A horse ranch in Leeds is throwing open its gates for a first-of-its-kind fundraiser next weekend, pairing a Grammy-nominated bluegrass band with barbecue and a silent auction to help pay for therapy programs that already have more than 100 children waiting for a spot. The Red Barn will host its inaugural Bluegrass at the Barn on Sunday, Oct. 25, from 4 to 7 p.m. at its property on Bailey Road.
The ticketed evening is built as a fundraiser for supporters, featuring live music, dinner, drinks and a silent auction, according to the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce. It will be held at The Red Barn's address at 2722 Bailey Road in Leeds, Alabama, the chamber notes. As Hoover Sun reports, the setting includes horses grazing in the ranch's own pastures, a backdrop that fits the evening's Cowboy Chic dress theme.
Headlining the music lineup is Fast Track, a band described on the event's fundraising page as four-time Grammy nominees who will provide live bluegrass throughout the evening. Dinner comes from Rusty's Bar-B-Q, with cold drinks also on offer, according to the event's official fundraising page.
Money Raised Goes Straight to Waitlisted Kids
Sponsorship dollars from the event are earmarked for The Red Barn's equine-assisted programs serving children, veterans and individuals with special needs, the Shelby County Chamber listing states. The same event page frames the support as helping provide confidence, connection and growth for the people the ranch serves, per Hoover Sun's reporting on the fundraiser.
The Red Barn describes its broader mission as providing educational, therapeutic and equine-assisted programs for individuals with disabilities and special circumstances, according to its fundraising page. That mission traces back to 2012, when the organization opened with, in its own words, just a horse, a barn and a dream inspired by founder Anita Cowart's vision of teaching low-income children with disabilities to ride horses, the nonprofit says on its website.
A Waiting List More Than 100 Names Long
More than a decade later, demand has outpaced capacity. The Red Barn says it now serves 100 children a week, while more than 100 additional children sit on a waiting list, according to its own account.
The ranch runs several distinct offerings under its umbrella, including Equine Assisted Horsemanship, Equine Assisted Learning and a program called Horse Sense, as reported by WBRC. Sunday's event is designed to help close the gap between the children currently being served and the ones still waiting for an opening.
