Opelika neighborhood party raises more than $5,000 for Exodus Ranch
BY SAM VISE | THE OBSERVER
OPELIKA — Neighbors across Fox Run Village in Opelika put on their best rhinestones and channeled country music icon Dolly Parton last Friday evening, turning a playful celebration into an evening of community giving.
Held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Sept. 25 at the Fox Run Village Clubhouse, the Dolly Parton-themed gathering celebrated National Dolly Parton Day — marked annually on 9/25 in tribute to her classic 1980 workplace anthem and film, “9 to 5.” But beyond the iconic playlist, themed refreshments and festive attire, the evening served a deeper community mission: raising monetary donations, children’s books and raffle proceeds for The Exodus Ranch, an Opelika-based nonprofit dedicated to supporting children and families in need.
Event organizer Meg Bryant initially envisioned hosting a small get-together at her home before word spread and the guest list quickly outgrew a single living room.
“I was going to have a few people over to the house for a Dolly Parton party because today is 9/25, and it’s National Dolly Parton Day,” Bryant said. “It just kept growing and growing, and then I decided, in true Dolly fashion, we needed to give back to others. The Exodus Ranch is a wonderful ministry here in Opelika, and I just started inviting neighbors and they started inviting neighbors, and it’s really neat what’s happened.”
For Bryant, honoring Parton meant reflecting the philanthropist’s lifelong commitment to lifting others up. Over her six-decade career, Parton has become as renowned for her charitable giving as her music — from founding the Imagination Library, which has gifted hundreds of millions of free books to young children worldwide, to funding disaster relief and medical research.
“I’m just really inspired by Dolly Parton’s life. I think she’s amazing,” Bryant said, who met Parton years ago while working at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee. “What I love about Dolly the most is how she gives back to others.”
The event was free to attend, but guests were encouraged to donate to Exodus Ranch in exchange for tickets toward a raffle basket featuring donated goods. Attendees also brought children’s books to stock the ranch’s shelves, echoing Parton’s literacy mission.
Local businesses and neighbors chipped in to make the night a neighborhood potluck effort. Auburn-based Burn Nutrition provided themed specialty drinks dubbed “9 to 5” and “Jolene,” while a custom centerpiece cake was crafted by neighbor Kay Thornton of Crafty Creations by Kay.
For Caitlin Aucoin, who stepped into marketing and fundraising coordination for Exodus Ranch earlier this summer, seeing a neighborhood rally around their work was inspiring.
“Meg is awesome. She is definitely the personality of the party,” Aucoin said. “Seeing everybody willing to help, hear our mission and want to be part of that has been great.”
Exodus Ranch operates as an independent, faith-based nonprofit providing a stable, structured home environment for children in need — whether temporary care, emergency shelter or long-term placement. Operating entirely through private support and volunteers, the ranch currently houses between 10 and 15 children at any given time.
“The mission is to help children in need. That could be for short term, that could be for long term — it just depends on the circumstance,” Aucoin said. “The main goal is to help children in need and show them the love of God. We [house] them so they have a stable environment for whatever might be going on.”
The support came at a vital time for the ranch. Founder Shelley Tufts said rising living costs have hit home operations hard, making grassroots community fundraisers an essential lifeline.
“It was amazing, and we were really happy to be asked to be a part of it,” Tufts said. “We are very grateful to have some help and meet some needs that we’ll have going into the fall.”
Beyond the dollars and supplies gathered for the ranch, Bryant said the evening highlighted the quiet power of simply getting to know the people next door.
“When I moved here about four years ago, I just felt like people don’t know their neighbors anymore,” Bryant said. “So I just started little by little getting to know my street, and then the next street. We have such an amazing community here that looks out for each other and takes care of each other.” For more information about The Exodus Ranch or to donate directly to its youth programs, visit theexodusranch.com/ or call (334) 328-4192.
