Long Ranch 4 Boys Host Tournament

By Marla Jones, Sports Editor

marla@southerntorch.com

FYFFE, Ala.— Paul and Kristy Long of Antioch, were sitting at a movie years ago, when Paul felt the calling to help children in need.  Paul said God spoke to him and he wanted to be obedient to that calling.  He came home and started to do research.  He found out that one out of three people were raising family members.  The Long family wanted to minister to boys, ages 5-18 who needed help in difficult situations. After much prayer, the Long Ranch 4 Boys was established.  The Long Ranch 4 Boys vision is to provide at risk boys with a solid family structure.  One that will love and encourage them and to help equip them to become Godly men in their communities and in their own homes.

Proverbs 22:6 “train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.”

The Long Ranch 4 Boys, broke ground to build a home for up to twelve boys and two house parents a year ago.  Within the next week, the house will be completely finished and completely debt free.  The House parents will move to the new home in January and open applications for the boys will start in March. All of this was made possible thru donations, The Old Timers Football Game and the Old Timers Basketball Tournament.

The Second Annual Sand Mountain All-Star Old Timers Basketball Tournament will start at 10:00 a.m., December 26, 2015 at the Fyffe High School New Gym.  There will  be seventeen teams and  over 160 players.  This tournament is one of the largest basketball tournaments in the State of Alabama.

The Games will continue, January 1, 2016 at Fyffe, starting at 11:00.  The Finals will be held at the Dekalb County Schools Coliseum at 10:00, Saturday, January 2, 2016. The Championship games will start at 5:00 p.m.  During halftime, of the Championship Games, fans can enjoy a knocker ball game.

As you are sitting around with family and friends during the holidays, please make your plans to come support this great mission.  Admission is $5 per person.  Children 5 and under are free.