Alabama Sheriffs Youth Ranch Paving the Way for Successful Futures

Providing hands-on training now for boys will pave the way for successful careers later for men. The Alabama Sheriffs Youth Ranch (ASYR) demonstrates this belief every day at the Baldwin County Boys Ranch in Summerdale. Now, a 2022 Impact 100 grant, “The Vocational Program for Ranchers,” is helping to maximize the boys’ time at the ranch in the areas of cattle ranching and woodworking.

With cattle, they have been able to update equipment and materials like the fencing and watering system. These upgrades have made it easier to teach the young men how to care for and handle the cattle, reports Steven Jones, Director of the Baldwin County Boys Ranch.

In exciting news, a bull in the herd is expecting calves in the spring. The boys are thrilled!

When it comes to the trade of woodworking, the opportunities are growing by the day. The group has finished remodeling the woodworking shop and are now purchasing the tools needed for instruction. As an added bonus, a master woodworker in the community has offered free lessons once everything is in place. The boys are already planning what they will build.

“As a former rancher, I would have loved to have had these opportunities when I was growing up,” said Jones. “This is a huge educational opportunity for our boys that wouldn’t have been possible without this grant.”

“We are so thankful for the Impact 100 organization and the difference this grant is going to make with our young men’s future!” echoed Michael Smith, Chief Executive Officer of ASYR.