SUMMERDALE, Ala. — “Carl’s House.” That’s what the wood sign on the outside says.

However, you won’t find Carl or his wife Vivian residing here.

But you will find Desmond, 18, Trevior, 20 and Andrew, 26, three very energetic and outgoing young men who now have a chance to get a quality college education because of the generosity of the man the house is named after.

Located on County Road 32 off Highway 59 in Summerdale, Carl’s House is a part of the Alabama Sheriff’s Boys Ranch and is starting its second year, according to Jimmy Harmon, College House and Public Relations Director and son of Jim and Mindy Harmon, who run the ranch.

“This program would not be possible without the generous gilt of Carl and Vivian Miller. They just came in off the street one day curious about the ranch and wanted to look around. They fell in love with the place and wanted to help out so they donated about $400,000 and the college house became a reality,” Harmon said.

The idea for the college house was born out of the need for some stability and consistency for the boys when they graduated from high school. Harmon said the ones who went off to college didn’t do well and were overwhelmed by the freedom they had and let their grades suffer.

“We found that 40 percent of them dropped out of college after two years and we felt as though we abandoned them. We wanted them to know we still cared about them and wanted them to succeed in life so we started this program,” Harmon stated.

The ranch pays for the guys to go to Faulkner State Community College for the first two years and then to the college of their choice the last two years, Harmon said, but the guys have to live in the college house the first two years and maintain a “C” average while working at least 20 hours a week in some kind of job.

“The first year we did this we had two guys at Troy State University and Faulkner living there and their G.P.A.s were 1.9. When we saw that, we decided they needed to live together in the same house so they could get the help they needed and get guidance from adults in the house,” Harmon explained.

Harmon and his wife live in the house with the guys and like any parents, expect certain rules to be followed. “Our rules are not too rigid, but if they get in trouble, they do have consequences and will be put on probation. If they continue to break rules, they will be dismissed from the program.”

Desmomd, a hospitality management major, Trevior, criminal justice major and Andrew, who attends the culinary school specializing in pastries, each have their own room and get a food allowance and have to shop for their own things, Harmon said, and have to pay for their own car insurance and gas.

“We are trying to teach them responsibility and this is the best way to do it. They are good guys and we really enjoy having them here. We can get them tutors if they need it and because they are living here, they are maintaining a 3.7 G.P.A. which is really great,” Harmon said.

Maintaining a positive home environment focusing on love, respect and faith is the goal for Harmon. “All three of these guys grew up on the ranch and we love and care for them like they were our own flesh and blood. We want them to succeed and do well in life and if we can help them achieve that, we are doing our job. Not only do we want them to grow as people, we also want them to grow spiritually by attending church (FBC Foley) together and fostering a Christian attitude toward each other.”

“We wouldn’t be able to do any ot the things we are doing at the ranch or with the boys without God’s help. He has really blessed us and we give HIm all the glory for what has been done here and the success of the boys,” Harmon said.

Harmon’s passion for the college program is spurred by a study he recently came across about kids in residential care and his own college experience.

“According to DHR (Department of Human Resources), out of the 150 kids in residential care, only 10 percent graduate from college or 15 out of 150. We want to change that and make it better, The first two years of college are so crucial and that’s the reason we want this college house to succeed.”

“Our goal is for 65 to 75 percent of the guys who participate in the program to graduate and be successful in their chosen career and in life. We want them to be productive citizens and give back to the community,” Harmon explained.

Overall, Harmon is excited about the future of the college house and has high expectations for the direction it’s headed.

“We have seen the benefits of a good education in the guys who have graduated and come back to visit. They consider us family and want to share their success with us. That makes it all worth it.”

The ranch and Carl’s House are not state funded and depend on fundraisers and donations from the community.

If you would like to find out more about the ranch, contact Jimmy at (251) 989-9850. For monetary donations, mail to: Alabama Sheriffs Boys Ranch, P.O. Box 157, Summerdale, AL 36580.