Community: Foundation supports Renewal Ranch with large donation
Planned addiction-recovery program given $20,000 gift card for supplies
By Carol Rolf
Thursday, March 11, 2010
RIVER VALLEY and OZARK AREA — Although all the I’s have not been dotted, nor the T’s all crossed as far as land acquisition goes, work continues daily on Renewal Ranch, which organizers plan to build in Perry County near the Toad Suck community.
Modeled after the John 3:16 Ministry in Batesville, Renewal Ranch, with the motto “Restoring Broken Lives Through Christ,” is a faith-based, longterm rehabilitation program for adult men who struggle with addiction.
James Loy of Houston in Perry County, formerly of Conway and Batesville, is director of Renewal Ranch. He is a graduate of the John 3:16 rehabilitation program. His wife, Laura Loy, serves with him.
Donations continue to pour in for Renewal Ranch, and a recent donation from the Home Depot Foundation is one of the largest. Through its community grant program, the Home Depot Foundation has awarded $20,000 in the form of a gift card to Renewal Ranch.
The donation will be used to build a six-man bunkhouse lodge.
“We needed building materials to complete the first six-man bunkhouse lodge at Renewal Ranch,” James said. “We were delighted to receive a $20,000 gift card from theHome Depot Foundation – our volunteers were so happy to get the supplies they needed.”
Laura also commented on the donation.
“We are so excited and feel so blessed that (the Home Depot Foundation has) so much faith in us. This will really get us going,” she said.
The Home Depot Foundation’s community grant program supports the work that local nonprofit organizations, public schools and other community organizations are doing to improve the physical health of their neighborhoods.
“We are delighted to support local projects aimed at creating healthier, more stable communities where families can thrive,” said Kelly Caffarelli, president of the Home Depot Foundation. “Renewal Ranch deserves enormous credit for the work it is doing, and we are glad to be part of their efforts.”
James is an employee of the Home Depot in Conway.
“I’m a key-carrying manager,” he said with a grin. “I’m the department supervisor over kitchen, bath, appliances and plumbing.”
He formerly worked at the Home Depot in Batesville and transferred to the Conway store when he accepted the directorship of Renewal Ranch in August 2009.
James met with several dignitaries from the Home Depot on Feb. 22 for the check presentation.
On hand for the ceremony were Gary Metheny of Conway, district manager for central Arkansas; Derek Gilpin of Conway, store manager, Conway store; Bessie Giesler of Cabot, operations manager, Conway store; Sean Nelson of North Little Rock, assistant manager, Conway store;Michael Wood of Greenbrier, assistant manager, Conway store; Calvin Washington of Sherwood, human resource manager, central Arkansas district; Joseph Wood of Little Rock, human resource manager, central Arkansas district; and Kelly Ivey of Cabot, manager, Cabot store, and district Team Depot captain.
“We are thrilled to be able to help an organization thatincorporates some of our core values like community and giving back,” Metheny said. “We want to be able to help people mend their broken lives.
“We’ve supported the John 3:16 Ministry for the past several years, and when the opportunity arose to bring such a program to Conway, we signed on with it.” – crolf@ arkansasonline.com
River Valley Ozark, Pages 64 on 03/11/2010
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