August of 2022, a year after she went through the program, she joined its staff. Today, she is the program facilitator lead at Top of the World Ranch. She helps with the program’s culture of healing and helping others who are facing addictions to reshape their futures.
Ms. Sanders was one of the people on hand during a recent celebration at the Top of the World Ranch. More than 30 people from the ranch and the Quad Cities business community gathered for a Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, March 11. That event welcomed the ranch’s launch of its new On-Site Detox Program. That program, called a seamless transition from detox to residential treatment, is designed to provide a calm, rejuvenating environment for clients as they begin their recovery.
The offerings ensure that clients can now undergo medically supervised detox in the same supportive environment where they can continue their recovery journey. The new program accepted its first client on March 5.
Clients from other treatment centers that may not have a dedicated detox may also utilize the new program and be transferred back upon completion, according to information from Top of the World.
Brett Vacek, chief strategy officer at Top of the World Ranch, called the new program a “game-changer for those seeking recovery.”
“We serve people. We serve them so they can get better. … There’s a lot of blood, sweat, tears and energy that we put out here,” he said during the ceremony earlier this month.
Mr. Vacek told the crowd that Top of the World’s services help more than just its direct clients. Ultimately, many friends and family members see the benefits of the program. That’s because the second-hand effects of addiction hit about 50% of the population, causing family problems and damaging relationships.
“This is about helping our community. … This is about healing,” he added.
But that ceremony was more than an introduction to a new program. The day’s events included a tour of many of the facilities on the 315-acre property, and a chance for the center’s leaders to showcase the work being done at the ranch. Some of that work includes:
- Clients at the ranch stay at least 30 days. They are encouraged to stay 45 days or longer, said Mr. Vacek.
- Each client is assigned a primary counselor for case management. During their stay, they receive one-on-one counseling sessions and have the chance to create a treatment plan with experts. “If you stick to the plan that you co-created, you will be successful in your recovery. In addition, we offer a variety of group therapies, as well as intensive and interactive psychoeducational programming,” according to information from the ranch.
- The facility’s holistic approach to treatment includes restorations, such as mindfulness, yoga, sound therapy and a native sweat lodge experience. Mark Sadler, owner of the ranch, said: “We understand that addiction attaches from a bio-psycho-social-spiritual realm, and we must offer a program that works and heals from the same perspective. Our nutrition and place/setting, our programming and staff, client and staff interaction, and our holistic offerings all combine to offer what we believe to be the best treatment experience available.”
- The March 11 tour gave visitors a look at the ranch’s 13,000-square-foot Main Lodge building, which houses many of the programs. During the tour, Justin Willis, Top of the World’s director of clinical and operations, showed people many of the features in the building, including a theater, kitchens, meeting rooms and a display of masks created by clients as an artistic way to help in their recoveries. “There’s a lot of activities for them to do here. … But they also go through a lot of hard work here,” he said.
That hard work helps build a “success rate” of 60% with its clients over the years, said Mr. Vacek.
He added that the Top of the World Ranch calculates its success rate by sending out voluntary surveys to every client who completes the program. The surveys are sent on a set schedule of one week, two weeks, one month, three months, six months and a year after completing the program.
“Anyone who doesn’t complete the form, we mark down as not sober. Therefore, we feel really good about the success rate we come up with due to the exclusionary criteria we put on ourselves so that we do not over inflate our visionary criteria we put on ourselves so that we do not over inflate our ‘success’ rate,” he said.
Ranch leaders add that part of the success of the facility is the property itself. In addition to the buildings, the ranch has acres of isolated open space to explore and connect with nature. “Spending time in nature can help people reduce stress and anxiety, feel more positive, and better regulate their emotions,” according to information from the ranch.
Several members of the business community attending the event noted the scenery and the isolated location. In fact, some of those admitted to getting lost on their way to the ranch, which is about eight miles south of Milan.
“That seems to be the theme for today. I was lost. Then I came here and I was found,” Ms. Sanders said.
At a Glance: Top of the World
Name: Top of the World Ranch
Location: 3333 15th Ave., Milan, about eight miles south of the village.
Services offered: The rehabilitation center is designed to treat all forms of addictive behavior. While the primary focus is on substance use disorders, the program also addresses behavioral addictions such as gambling, sex and romance addictions, as well as other dependencies. It has in-network status with most major insurance companies. The ranch is in-network with major insurance companies. The ranch is licensed by the state of Illinois, and accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) for all treatment programs.
New program: Top of the World recently introduced an On-Site Detox Program. With a 24-hour nursing staff and dedicated recovery professionals, this program will provide both medical and clinical services in a home-like environment.
The facilities: Top of the World Ranch is set upon a private 315-acre property. A 13,000-square-feet Main Lodge includes treatment rooms, groups rooms, counseling offices, intake area, dining and a kitchen. There also is a theater, gym, shuffleboard, steam room and more. A separate two-story building provides housing for clients and offers private rooms. The Main Lodge, a large red brick building, was initially a vacation home for a Chicago family whose patriarch initially bought 120 acres and then proceeded to buy more land.
History: In 2017, the Robert Young Center and Mark Sadler created a joint venture to buy the property. Extensive renovations were made to the lodge. In late 2017, Top of the World built a residence building with 25 individual suites, a group room and laundry facilities on each floor.
Amenities: Semi-private rooms, chef-prepared meals, holistic therapies, and access to the ranch’s expansive natural landscape to support physical and emotional well- being during detoxification.
Staff members and capacity: With about 40 staff members, Top of the World can accommodate up to 24 clients and typically is at capacity with a waiting list.
The clients: The ranch has served almost 1,000 total clients since 2018. “We had our first 100% capacity in 2024. We are still growing and looking to serve more clients through our detox program,” said Brett Vacek, chief strategy officer. “Unfortunately, our presence locally is still not what we would like. Many of our clients are still coming from outside the Quad Cities. While we want to serve anyone with addition, our local community is important to us.”
Contact information: Phone: (844) 814-8885. Website: www.topoftheworldranch.com or contact the admissions team at (309) 581-1000 or [email protected].
