Local nonprofit Hope Landing plans to welcome the holiday season with two events, including Christmas on the Lunch and a special Christmas performance.
HOPE Landing is an organization that provides medical therapy and other services to families with children born with developmental disabilities.
The first event is Christmas on the Ranch. The event centers around a Steak Cook-Off Association sanctioned contest held on Saturdays on the grounds of Hope Landing Ranch. Ahead of the World Championships in Fort Martin in March, competitors from all over the United States will gather at the ranch to compete for points. Worth it, Tex.
This is the sixth year for the event, which also doubles as a fundraiser, said Christy Lowery, president and CEO of HOPE Landing.
“This is one of our biggest fundraisers each year and the second largest fundraiser we do. We raise money by selling steak plates; All steak plates are prepared by world champion steak cooks,” Lowry explained.
There will be three competitions on Saturday: the A and B Steak Cook-Off and the Dessert Cook-Off. Lowry said anyone who wants to participate in the dessert contest can do so by signing up before the chef’s meeting at 9:30 a.m. Saturday. Winners of the A and B Steak Cook-Offs will automatically receive a “Golden Ticket” and earn a spot in the Steak His Cook-Off Association World Championship.
The deadline to purchase the steak plate was December 1st. However, Lowry said the organization has ordered a few additional plates, so anyone who still wants to get a plate can make a reservation by calling (870) 862-0500. Plates are $25 and pick-up will be at HOPE Landing on December 9th from 5pm to 5:30pm.
For more information on the dessert contest or to register, visit steakcookoffs.com.
The children of Hope Landing are participating in Christmas preparations on the ranch.
“The children decorated barns and barn stalls and created trophies for first to tenth place in each competition and the overall best trophy. To make these trophies, they learned how to dye, burn wood, and brand. “It’s been a long time coming,” Lowry said.
Some of the group’s children will also be helping out at Saturday’s awards ceremony, creating handwritten thank you cards for the contestants and plaques for the SCA judges.
Another upcoming HOPE Landing event is a performance called “The Nativity:A Lamb’s Special Story” featuring HOPE Landing children as performers. The performance, held at the South Arkansas Arts Center, is based on Max Lucado’s “The Crippled Lamb.”
“Children will be portraying the story of the birth of Christ, which will really get into the Christmas spirit and remind us of the real reason for this season. There will be 33 of our children and it will be amazing. “I guess so,” Lowry said.
Preparing for a performance takes “weeks, if not months,” and the performers learn “how to withstand the lighting, microphone echoes, shepherd headdresses and other costumes, and a variety of sounds.” .
“We have a little boy who is working on using a walker and will be using it on stage. Our Joseph is in a wheelchair and we are working with them therapeutically to fit it. We are working on it,” Lowry said.
HOPE Landing has partnered with SAAC to produce and perform their own plays using SAAC’s space.
“The Nativity: A Lamb’s Special Story” is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023 at 7 p.m., and will be free and open to the public, with donations “gladly accepted.”
After the production, refreshments will be served in the Markle Gallery and there will be a visit from Santa and his elves.
For more information about HOPE Landing, visit hopelanding.com.