The day dawned clear and sunny for the fifth annual Swim Fest, our annual fundraiser to garner funds for the Ranchers' Vacation & Activity Fund. And talk about coming in right on the money! Our goal was $15,000 and we made $15,000 to the penny, thanks to a late donation by a Ranch board member.

The competition was fierce this year. Barnabas, Martha, Joseph, and Teresa Houses are a wee bit frustrated with Gabriel House's unbroken string of wins. We had to remind the Ranchers that the real goal of Swim Fest is to have a great time with friends and family while getting together the funds for their annual vacation and other Ranch-sponsored activities.

And sure enough, Swim Fest was again a great success on all counts. We finished just in time for the clouds to roll in and bring some much-needed rain.

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To all who donated so generously to the Swim Fest, and to our staff who put the whole thing together so seamlessly, we send a big shout-out of thank yous! You can see pictures of our wonderful day at www.downhomeranch.blogspot.com.

We plan to set sail on the Carnival Ecstasy on January 28th for a four-day cruise to Cozumel. You are most welcome to come along. We don't have a group booking this year, so just go to www.Carnival.com and make your plans to join up with the greatest party ever to sail the high seas!

Your help is absolutely necessary to ensure that our Ranchers have the same quality of life and opportunities to go places and do things as their non-handicapped siblings. Program fees cover the basics, but charitable fundraising efforts make the difference between sitting at home watching TV and having an active, involved life.

If you missed making a contribution, don't worry. You can still donate to the Vacation and Activity Fund. Just make your donation here.

Your gift may well ensure that our Ranchers get to attend a concert or enjoy an enriching art or educational experience that would not otherwise be available to them without your help.