CORDILLERA RANCH HOMEOWNERS RAISE $90,000 FOR STAR RANCH WORK TRAINING PROGRAM

Contact:
Rosario Neaves
KGBTexas Public Relations / Advertising
Phone: (210) 826-8899

(November 24, 2004) BOERNE, Texas – Residents of Cordillera Ranch, an innovative, master planned residential community in the Texas Hill Country offering unparalleled on-site recreational opportunities, recently hosted their 3rd Annual Shindig, “A Good Time for a Good Cause,” at the Northington Horse Ranch. Organized by the Cordillera Ranch Social Club, this year’s Shindig raised almost $90,000 for the Star Ranch Residential Treatment Center, a facility operated by not-for-profit Christian organization Star Programs, Inc.

Star Ranch is located in a rural valley near Ingram, Texas, and is dedicated to the care and upbringing of young men who, for reasons beyond their control, need an alternative to traditional biological family care. All of the programs operated through the facility are designed specifically to serve young men with severe learning disabilities, mild mental retardation or an inability to maintain focus in the classroom because of conditions such as ADD, ADHD or hyperactivity.

“There are many organizations that are in need of assistance, and we look forward to helping a different one each year through the Shindig benefit,” said event co-chairpersons Nancy Gray and Susan Toensing. “We are especially committed to helping teens and families in our area and are thankful that programs like those offered at the Star Ranch have allowed us to contribute to their success.”

The $90,000 raised by Cordillera Ranch homeowners will specifically fund a new, innovative work training program that will teach young men who graduate from Star Ranch’s Residential High School Program a manufacturing trade in order to help these young men become self sufficient. The Star Ranch Work Training Program is intended to help young men effectively integrate into the community workforce after leaving the residential program. The program will encompass multiple stages and is anticipated to be in place by the end of the 2004-2005 academic school year.

“A Good Time for a Good Cause” has proven successful in raising money for a variety of charities throughout the years. The first Shindig raised more than $25,000 for The Meadowlands, a teen educational program that provides counseling and shelter for children who have survived abuse, neglect and abandonment. Last year, the Shindig raised $80,000 to benefit Hill Country Daily Bread Ministries, which provides food and spiritual support to Hill Country families. This year’s event featured cuisine by Don Strange and music by The Arbuckle Boys and Jim Earl & The Cadillacs. Live and silent auctions included items donated by numerous Hill Country and San Antonio merchants.