Mike and Ruth Moore from the Madison Youth Ranch visited the 55 Plus Club on Wednesday, Feb. 11. Mike is the Director of Operation and Ruth is the Community Relations Director. Madison Youth Ranch has the Ranch House and two cottages but the plan is to have a total of 12 cottages to take care of 120 children. During construction of the Ranch House, there was a hurricane shelter room built. The roof, walls and floor are eight-inches thick of concrete and are rebarred into the floor. According to Mike, the house may be gone but the hurricane shelter room will still be there. Madison Youth Ranch opened on July 31, 2014 with seven residents. In the fall, there were 17 residents and now they are back down to eight. Ideally they would like to have 18-20 youth between the ages of 6-17. The youth attend Pinetta Elementary School, Madison County Central School and Madison County High School. “We just want to take care of children in need,” said Ruth. “We are here to serve you and work with you to take care of the kids that need our help.” The Madison Youth Ranch will soon have horses to fill the stable that was built on the property to begin the equine therapy program with the children. The stable has two stalls, pack and fed rooms, an office, conference room and a riding arena. The horses will come from the Florida State University Equine Therapy program. The horses are not for the youth to ride but to talk and bond with so they are looking for gentle, ground broken horses between 15 and 21 hands. Ruth and Mike invites the public to come out to the Madison Youth Ranch and take a tour. They also want the public to know that they are all about helping children and want people to come to them about a child in Madison that may need their help. The 55 Plus Club is open to all Madison County residents who are 55 years old and older. All faiths and races are welcome, and no reservations are necessary. There are no fees of any kind. The 55 Plus Club meets the second Wednesday every month, from September through May, at the United Methodist Center located on Highway 145 about five miles North of Madison at noon. For more information about the 55 Plus Club or any outreach ministry of the United Methodist Cooperative Ministries please contact coordinator Deborah Brown at (850) 253-2133.