Local News
Sheriff pleased with local support for Boys Ranch
MOULTRIE — The Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office was very excited to see the community give so much support to the Georgia Sheriffs’ Boys Ranch in Hahira in 2009.
“With the economy like it is,” Colquitt County Sheriff Al Whittington said, “I’m well pleased. Colquitt County has once again opened their hearts and their pocketbooks.”
Colquitt County was in the top 10 club in the state of Georgia for 2009 with donations per person based on population, Whittington said. The community helped out tremendously by taking part in fundraisers like the golf tournament in June, a Texas Hold ’Em tournament in September and a bird shoot. The community also gave contributions as memorials, and the county raised a substantial amount of money for the Boys’ Ranch.
Whittington said the donations have been put to very good use for the 41 children, including six from Colquitt County, currently housed at the Boys Ranch. One of those will be graduating from college this month, and another has graduated from medical school and is doing his residency. He plans to open a practice in Lowndes County once his residency is complete.
The Boys Ranch depends on donations from people and businesses, and Whittington said all of the merchants and individuals have been wonderful with their support. The ranch is not a reform school, and the children there work extremely hard in school and with a full-time tutor to bring their grades up — about 60 percent achieve a B average or better in school.
“These are good kids,” Whittington said, “but their parents cannot or will not provide for them.”
Whittington said he would like to thank Colquitt Countians for all of their support of the Boys Ranch. The ranch is the largest of five Georgia Sheriffs’ Youth Homes throughout the state, and Whittington said he is so grateful this community does so much to support the children there.
“We have been very fortunate to help the Boys Ranch out,” Whittington said.
