Metro Roundup: Former Alabama quarterback to speak at Vestavia mayor’s prayer breakfast

Former Alabama quarterback Brodie Croyle, who runs Big Oak Ranch, will speak at the Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast on Aug. 24 at the Vestavia Country Club.

The breakfast, which was postponed last year due to COVID-19, begins at 7 a.m. with prayers and messages beginning at 7:30. Vestavia Hills Mayor Ashley Curry will speak, while area pastors and other volunteers will offer prayers for the community. The president of Vestavia Hills High School’s Student Government Association will offer a prayer for students, Curry said.

The event is sponsored by the Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce and has been around for a while, Curry said. The event usually fills up the country club with residents and groups that purchase tickets.

Croyle is executive director of the Big Oak Ranch, which provides a home and spiritual resources for children in need. Croyle started 30 games in his Alabama career and scored 45 total touchdowns for the Crimson Tide. After a brief NFL career, Croyle returned to help his father, John Croyle, run Big Oak Ranch before taking over several years ago.

“Our mission grew from a very simple belief that if you surround kids with the right kind of environment, they have a better chance,” the organization wrote on its website. “It’s been our core belief from the beginning, and we have helped hundreds of young men and women find a way in our world as productive members of society.”

The ranch was founded in 1974 and has evolved to offer homes for both boys and girls and help them come to know the love of God.