Story by Lu Stitt - Red Rock News, August 14, 1996

Deep in the heart of Cornville is a ranch run by five very special men.

It is not a big ranch, but Rusty, Brian, Joe and Jim operate the ten-acre place they call home; with a little help.

Rusty's Morningstar Ranch is a home for autistic adults. They live at the ranch with four around-the-clock live-in staff members who help the men with their chores, their learning and their play.

The ranch has a work program filled with many life experience-type activities. The men do their work in the morning and have therapy, recreation and go on trips in the afternoon. Evenings begin when everyone sits down to a family-style dinner.

"Mostly they tend the gardens, the animals and the orchards - whatever needs to be done. This morning they sat on the back porch and shucked corn," said Carlene Armstrong the ranch's executive director and Rusty's mother.

When they are finished with their chores, it is time for play. During the summer one of their favorite things to do is swim, particularly for Brian.

"Brian loves the water. He would stay in the pool all day and all night," said Armstrong.

The other men also have their favorite activities.

"I like music therapy. It's my favorite," said Rusty in his husky baritone voice.

Joe enters data into a computer and Marcus J. Lawrence Medical Center three days a week, and is accomplished at playing the piano.

He lives in a trailer on the ranch with Dennis Heasley, who joined Rusty's staff in May. "I was drawn first to the area, and when this job came open, it felt right. Now I like it very much. The guys are very special people," said Heasley.

Atism is the third largest developmental disability in the United States. It is a neurological disorder that interferes with normal development of reasoning and communications skills. Autism makes learning difficult and affects the ability to communicate with others and relate to the world outside.

Rusty is the reason Rusty's Morningstar Ranch exists. There are programs for autistic children, but there has been a shortage of programs and facilities for adults whose behavior is still quite fragile, said Armstrong. People with autism do not outgrow the disorder.

When Rusty got out of school, I looked around and there was no place that I wanted to leave him overnight. So we decided to start something of our own, and thought others might think it's a good idea too," said Armstrong.

And they did. So much so that Rusty's cannot accommodate all of those who want to come. They only have room for five men, but Armstrong said they have 26 more on a waiting list. "I'm trying very hard to raise money to build another house so we can take some of the people off the waiting list," Armstrong said.

Rusty's receives funds from Medicaid through the state. They also get private funding and some donations, but Armstrong is continually trying to raise funds.

For information or to make a donation, please call 928-634-4784.

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