Lafayette Pearson takes lettuce into the Patrick Center in Kings Mountain.Monday, April 28, 2008
Patrick Center volunteers distribute lettuce, more photos
Lafayette Pearson takes lettuce into the Patrick Center in Kings Mountain.
Patrick Center volunteers help distribute bagged salads
Bagged lettuce or salad mix may not seem like a luxury, but to a senior citizen on a fixed income, it may as well be. For about a year now, the luxury item has been offered free once a week to seniors in the Kings Mountain area.
Thursdays are lettuce days at the Patrick Senior Center. You’ll find anywhere from 15 to 20 senior volunteers sorting the bags of lettuce and putting them in grocery bags for pick up or delivery. The program started when Terrie Lewis, program coordinator, received a call from an employee of the Dole Plant near Bessemer City, offering surplus bags of salad to the seniors.
“At first I was going by myself to get the lettuce on Thursdays,” Ms. Lewis said.
It would take her all morning to get the lettuce ready to distribute. Monty Thornburg, director, and other staff members also helped.
“When Lafayette Pearson found out that I was going by myself to get the lettuce, he asked if he could go,” Ms. Lewis said. “He also asked other people to help. Now they get everything ready so that I can go back and do other things. If it wasn’t for the volunteers, I couldn’t get my job done.”
Pearson, 76, said that he wanted to help, “because I know they need some help.”
“If you ever come around here and see what these girls do, you know they do a good job,” he said. “And I want to help them.”
After working all morning to separate and bag the salad, Pearson delivers it to 17 people.
“They love you for bringing the lettuce,” he said. “It really tickles them to death.”
Thornburg said the volunteers arrive at 8 a.m. every Thursday morning to help. After a cup of coffee, some go with Ms. Lewis to pick up the lettuce and the others stay behind to get everything ready.
Martha Harrelson, 74, spends her Thursday mornings bagging lettuce for three reasons.
“It’s helping somebody else out and that’s what we are supposed to do and it’s good to get out of the house and have something to do.”
Like Pearson, many of the volunteers take bags of lettuce to people who can’t come to the Patrick Center and get them.
Dora Bridges, 76, delivers lettuce to about 8 people.
“I’ve always liked helping people and I love doing it for them,” she said. “They appreciate it so much.”
Ms. Bridges and Ivory Nolen, 78, work together to coordinate all the volunteers who help on lettuce day.
“I enjoy volunteering and just being among my friends,” Ms. Nolen said. “We have a good crew who works together.”
When she delivers lettuce to the people on her list, “they are standing at the door waiting on me,” she said. “Everybody is tickled to death to get it.”
But the ones who receive the lettuce aren’t the only ones who benefit.
Roberta Brown, 78, doesn’t like lettuce, but she comes every Thursday to help with the lettuce distribution.
“I just do things to get away from the house,” she said. “It’s boring sitting at home.”
Free lettuce is available on most Thursdays to senior citizens in the Kings Mountain area. For more information, call the Patrick Center at 704-734-0447.
Thursdays are lettuce days at the Patrick Senior Center. You’ll find anywhere from 15 to 20 senior volunteers sorting the bags of lettuce and putting them in grocery bags for pick up or delivery. The program started when Terrie Lewis, program coordinator, received a call from an employee of the Dole Plant near Bessemer City, offering surplus bags of salad to the seniors.
“At first I was going by myself to get the lettuce on Thursdays,” Ms. Lewis said.
It would take her all morning to get the lettuce ready to distribute. Monty Thornburg, director, and other staff members also helped.
“When Lafayette Pearson found out that I was going by myself to get the lettuce, he asked if he could go,” Ms. Lewis said. “He also asked other people to help. Now they get everything ready so that I can go back and do other things. If it wasn’t for the volunteers, I couldn’t get my job done.”
Pearson, 76, said that he wanted to help, “because I know they need some help.”
“If you ever come around here and see what these girls do, you know they do a good job,” he said. “And I want to help them.”
After working all morning to separate and bag the salad, Pearson delivers it to 17 people.
“They love you for bringing the lettuce,” he said. “It really tickles them to death.”
Thornburg said the volunteers arrive at 8 a.m. every Thursday morning to help. After a cup of coffee, some go with Ms. Lewis to pick up the lettuce and the others stay behind to get everything ready.
Martha Harrelson, 74, spends her Thursday mornings bagging lettuce for three reasons.
“It’s helping somebody else out and that’s what we are supposed to do and it’s good to get out of the house and have something to do.”
Like Pearson, many of the volunteers take bags of lettuce to people who can’t come to the Patrick Center and get them.
Dora Bridges, 76, delivers lettuce to about 8 people.
“I’ve always liked helping people and I love doing it for them,” she said. “They appreciate it so much.”
Ms. Bridges and Ivory Nolen, 78, work together to coordinate all the volunteers who help on lettuce day.
“I enjoy volunteering and just being among my friends,” Ms. Nolen said. “We have a good crew who works together.”
When she delivers lettuce to the people on her list, “they are standing at the door waiting on me,” she said. “Everybody is tickled to death to get it.”
But the ones who receive the lettuce aren’t the only ones who benefit.
Roberta Brown, 78, doesn’t like lettuce, but she comes every Thursday to help with the lettuce distribution.
“I just do things to get away from the house,” she said. “It’s boring sitting at home.”
Free lettuce is available on most Thursdays to senior citizens in the Kings Mountain area. For more information, call the Patrick Center at 704-734-0447.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Keeping his promise - Boy Scout raises money to replace three trees from his original project
Andrew Harnage's job was done and he had completed his project on his quest to earn the rank of Eagle - the highest award in scouting. He could have walked away and not looked back.
But the Boy Scout couldn't let that happen. After all, the first point of the Boy Scout Law is: "A Scout is trustworthy."
Back in January 2007, Harnage planted 25 High Tower Willow Oak trees and installed two benches at Graham Elementary School's Head Start playground. The drought this past summer killed some of the trees.
Harnage, a member of Troop 100 and a student at Shelby High School, decided to replace the trees. He went back out to the school March 8 to finish his project for a second time.
"In spite of my efforts to water trees on a weekly basis through the drought of 2007, three of my original trees died," Harnage said. "I thought it was important to replace these trees in order to consider my project complete."
In addition to planting the trees again, Harnage had to raise money to purchase the new trees.
"I sought out contributions from friends of scouting," he said. "I purchased the three replacement trees and planted them while still dormant."
Harnage earned his award April 1, and will receive his Eagle rank in a ceremony on May 30.
If you have a story to share about how someone has brightened your day, post your comments on the Random Acts of Kindness blog at shelbystar.com under "Reporter Blogs" or e-mail jackiebridges@shelbystar.com or call 704-669-3337.
But the Boy Scout couldn't let that happen. After all, the first point of the Boy Scout Law is: "A Scout is trustworthy."
Back in January 2007, Harnage planted 25 High Tower Willow Oak trees and installed two benches at Graham Elementary School's Head Start playground. The drought this past summer killed some of the trees.
Harnage, a member of Troop 100 and a student at Shelby High School, decided to replace the trees. He went back out to the school March 8 to finish his project for a second time.
"In spite of my efforts to water trees on a weekly basis through the drought of 2007, three of my original trees died," Harnage said. "I thought it was important to replace these trees in order to consider my project complete."
In addition to planting the trees again, Harnage had to raise money to purchase the new trees.
"I sought out contributions from friends of scouting," he said. "I purchased the three replacement trees and planted them while still dormant."
Harnage earned his award April 1, and will receive his Eagle rank in a ceremony on May 30.
If you have a story to share about how someone has brightened your day, post your comments on the Random Acts of Kindness blog at shelbystar.com under "Reporter Blogs" or e-mail jackiebridges@shelbystar.com or call 704-669-3337.
Boy Scout plants new trees
Back in January 2007, Andrew Harnage planted 25 High Tower Willow Oak trees and installed two benches at Graham Elementary School’s Head Start playground.The drought this past summer killed some of the trees.
Harnage, a member of Troop 100 and a student at Shelby High School, decided to replace the trees.
He went back out to the school March 8 to finish his project for a second time.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Madison's hope
Three-year-old Madison has an infectious smile, loves to draw and dance and wants to be a rock star someday like Hannah Montana.
When you look at her, you don’t see the disease that threatens her future — maybe her next breath. Madison has cystic fibrosis, a fatal disease that clogs the lungs and leads to life-threatening lung infections and obstructs the pancreas and stops natural enzymes from helping the body break down and absorb food.
Madison’s mom, Ashley, had never heard of cystic fibrosis when her daughter was diagnosed in 2005. Since then, she’s learned about the disease that affects her daughter and other diseases that disable children.
“There are so many children affected by disabling diseases every day, like Madison,” Ashley said in an e-mail. “Cystic Fibrosis is more personal to me because of Madison, but Madison and I both participate in Juvenile Diabetes, Relay for Life, Autism and other developmental disability awareness groups.
“So many people come together and the foundation does a lot of research, which has already helped Madison greatly,” Ashley said.
“So I want her to know how important it is for her to help others as well.”
And Madison’s grandmother is Rhonda Cooper, who is the founder of HOPE of North Shelby, which was organized in 1998 to build the first Boundless handicapped accessible playground at North Shelby School. Ms. Cooper has also been involved with various projects and organizations for persons with developmental disabilities over the years.
Sponsoring a team
Because of the help the family has received from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, they are sponsoring a team for the foundation’s annual fundraising campaign, “Great Strides.” Teams work within their communities to raise funds and awareness of cystic fibrosis and then come together in May of every year for an annual event.
The team is called “Madison’s Hope” and it’s sponsoring a golf tournament April 26 at Woodbridge Golf Club.
Living with Cystic Fibrosis
Ashley said that Madison wants and tries to be very active, but sometimes she just does not have the stamina to do so. They recently attempted soccer at the YMCA. Madison went to two practices and after running just a few minutes, she was wore out and told her mother that she did not feel good enough to play. She takes anywhere from seven to 10 medications each day, some of them twice daily. She also takes four pills called enzymes every time she eats or drinks anything like milk, or something her body has to digest.
Every night, after bath, Madison does her “shake vest” and two breathing treatments. The shake vest pounds all the way around her lungs to try and prevent mucus and other bacteria from settling.
“She does not like the shake vest, and sometimes there are tiny bruises,” Ashley said. “Often it makes her sick, even waiting several hours after dinner.”
The future
Because of the research supported by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the average life span for cystic fibrosis has grown in the last 20 years, but there is no guarantee that a person with the disease will even see their teenage years, Ashley said.
“I worry every day, because her health can literally go from OK to very bad in no time at all and it is hard for her to recover from viruses and other illnesses,” she said. “It is one thing in life that I cannot protect her from, and creating Madison’s Hope helped me not only deal with her condition, but also feel like I was doing something for her and all of our cystic fibrosis friends.” The disease is unpredictable and the older Madison gets the more severe her symptoms will become.
“I know we will be looking at a transplant of the liver someday, and probably the lungs, but I have to have faith in God, Maddie’s doctors and the CF Foundation, and just continue to pray that one day someone will find a cure,” Ashley said.
Want to help?
Ashley Allison has formed “Madison’s Hope,” in honor of her daughter to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The team is sponsoring a golf tournament April 26 at Woodbridge.
Details: Four player teams, “Captain’s Choice”
Fees: $240 per team or $60 per person (Includes lunch, awards and door prizes)Awards: First, second and third place and longest putt, longest drive and closest to the pin
Hole Sponsors: Banzen Warren “Restoration Concepts,” Leah Player “In honor of Robbie,” Jill and Butch Miller, “In honor of Luke and Josh,” Richard Moore, “One On One Care Inc.,” and Don Peeler
Confirmed team sponsors: Richard Moore “One On One Care Inc.,” and Missy Hamrick “Mama Lissa’s Tiny Tot University”
More information: Ashley Allison, 704-473-9687 or Rhonda Cooper, 704-692-5341; e-mail, ashleync2003@yahoo.com or on the Web: www.cff.org/Great_Strides/AshleyAllison
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