Boys ranch to hold open house

A new 200-acre ranch for boys in need of a safe place to live will be unveiled to the public Saturday from 4 to 7 p.m.

Arrowhead Ranch, 239 Cortner Mill Road in Normandy near Cortner Mill restaurant, will take in boys from surrounding counties in Middle Tennessee who have gone through hardships, such as losing their parents.

The grand opening and open house will be a fun and informative opportunity to learn more about the ranch and how it works. Since executive director Jeff Sweeney is from Memphis, he had no trouble lining up a great Memphis barbecue caterer for the event.

Jeff and his father, Preston Sweeney, have dreamed about opening a place like this for years. They purchased a rundown dairy farm about a year ago and have quickly torn it down and built the ranch.

The facility will have six homes, all with house parents, each housing up to six boys ages 10-17.

The goal of the ranch is to provide residents a stable, structured and normal family life.

For more information contact Andi Burgess at (931) 857-4000 or e-mail arrowheadranchtn@gmail.com.

Upcoming in the T-G

Look for an in-depth feature story on Arrowhead in Sunday's Times-Gazette.