Cookout at the Ranch XI

Fun-packed evening features desert setting, food, music, raffles, and exhibits Supporting a great cause never tasted so good! For the eleventh consecutive year, the good times will roll for the annual Cookout at the Ranch. Sponsored by Outback Steakhouse and MacDonald’s Ranch, the event will beheld on Saturday evening, September 9th from 6-9:30 p.m. at MacDonald’s Ranch, in North Scottsdale. Bring your friends. Ride Ollie the Trolley to the festive cookout site nestled among towering saguaros and lush palo verde. Enjoy a complimentary beverage, savor a delicious Outback Steakhouse buffet, and enjoy the live entertainment of C & W singer Geoff Conklin. If you choose, dust off your boots and dance. Guests can enjoy more than 15 wildlife and community exhibits, bid on silent auctionitems, and invest in raffle tickets for valuable prizes, including $25,000 in cash. As the sun sets, cheer the exhilarating release of a rescued great horned owl, see an exciting presentation about wolves, coyotes and dogs, cross your fingers during the drawing of raffle winners, including the winner of the complimentary door prize raffle, and more, all at affordable ticket prices. The event benefits desert preservation, wildlife rehabilitation, Rotary charities, and the Desert Foothills ScenicDrive and is being organized by Friends of the Scenic Drive, Friends of Pinnacle Peak Park, GreaterPinnacle Peak Association, McDowell Sonoran Conservancy, and the Rotary Club of Pinnacle Peak. Steaks and Hayride Outback Steakhouse is providing catering services and a complete steak dinnergrilled Aussie style (chicken available) with all the fixings (salad, vegetable, rolls, desert) forthe event. Admission also includes a beer or glass of wine, or soda, or water, plus a free ticket for a door prize drawing. Chance to Win $25,000, Silent Auction, Raffles Back this year is the Lucky Owl Drawing benefiting Wild At Heart. The guest holding the winning ticket will win either $200, $400, or with a bit of luck $25,000. There will be a big silent auction and raffle of valuable merchandise donated by local businesses including stays at local resorts, entertainment tickets, dinners at local restaurants, art and crafts by local artists, souvenirs from sports teams, foursomes of golf, and more. Live Entertainment and Exhibits At their leisure, guests can enjoy wildlife, history, and community exhibits, watch live hawks pose, and see Scottsdale’s championship police horsesup close. Geoff Conklin will perform and serve as emcee for the program. Thousands of visitors haveenjoyed his music at Pinnacle Peak Patio, the Buffalo Chip Saloon in Cave Creek, and Scottsdale’s Greasewood Flat. Geoff has appeared in the Fiesta Days, Parada del Sol parades and on Arizona Today.Scottsdale City Council members and other community leaders will be on hand. Ticket Information Advance purchase ticket prices are $45 for adults and $15 for children. Groups can purchase a reserved table and eight adult tickets for $350. For information and Cookout at the Ranch and Lucky OwlDrawing tickets, visit www.scenicdrive.org, www.gppaaz.org, MacDonald’s Ranch (located at 26540 North Scottsdale Road, North Scottsdale - call 480 585-0239 for summer hours of operation), or call theCookout Hotline at (480) 580-0593