HOW IT BEGAN
Little Flat Creek Ranch Founder Bill Roller and Catch-A-Dream CEO Dr. Marty Brunson first met in early May 2004 at the Catch The Vision Celebrity Event at Old Waverly Golf Club in West Point, MS. Hosted by Mossy Oak, this was Catch-A-Dream’s first big fund raising event, and Bill Roller made the trek from Purdy, MO to attend with friends from the Walmart leadership team. As Bill later shared, it was here that he “sorta caught that vision they talk about,” and within a couple of weeks he had laid in place a plan that would forever change not only the direction and priorities for Little Flat Creek Ranch, but would equally impact the (then) fledgling Catch-A-Dream Foundation.
Most significantly, Bill desired to provide trophy whitetail hunts for Catch-A-Dream and the children they serve. The ranch had everything needed to accomplish that objective, including a herd of world class white-tailed deer and a proven track record of success. But he also needed a means of subsidizing the opportunity costs incurred when he necessarily reduced the number of hunts commercially available to client hunters. As was typical for Bill, however, when his mental gears started turning, things started happening.
Working with Tom Coughlan and “Big Bob” Hart from Walmart, he devised an ingenious two-pronged plan to partner with Catch-A-Dream. After fine tuning the plan and garnering significant initial external support, Bill invited Marty to the Ranch in early June to meet with an impressive assemblage of outdoor industry and corporate leaders as they unveiled an ambitious and unprecedented plan for supporting Catch-A-Dream.
After enjoying a gourmet lunch comprising various wild game dishes prepared by Ranch Chef Larry Glaze, Bill detailed his vision to 1) provide twelve (12) whitetail hunts each September to Catch-A-Dream, and 2) to publish a photographic wall calendar, composed of photos of Little Flat Creek Ranch deer, with sponsorships at a level adequate to subsidize the twelve deer hunts.
The calendar would be sold in Walmart stores across the nation, with the Ranch profits donated to Catch-A-Dream. Bill then surveyed the 12 industry leaders seated at the huge dining table to gain their affirmations of commitment to the plan. One by one they unanimously expressed both personal and financial commitment to the project. That part was easy!
Turning then to Marty, Bill said, in his own inimitable fashion “So…Marty, we want to start this September. What do you think?” This is where the real test began; at least for Marty and for Catch-A-Dream. Marty had made mental notes during the discussions, listened to the passions and commitments expressed, and factored all that input into what he, and only he among those in the room, knew about the Catch-A Dream program delivery model. After surveying the room, noting the expectant expressions on each face, he swallowed hard, wiped a bit of sweat off his brow, and replied “Mr. Bill, we’ve never done twelve deer hunts in a single year, much less in 1 month. And September is right around the corner. Though we are grateful and humbled by this intriguing plan and the support represented here today, I’m not sure that this is really feasible. At present, we don’t even have enough applications for deer hunts to fill those twelve hunts.” Seeing Bill’s pending disappointment and loss of countenance reflected around the table in the faces of that group of industry and corporate “top brass” he continued “However, if this is something in which The Lord is involved, and this is His plan for Catch-A-Dream, I don’t see how we can say ‘No.’ If The Lord is in this, He will provide the applications. Let us proceed!”
And so it began in the Fall of 2004, the first of what would become many Catch-A-Dream hunts at Little Flat Creek took place; in fact, the first TWELVE took place that Fall, all in September! Yes, indeed, the Lord provided! And He has provided every year since that time.
“Well, you know, there are a lot of good charities. There are a lot of worthy causes out there. And most people only have enough time or resources to do justice to one. Catch-A-Dream is a program that accomplishes a lot of good. And it’s the program that we’ve chosen to put our effort in.”
Bill Roller
PARTNERSHIP
The relationship between Catch-A-Dream and Little Flat Creek Ranch blossomed after that initial gathering of the minds in June 2004. Mr. Bill’s vison of a Classic Whitetails calendar and of “doing some hunts and do them in a big enough number to make some difference” became a reality that Fall. The calendars were sold in Walmart stores nationwide over the next several years, and the proceeds from the sponsorships and the calendar sales not only subsidized at least 12 Catch-A-Dream hunts annually, but generated tens of thousands of dollars in cash that the Ranch donated to Catch-A-Dream.
“We put the ranch together and we built the lodge and we knew we had some purpose for it. But, ah, it’s had many purposes. We use it for our family and we really aren’t a commercial operation; we do enough hunts to try to pay the bills. But we found that this Catch-A-Dream program is probably the most satisfying thing we do here” Bill subsequently shared with guests, sponsors and any others who would listen. The partnership had been forged and an annual tradition had begun!
The next several years brought many changes to the original model, not the least of which was the loss of the Walmart calendar distribution, which was a potentially devastating blow. But, as was always the case with Bill Roller, “where there is a will, there is a way” and he quickly regrouped, retained the substantial cadre of sponsors, and continued to publish the calendar, despite the loss of revenue from store sales. Inevitable changes in ranch staff due to normal attrition and changes in personal status of guides, cooks, etc. also mandated adaptations, but nothing hindered nor thwarted mission accomplishment in the form of delivering amazing child trip experiences. The partnership flourished, expanding beyond hunting to also include fishing adventures after the 20-acre lake was completed in 2008 and, in 2011, reached the milestone of 100 Catch-A-Dream child trips consummated at the Ranch.
Soon thereafter the hands of time began to take their toll, as Bill lost long time Head Guide Chuck Marshall to heart failure, and Bill’s own mortality began to express its solemn influence. Though the hunts and fishing trips continued, Bill’s health continued to decline and, in 2016, he retired from full time ranch oversight and management, and passed the torch by selling the ranch to his daughter and son-in-law, Ed and Julia Mareth.
Ed and Julia lost no time in dedicating the ranch to full time ministry, with Catch-A Dream its primary partner, and child trips continued without interruption. New faces, new routines, and new dimensions of experiences resulted, but all without compromising Bill’s original vision of “making a difference” for Catch-A-Dream and the families it serves. Bill succumbed to cancer in the Spring of 2020, just a few days before the 17th anniversary of that fateful and momentous meeting way back in June 2004, but not before celebrating another 100 child trip experiences at the Ranch. To date, over 235 children and families have had their Catch-A-Dream experience fulfilled at Little Flat Creek Ranch … and counting… thus providing perpetual tribute to the Bill Roller legacy.
In Bill’s own words, “We get a little better all the time. We learn something every time. And so, by and large, I think this ranch serves that kind of a purpose maybe better than anything else we do with it.”
HOW IT WORKS
Catch-A-Dream and Little Flat Creek Ranch have a very close working relationship that remains true to the original partnership model. Perhaps Bill Roller said it best “I want to tell you a couple of things. I don’t know if you all, if you have trouble sorting out in your mind who plays what part around here. But I want to touch base on that just a minute. Primarily we’re the outfitter. Little Flat Creek’s an outfitter … and we have a host of very good sponsors.” Little Flat Creek Ranch serves as the outfitting partner to provide the hunting/fishing, lodging and hospitality services to Catch-A-Dream which, in turn, extends those opportunities to the children and families they serve. It’s a wonderfully perfect example of synergy at its best – two partners each contributing their strengths to accomplish things that neither partner could achieve on its own!
All child applications received by Catch-A-Dream are reviewed to determine exactly what type of experience best fits the child and family, which outfitter from a large stable of partners is most suited to meet the needs and aspirations of the child, and what, if any, special accommodations or facilities might be needed to make a child’s dream a reality. When an application fits what Little Flat Creek Ranch can offer, and especially if special physical accommodations or assistive devices are warranted, the wheels are rapidly set in motion to make the experience happen.
Catch-A-Dream handles all the eligibility review, medical certifications and family documentation for each application. Once the application is approved, the Catch-A-Dream staff begins the detailed process of determining the ultimate destination and then developing all trip logistics, arranging and funding travel, procuring clothing, supplies, licenses and making all arrangements for the family to make the trip. When the ideal destination is determined to be Little Flat Creek Ranch, the ranch staff is notified and they mobilize in preparation for the arrival of the family accompanied by a specially trained Catch-A-Dream Volunteer, called a Host, on the specified date.
The Ranch provides lodging, meals, and the entire hunting or fishing experience for the child and family. Additionally, on hunting trips, the Ranch also provides meat processing and taxidermy, and covers the costs of shipping these to the family. Working in close cooperation with Catch-A-Dream Staff and the designated Volunteer Host, the Ranch staff deliver amazing experiences to each child and family. It becomes obvious very early in each trip experience that “A Catch-A-Dream trip to Little Flat Creek Ranch is an experience like no other!”
Perhaps Bill Roller said it best, late one evening at the lodge “Well you know the kids, um, someone said they’ve been, they were kind of ‘sick and tired of being sick and tired.’ And they do need some special attention and so do the families. But, they also want to be treated like everyone else. I think what we enjoy most is treating those kids just like real people, because that’s what they are.”
