Timbers 2016 Issue 1

Big Oak Ranch is a Christian home for children needing a chance. The Ranch takes in children between the ages
of six & eighteen who are orphaned, abused, neglected, or homeless. Comfortable two-story brick houses are home
for up to eight children & a quality Christian couple. Our houseparents provide the consistent love, discipline &
direction our children so desperately need & deserve.
Big Oak Ranch, Inc. is a non-profit, non-denominational organization that is privately funded and operates
debt-free. The ministry consists of Big Oak Boys’ Ranch, Gadsden, AL; Big Oak Girls’ Ranch, Springville, AL;
Westbrook Christian School, Gadsden, AL
The Timbers mailing list is confidential & is not shared with any other organization. Questions, comments or
corrections should be addressed to the attention of Rhonda Hindman.
Board Members
Big Oak Ranch is owned & operated by Big Oak Ranch, Inc. & its
board. We would like you to know our working Board of Directors:
Miller Welborn (Chairman), President, Welborn &
Associates Inc., Lookout Mountain, TN
Paul Bentley, Owner & President, Warrior Energy,
Northport, AL
William B. Eyster, Jr. (Board Emeritus), Eyster
Properties, Inc., Birmingham, AL
Richard Grimes, Senior Vice President, RealtySouth
Birmingham, AL
Price Hightower, President, Tower Development, Inc.,
Birmingham, AL
Jim Leonard, Leonard Properties
Birmingham, AL
Darrell Piatt, Alabama Power (Retired)
Birmingham, AL
Randy Pittman, (Board Emeritus), Samford University,
Birmingham, AL
David Sansing, Vice President, Sandy Sansing
Automotive Group, Pensacola, FL
Lexeigh
Meredith
Luke
Jessie
Isabella
Garrett
Skyler
Steven
January
Post Office Box 507 • Springville, AL 35146
Phone (205) 467-6226 • Fax (205) 467-6206
2016 — Issue I
01/09/14
01/10/05
01/15/14
01/20/97
01/21/97
01/23/05
01/24/02
01/28/05
ON THE COVER
Pablo is 6 years old and lives in the
Bryant Home with his houseparents
David and Lydia Ryan.
Aidan
Mason
Jacob
Joshua
Leavy
Cody
Levi
Keith
Silas
February
02/03/04
02/05/06
02/09/07
02/14/99
02/17/97
02/20/99
02/20/03
02/22/08
02/25/10
Scarlet
Feliza
Paige
Emily
Eli
Ava
Slater
Destini
Lorenza
Rosa
Asher
March
03/12/01
03/14/05
03/17/00
03/17/00
03/18/05
03/19/06
03/20/06
03/21/01
03/28/98
03/28/98
03/28/05
W
hen our oldest son Sawyer was born, I was a beaming, proud daddy,
excited to have a boy to carry on the family name. Once everything
slowed down and everyone got to see him, my dad walked in to give me
something. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a lensatic compass. He
asked me if I knew what it was and I said, “Yes sir, it looks like a compass.” He began
to explain how generals would call in and give their soldiers specific directions to lock
into their compass. The soldiers would set it, lock it and go, following the instructions
down to the smallest detail. Once they reached the destination, they would be still and
wait for their next instruction.
He went on to tell me that as dads, we’ll have many seasons of life; we’ll go through
storms and obstacles that try to deter us. He told me to lock on to my True North, and
one day when Sawyer is asked who’s the godliest man he knows, he’ll respond with “my
daddy”.
All of us have been given the ultimate gift and responsibility with the children in our
lives, whether it be our children, grandchildren or the 150 kids who call Big Oak Ranch
home. As we start 2016, may we all seek and trust our True North. The path will bring
its share of changes and storms, but we must be willing to battle through and stay
focused.
Thank you for supporting Big Oak as we help our children set their compass, lock it in
and press on!
Sincerely,
Committed to what we do best!
Brodie Croyle
Brodie & Kelli with Sawyer & Luke Croyle
9 years old
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Is 14 years old and has lived at Big Oak Ranch for 5 years
Lives in the Bonds Home with houseparents Janet and Jeremy Cockrell
Has three sisters who live at Big Oak Girls’ Ranch
Is in 7th grade at Westbrook Christian School
Played JV football this past season for Westbrook
Played on the 7th grade basketball team at Westbrook
Played soccer on local teams for 3 seasons
Played baseball for a local team one year
Enjoys riding horses, playing video games and just being outdoors
Attends a local church with his Ranch family, and is a member of the Youth Group
Is a kindhearted young man who loves animals, is great with younger children,
and is a hard worker.
Your life is a gift from God.
What you do with your life
is your gift back to Him!
Happy 8th Birthday
Jonathen!
Mariano had so much
fun at the circus!
Alfie & Chad are
best buds!
Kaige had fun doing an
art project!
Justice made a new
friend!
For the Spirit God gave us does
not make us timid, but gives us
power, love and self-discipline.
2 Timothy 1:7
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Large skillets with lids
Twin size blankets
Vacuum cleaners
Coffee makers
Hand-held mixers
Pillow protectors
Water proof mattress pads
Please send donated items to:
Big Oak Boys’ Ranch Inc.
250 Jake Mintz Road, Gadsden, AL 35905
7 years old
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Has lived at Big Oak Ranch for 12 years
Lives in the J. E. Black Home with houseparents JD and Reagan Phillips
Will graduate from Westbrook Christian School in May
Received high compliments during her internship at a local salon and was hired
Has participated in various extra-curricular activities all through high school
Is passionate about a career in Cosmetology and plans to attend Gadsden State
in the fall
Enjoys the weekends she spends with her resource family
Is interested in mission work at an orphanage in Haiti called “No Longer”
Enjoys movie time, ice cream runs and shopping trips with her brother and sisters
Has a thoughtful heart and also gives great advice on fashion and beauty trends
Wake up every morning with the
thought that something wonderful
is about to happen!
Abbey looks
ADORABLE!
Lookout everybody....Gail is
loading up on SUGAR!!!
Congratulations Brittney on being
inducted into the National Beta
Club! We are so proud of you!
Angelina had fun clownin’
around at the circus!
Raven’s first day on the
job! Congratulations!
L to R: Feliza, Adelin and Paige had
fun dressing up for Halloween!
Be on your guard; stand firm
in the faith; be courageous;
be strong.
1 Corinthians 16:13
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4 hair dryers
• Rice cooker
4 box fans
• Wok
Vacuum cleaners
• Bug Spray
Wireless speaker
Twin size electric blankets
Electric skillet
New iron and over the door ironing board
Camping equipment
Car chargable/portable DVD players for van
Beach chairs & cabanas or tents
Goggles for swimming
Please send donated items to:
Big Oak Boys’ Ranch Inc.
250 Jake Mintz Road, Gadsden, AL 35905
Thanks to all of you and especially all of our Christmas sp
as you can see from the pictures!! A special thank you to eve
ponsors, our children had a WONDERFUL Christmas - eryone who helped make our children’s wishes come true!!!
At Big Oak Ranch, we are carefully structuring a cattle management program
to provide a self-sustaining beef production system for feeding the children
at the Ranch. Our plan is for the cattle program to grow into a self-sustaining
herd that provides increasing sale of cows and calves to support the day-today operations of the program, and eventually produce a profit margin to go
toward the support of our children.
We also want to provide a structured work program that gives the children at
the Ranch an opportunity to learn to safely and productively handle cattle,
and at the same time teach them a strong work ethic. We teach them all aspects of cattle management including but not limited to keeping records, managing herd growth, and how to keep our pastures from being over-grazed. Not
only are we feeding our family now – we are getting our children ready for
life.
What an opportunity to teach our children to do everything in life to a higher
standard!
For more information, please contact Matt Williams at (256) 892-0773
God blessed me in so many ways the day He allowed me to come to Big Oak
Ranch. At the age of 15, He turned my entire life around and started preparing me to be the mother and wife I am today.
I have been married to my wonderful husband for 13 years now. I am blessed
to be able to stay home with our three children Daylon 9, Nicholas 6 and
McKinze 2. Both of our boys love to play soccer, and I coach. We attend
Harvestfield Church.
My houseparents were and still are a huge part of my life and now my family’s
life.
Thank you Big Oak Ranch!!
The Legends Classic was a HUGE success thanks to our committee members: Ed Hardin
(Auction Chair), Buddy Gardner (Celebrity Coordinator), Patrick Drummond, Steve
Hudson and Rocky Stewart. Thanks also to the celebrities who participated in the
auction and tournament, and to everyone who donated items for the auction. We hope
you can join us this year for the 2nd Annual Legends Classic at Old Overton Club!
In an effort to appropriately recognize the gifts that are given to Big Oak Ranch in memory
of or in honor of a family member or loved one, we will be mailing a separate Big Oak
Honorarium & Memorial Tribute brochure quarterly.
Memorials
Memorial gifts are a special way to keep your loved one’s memory and legacy alive. When
a loved one dies, we are faced with a painful loss and a multitude of decisions, including
how to remember and honor the difference that this special person made in the lives of
those around him or her. A Memorial Fund is a thoughtful way of honoring the memory
of someone you care deeply about. Continue their legacy in a way your loved one would
have appreciated by supporting the children of Big Oak Ranch.
Honorariums
Honorarium gifts celebrate lives while the honoree is still able to see the resulting work
being done in the lives of so many children. Birthdays, weddings, graduations, anniversaries, and retirements are part of a long list of special events and reasons for honoring
someone with a gift that lasts a lifetime and beyond.
How it Works
These special gifts are easy to make and can help provide a variety of needs, from health
care and food to education and a stable Christian home with a Mom and Dad who are
present in our childrens’ daily lives. Please let us know in whose memory or honor you
are sending the gift so that it can be listed in our Big Oak Honorarium & Memorial Tribute
brochure. Please note that all donations are tax-deductible.
You can visit us online at www.bigoak.org or mail your Memorial or Honorarium to
Big Oak Ranch, P.O. Box 507 Springville, Alabama 35146. If you have questions related
to giving a Memorial or Honorarium, please contact Nancy Hughes by email at
NancyHughes@bigoak.org or by phone at (205) 467-6206.
I thank God every time I remember you. Philippians 1.3
NON-PROFIT
U. S. POSTAGE
PAID
Isaiah 61:3
Est. 1974
P. O. Box 507 • Springville, AL 35146
HELP US BE GOOD STEWARDS OF GOD’S MONEY.
BIRMINGHAM, AL
PERMIT NO. 159
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