Mud bash at Partners Ranch gets gritty for good cause

The Ranch Hands plan to get down and dirty this Saturday, May 10, at Partners Ranch in South Jasper County; but don't worry, you'll still have time to clean up in time for the Jasper Lions Club rodeo closing performance Saturday night.

Partners Ranch is a 26-acre camp and recreational facility for children with disabilities and their families. They will have trails, cabins, sports fields, areas for fishing, swimming and horseback riding, where families can gather for recreational activities and respite programs.

Partners Ranch Network was founded by Janice Meyer, who lost her son, Jeff Foreman, at age 16 due to multiple disabilities. PRN assists 10,000 Texas families with training, education, and technical assistance for all types of disabilities.

The workday Saturday is to clear the picnic area and walking trails. The Ranch Hands, parents and volunteers, hope more local people will join them and bring tractors, brush hogs, chainsaws and machetes.

The day will start at 8 a.m. before it gets too hot, and the Ranch Hands are planning a big lunch with "all the fixin's." If weather doesn't cooperate, May 24 is the rain date, according to development specialist Patrick Burks.

For directions and so they know how many "hands" to feed, call Gay Ferguson at 735-4849.