By Anne DeVries
On December 13, Down Home Ranch (DHR), located in Elgin, Texas, held its annual Hot Cocoa Stroll. Attendees enjoyed a day of fun on the 410-acre working farm and residential community, which empowers individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live meaningful, purpose-driven lives.
Founded in 1989, Down Home Ranch offers a supportive environment where individuals with cognitive disabilities find a sense of belonging and thrive through residential living, vocational training in areas such as the plant nursery and crafts, and enriching activities, including camps and events. Sales from the nursery, open monthly to the community, and events like the Hot Cocoa Stroll help sustain their programs.
Diana Daw, Director of Development for DHR, was front and center at the Hot Cocoa Stroll, greeting guests and ensuring the occasion flowed seamlessly. “It’s a privilege to be here every day,” she shared.
The event featured a $15 keepsake mug for purchase, allowing sampling of delicious Rancher-crafted cocoa at various stops across their campus. The stroll featured s’mores, crafts, concessions, a bake sale, a cake walk, and holiday photography sessions.
A key highlight was the Holiday Plant and Poinsettia Sale, where vibrant poinsettias and other greenery were available for purchase. These poinsettias, grown in the Ranch's nursery, serve as a vital fundraising element, yielding 15,000 poinsettias annually. Sales support the community's programs, making the Christmas season an active time for residents, staff, and volunteers.
Poinsettia sales also offer valuable fundraising opportunities for numerous local community organizations. During the holiday season, various groups in the Austin area purchase the high-quality poinsettias from DHR at wholesale prices and resell them to support their own initiatives. Volunteers and staff assist with tasks such as packing plants, ensuring they reach homes and offices, by personal delivery if requested.
Enhancing the Ranch's community connections is its 25-year partnership with Regents School of Austin. Regents 7th and 8th-grade students visit the Ranch twice a year. During their ministerium, they provide services that meet the needs of residents and the DHR community.
Amy Gold, a 7th-grade teacher at Regents School of Austin, shared, “It is always a joy to take our students to DHR. While our goal is to help out the Ranch in any way we can, these trips are a valuable opportunity to instill a love for service in the hearts of our students. I think the kids are often surprised by how much fun they have while working and serving the residents and community of DHR.”
The annual Hot Cocoa Stroll united the DHR community and its supporters for a joyful holiday outing. The day stretched into the evening hours as they participated in the Bastrop Christmas Lighted Parade with a float designed and decorated by the DHR community in collaboration with Bastrop High School PALS.
For more information about their seasonal pointsetta and monthly plant sales, as well as opportunities to volunteer or give to Down Home Ranch, visit downhomeranch.org.
