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Fan Male: Eddie Staub
Eddie Staub
by Joy Weaks
March 1, 2005
W
hen Eddie Staub moved to Gainesville, Ga., he had no fancy connections, no money. The
young man had nothing except determination and a dream to build a boys' home called Eagle Ranch to
serve troubled children.
After
graduating from Auburn University in 1978, Staub taught at Campbell High School just outside of
Atlanta. Many of his students came from low socioeconomic backgrounds and rough home lives. That
exposure sparked an aspiration to work with needy children. On a whim, the Mountain Brook, Ala.,
native called John Croyle, a former All-American defensive end at the University of Alabama and
founder of Big Oak Ranch, a nondenominational Christian boys' home in Gadsden, Ala. Staub had heard
Croyle speak. At the end of their conversation, Croyle invited Staub to work at Big Oak Ranch that
summer. There he discovered his life's calling. Says Staub, whose dream of playing professional
baseball died when he lost his beloved father in 1975 to a diabetic coma: "I was privileged to grow
up in a stable, secure home, and I wanted to dedicate my life to helping children who didn't have
the same opportunities."
To get his dream to take flight, Staub rose to a bank's challenge to raise $144,000 in 120
days to purchase the land. He also assembled an all-star board, which included University of
Georgia's Coach Vince Dooley and Georgia Tech's Coach Bill Curry. They took a chance on Eagle
Ranch, and their support brought more heavy hitters on board.
Since its humble beginnings in 1985, Eagle Ranch, which recently celebrated its 20th
anniversary, has provided a sanctuary for more than 500 children ages 8-18 and has grown to be one
of the most progressive therapeutic Christian homes in the country. Partnering with families, Staub
and his team of house parents, counselors and teachers pursue family restoration and reunification
through an integrated home life, counseling and education program.
Current capacity is 54 children (42 boys and 12 girls) who come from a variety of
backgrounds - neglect, abuse, divorce, death of a parent or a difficult home life. Eagle Ranch,
located on 260 acres approximately 50 miles north of Atlanta, includes six boys' homes, two girls'
homes, administration/counseling center, chapel, athletic center, equestrian ring, and a variety of
recreational areas including a 10-acre lake and pavilion. Future plans include two more girls'
homes and a permanent school for grades 1-9.
