• 43°

FAME Girls’ Ranch holds annual fundraiser

Shenandoah, featuring Marty Raybon, performed Sept. 5 at the Marriott Shoals Conference Center in Florence for the Fourth Annual Tunes and Tees Music Event, a yearly fundraiser for FAME Girls’ Ranch, located between Russellville and Littleville.

“What we do at FAME is take care of girls who cannot live with their families because of the choices of the adults in their lives,” explained director Cindy Hall. “Our girls have really endured a lot of heartbreak and trauma.”

The ranch is the former family home of FAME Studios founder the late Rick Hall and his wife Linda.

A slideshow with photos of the girls ran during the first portion of the evening.

This was the first year for the event to be held at the Marriott, a decision made to accommodate the increasing demand for tickets. The change in venue, Cindy explained, made it possible to expand the seating from 25 to 40 tables.

Approximately 350 people attended to enjoy the buffet dinner and musical stylings of Grammy award-winner Shenandoah. 

Shenandoah has 14 No. 1 records and four gold albums and is on its 35th anniversary tour. The band leads off shows with “Next to You, Next to Me” – a song Rick and Linda Hall always used to say was “their song.”

The band encouraged the audience to sing along whenever they wanted.

Mary Herston, a former house mother and current secretary and office manager for the ranch, spoke about the impact working with the girls has had and continues to have both for herself and for the young women she is afforded the opportunity to help and get to know along the way. 

A special presentation featured Casey, a young girl who was able to be removed from a dangerous situation and be placed in the care of the ranch. Herston was her house mother, and they still stay in touch.

Herston said many of the girls come in with no basic necessities. Donations are always welcome and needed. 

Necessary expenditures to maintain the ranch can be quite high, and unexpected repairs hinder the reach of available funds. “We are blessed to have such an incredible community that supports the work we do at FAME,” Cindy said. “We couldn’t do it without them.”

FAME Girls’ Ranch is one of four Alabama Sheriffs’ Boys and Girls Ranches. For more information, call 256-331-3813 or 256-710-3207 or email cmhall1963@gmail.com.

The second portion of the yearly fundraiser will be the Sixth Annual Tunes & Tees Golf Tournament. It will be held at Twin Pines Country Club Sept. 13.

Cost is $100 per golfer – $400 for a four-member team. Registration can be made at Twin Pines, by emailing famegirlsranchgolftournament@gmail.com or by calling Buzz McKinney at 256-509-1111. 

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Mousey Brown

News

Russellville First Baptist Church receives historical marker

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Meeting a higher standard – Russellville High School JROTC

News

RCS BOE announces new superintendent  

News

Miss Dream Girl Pageant names winners

Franklin County

First Metro Bank hosts FAME Girls’ Ranch donation drive

News

PCHS holds annual Shelby Grissom Memorial Fashion Show

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: VFW Post 5184 – ‘No One Does More For Veterans’

Features

Supporting students’ futures

Features

Red Bay Garden Club discusses amaryllis planting

Franklin County

UA announces local students for fall 2023 President’s, Dean’s, graduation lists

News

School news

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Troy Oliver

Franklin County

Appropriations bill passes, allots more than $3 million for new Russellville library/multipurpose center 

Franklin County

Franklin County Cattlemen’s Association names Cattleman of the Year 

Franklin County

Franklin County votes: Unofficial March 5 primary election results 

Franklin County

Funding for new Russellville library, multipurpose community center expected this week

Features

Faces of Franklin County: BTCPA

News

GFWC Russellville Book Lovers Club sponsors downtown art crawl

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Cody Bragwell

Franklin County

42nd annual Miss RHS pageant names winners 

News

Miss RHS pageant takes place Friday

Franklin County

Political announcement: David Hester speaks about run for reelection as county commissioner

Franklin County

BTCPA auditions for final production of season take place March 3-4 

x