Contact:
Paul and Kathy Lithgow
480-688-5003
Website

February 1, 2006

Alan Ranch students and staff have just returned from a weeklong trip to help in the storm ravaged Gulf Coast. Alan Ranch was part of a workforce organized to help a pastor and his family in DeRidder, LA build a home to replace theirs destroyed by Hurricane Rita. Pastor Kennis Smith and his church have been helping everyone else since the two storms that hit the area. Church members were in New Orleans the day after Hurricane Katrina hit cooking rice and beans for people in desperate need. Then when Rita hit weeks later they led the effort to distribute food and supplies from church and government organizations to their own community. Since Hurricane Rita Pastor Smith and his family have been living in a FEMA provided travel trailer and Pastor Ron Lithgow from Arlington Community Church in Arlington, VA organized this work trip to help get their new house started.

Alan Ranch students packed into the ranch motor home last Sunday and made the 1300 mile trip arriving in time for lunch on Monday and to begin constructing the first wall. They carried lumber, built and anchored walls, put up sheeting, built door headers and partition breaks and many other tasks during the framing operation. Students learned how to read a tape measure, use a chalk line and square, use levels to plumb walls, and use power tools like nail guns, drills, and circular and reciprocating saws. They were well fed by the kitchen crew organized by Pastor Ron and slept well, worn out each night on air mattresses in the church youth room. The experience was very valuable for the kids and staff alike learning the joy that comes from helping others.

Alan Ranch is a ministry (Arizona non-profit, 501.c.3 organization) providing a loving structured environment for at risk teens to improve their lives through faith in Jesus Christ, a family atmosphere and work on ranch facilities, and with animals. The teens live, work and go to school at the ranch.