Our Mission

Ruston Cattle Company and the Ennis Masonic Lodge began years ago by hosting small tastings and local events to support children’s charities. What started as a handful of alcohol tastings quickly grew into something greater—a movement of people dedicated to giving back.

After years of these grassroots efforts, Travis McAnally approached the Ruston family with an idea: combine forces with the Lamar Scholarship Fund, which he was managing at the time. Instead of continuing small-scale tastings, we pivoted to hosting a formal charity dinner. That shift changed everything.

We went into the very first dinner hoping to raise $10,000—a number that would have doubled the combined total of all our previous events. Instead, we raised $30,000, far surpassing our wildest dreams. That night made something clear: this was bigger than one event, one organization, or one year. If we wanted to sustain and grow our impact, we needed to form a true foundation.

When establishing the foundation, we looked to leaders whose lives had been shaped by service and charity. Founding members included Masons whose hearts were deeply tied to children’s causes—Tommy Ruston, Travis McAnally, Ken Hackney, Hank Hollywood, and Mike Roland—as well as two non-Masons with the same vision, Justin and Katelyn Ruston.

These partners reflect our values of healing, education, and local community support.

How We Steward Funds

From day one, we set clear principles to ensure trust and transparency:

              1.         No personal profit. Our board and volunteers never take a dime for themselves.

              2.         Perpetual giving. Funds are invested through Edward Jones, and only half of the earned interest is distributed to charities each year. The other half is reinvested so the fund grows stronger over time.

              3.         A lasting legacy. Our dream is that one day the Lamar Scholarship Fund can hand an Ennis student a check and say: “Go to school for free, and go do something great for the world.”

Our Mission

Our focus is, and always will be, on children—locally in Ennis and the surrounding areas, and beyond through our hospital partners. We are not motivated by monetary gain, but by a desire to leave the world better than we found it, ensuring the next generation has more opportunities, more support, and more hope.

We are a foundation built on community, rooted in service, and driven by the belief that investing in children is the surest way to create a brighter future.