Friends of the Ranch fundraiser set

By TERRY JOE WILES

Music columnist

The Friends of the Ranch Fundraiser will be from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday tonight at the Donald W. Reynolds Community Center.

If you are not familiar with what this Ranch is all about, you will certainly be aware of why this place is so badly needed.

Every family in our area has experienced alcohol and drug addiction at some time. The 6:33 Recovery in Howe and Spiro offers a Christ centered treatment for addiction that has put many families back together and saved lives for seemingly hopeless addicts through Faith and Hope.

The Ranch began as a Christ-centered outreach ministry and was hosted spiritually and financially by the Green Country Cowboy Church. At first, there were only 6 beds for men and was fashioned after a one-year commitment program that had proved successful in other treatment centers. The men were given responsibilities and chores that slowly renewed a lifestyle most of the guys had forgotten. They had breakfast together each morning and Bible study to get the day started.

This was followed by shared chores of housekeeping and preparing meals. There was livestock to feed, horses to break and an acre truck patch that helped put food on the table and to be sold to support the cost

of the Ranch.

Clothes, supplies and some funds through donations came from the members of the Green Country Cowboy Church. Kane Riggs was offered the position of Ranch manager. With much faith, commitment, patience and tolerance, he has become a friend to the guys when a friend was badly needed. His guidance came from experience and understanding of the problem at hand. Always leaning on the everlasting arms of Jesus.

However, even though this effort was small, at first, for the huge need of addictions around LeFlore County, at the start.

In Matt. 9:37-38, Jesus pointed out the problem. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray for the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

Prayers have been answered. With the experience of success and failures, the growth in the number of beds for men, and now women, the purchase of a campus with several buildings in Howe, and a gift from the members of the First Methodist Church in Spiro and the need for supplies, food and funds to keep this program operating and carrying the Message of Jesus to the recovering alcoholics and addicts that call 6:33 Recovery home is much needed.

Riggs has invited all to join tonight’s fundraiser/dinner/fellowship and become a Friend of the Ranch and 6:33. Any donation is appreciated but the real blessing is helping 6:33 Recovery and all the good it does.

Riggs has a crew of several dedicated Christian men and women that help him and Heather Riggs keep the focus on God and recovery. Most will be there and would be glad to answer any questions that you have.

Helping with the dinner, the men and women that are currently going through this treatment also will share their stories.

“Josh and the Front Porch Boys” will supply praise and worship music. There will be a keynote speaker, Matt Spradley, that shares his journey out of hard times to becoming useful again to God and helping others along the way outta addiction. He is just a joy to hear and spreads encouragement and the Message of Christ.

This is a family affair. There’s a barbecue dinner provided in your gift of the price of the ticket. There will be other opportunities to give besides donation boxes. There will be a live auction and a silent auction for some nice gifts.

For additional information, call (918) 658-2573. Some tickets will be available at the door.