Construction at Heroes Ranch north of Quitman paused Saturday to allow its clients the opportunity to seal messages inside buildings before sheet rock and siding is added.

Supporters were given the opportunity to write “Letters from home,” messages from prayers to Bible verses and patriotic themes.

The words were posted on beams of the almost-completed Heroes Cabin and Patriot Pavilion, a handicap-accessible 6,500-square foot events center.

The ranch features adaptive trophy hunting and sport fishing for injured, ailing, wounded or disabled heroes from military and first responder backgrounds.

“The most important part of building a home is to ensure that your foundation and framework are strong. Without it – the home won’t last,” said Freeman Sawyer, founder of Heroes Ranch and the 501c3 Helping Heroes Hunt.

The event included an open house featuring guided tours, adaptive hunting and fishing equipment showcase and catered lunch. Guests explored the ranch, checked out adaptive equipment, including wheelchair-friendly side-by-side all-terrain vehicles and fishing boats, the latest design in handicap-friendly hunting blinds, and track chairs.

“Heroes Ranch is a recreational retreat providing ‘outdoor accessible’ family adventures and fellowship for injured, ailing, wounded or disabled heroes,” Sawyer said. “We proudly welcome heroes and their families from the military, law enforcement, firefighters, first responders, gold star families and special needs families. We are going to give these people a place to form a new brotherhood and heal while enjoying one of the best weeks of their lives.”

Construction is expected to be completed in early 2023, and the ranch will host guests 50 weeks a year.

Heroes and their families can hunt trophy game, including axis and fallow deer, blackbuck antelope, and a growing herd of superior genetic whitetail deer, as well as duck and pig hunt and sport fish in the catch and release lake and ponds.