MOULTRIE, Ga. – Bird hunters might be disappointed because the Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office’s annual Dove Shoot fundraiser, one of the agency’s major fundraisers, has been canceled for a second consecutive time.

“As many of you know, the Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office has held an annual Dove Shoot fundraiser each year to support the Georgia Sheriffs’ Boys Ranch. For eighteen (18) years, we held this event with the amazing support of our farming friends within Colquitt County and have always been able to provide daily support and a reasonable Christmas for the kids at the Ranch,” the Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement posted to its Facebook page Wednesday evening.

It continued, “Unfortunately, because of in-season dove hunting dates, availability of fields because of farming and other circumstances beyond our control we were unable to host this event last year and will not be able to host it again this year.”

To help alleviate the cancellation, Sheriff Rod Howell along with the agency employees asks the community for its support in donations.

Sgt. Becky Perry, with the CCSO, told The Observer that the Georgia Sheriffs’ Boys Ranch’s intake varies from one to 30 kids at any time in the year.

“We never know if any of the kids could be ours from Colquitt County,” she said in an interview Friday.

The proceeds from the event usually help fund the children’s Christmas gifts, daily living or hygienic needs and the Ranch’s yearly fund.

A common misconception is that the children residing at the Ranch have “bad behavior” due to the negative connotation of it being named the Georgia Sheriffs’ Boys Ranch. Another misconception is that only boys reside on-site because it’s called the Boy’s Ranch.

“The kids at the Boy’s Ranch are good children. They do not have any disciplinary problems,” Perry said.

“As you know, these kids are good kids and are at the Ranch by no fault of their own,” the release said. “They need our continued support. We are diligently working on some other options for next year and will provide information on what those will be as soon as we have the logistics worked out.”

The CCSO will accept any form of donations such as toys or hygiene products. The gift donations can be dropped off at the CCSO, and they will arrange a later delivery date to the Ranch.

For those who would like to give donations based on the children’s ages, the current intake as of Friday, Dec. 2, at the Ranch includes the following:

Girls

• 20 years old (Foster Care College Student)
• 15 years old
• 19 years old
• 17 years old
• 17 years old
• 15 years old
• 16 years old

Boys

• 13 years old
• 15 years old
• 16 years old
• 17 years old
• 12 years old
• 12 years old
• 12 years old
• 15 years old
• 17 years old
• 15 years old

Any monetary donations must be given in the form of a check and must be made payable to: Boy’s Ranch.

The release concluded, “Your loyal support over the years has not gone unnoticed by us or the Boys Ranch. We truly appreciate every dollar, in-kind donation and minute of your time given to us and this worthwhile cause.”

For more information or questions please contact the CCSO administrative staff at 229-616-7430 or 229-668-8354.