Stars shine for Quinn's Ranch
By Staff
Jonathan Willis
It wasn't hard for Bobby Humphrey to find a familiar face Saturday night as he spoke at the annual Quinn's Ranch banquet.
Several former University of Alabama football players gathered at Calvary Baptist Church in Russellville to listen as the former Crimson Tide All-SEC running back shared stories from his days on and off the field.
Humphrey, who left Alabama as the school's all-time leading rusher, spent some time in the National Football League before returning to Birmingham as head coach of the city's arena league team in 1999.
"I had good times here, bad times there," Humphrey told the crowd as he explained the adversities that will always come with life.
He compared the highs and lows of life with many of the same things that the boys at Quinn's Ranch face. The ranch is a Christ-centered boys home near Red Bay.
Though much of the crowd gathered for Saturday night's banquet sported their crimson and white and went to see former Alabama greats such as Major Ogilvie, Ricky Tucker, Dennis Homan and NFL Hall of Fame lineman John Hannah, Humphrey told the crowd that everyone there was for the same team.
"We are all on the same team here," he said. "It doesn't matter if you give $1 or $1 million to the ranch. You have given Quinn's Ranch and those young men a second chance. You are all heroes."
Board member Dennis Upchurch said the ranch receives no government assistance and relies on donations.
"The boys are raised in a Christian environment," he said. "You can't raise them with a devotion every day and take them to church on Sundays if we received help."
Ranch director Shea Lowery said officials will not have all the money from the fundraiser collected for a couple of weeks, but she is pleased with how it turned out.
"It was incredible," she said. "We were so excited about the number of celebrities that were there. And we can never thank everyone enough who sold tickets and did anything to help us get ready."
The ranch, which opened six years ago, depends on donations and fundraisers for its operation already has its next big event planned. An Alabama Greats Golf Tournament is scheduled for June 13 at Cypress Lakes Country Club. For more information, call 356-8900.
