Newspaper Page Text
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SATURDAY,
NOVEMBER 25, 2006
Looking at
diversity
Itook a long walk one
recent, cold, crisp sunny
day through my neigh
borhood where a great deal
of construction is under
way.
First I came upon a con
struction crew with the
volume of Sweet Home
Alabama bv Lynryd Skvnryd
on the highest of volumes,
so I waved, gave them a
thumbs up as that is one of
my favorite songs.
A short distance away were
two Hispanic men taking a
break and kicking around a
soccer ball while those still
working were listening to
also on full volume some
Spanish tune I recognized.
So I gave them a big smile
and a “Hola, y’all,” and got a
very friendly response.
Following that I came upon
an African American couple
and their
two chil
dren - one
in a stroll
er and
one on a
bike with
training
wheels
- out
enjoying
an early
Jane Winston
The Left Rail
morning walk.
But my favorite was the
gentleman about my age
with the long gray pony
tail taking a ride through
the construction site on his
Harley! We waved and said,
“Howdee.”
And this all leads me
on this Saturday after
Thanksgiving to say how
thankful I am to live in a
world that celebrates diver
sity.
And my wish is that we
allow a carrot to be a carrot,
a radish to be a radish, an
onion to be an onion, and
lettuce to be lettuce and all
come together to create a
nice crisp salad!
What’s your sign
I nearly omitted
November’s sign, which hap
pens to be my sign. Nov. 23
to Dec. 21 is Armadillo:
We have a tendency to
develop a tough exterior, but
we are actually quite gentle
and kind inside.
A good evening for us: old
friends, a fire, some roots,
fruit, worms and insects.
We’re a throwback.
We’re not concerned much
with today and its fashions
and trends.
We’re almost prehistoric
in our interest and behav
ior patterns, and we prob
ably want to marry anoth
er Armadillo, but a kinky
Possum might do!
Play rehearsal
I am being held captive
by director Linda Deibert
at the Perry Players theatre
rehearsing for A Christmas
Carol. Send food!
This is the Royal
Shakespeare version of A
Christmas Carol, which uses
a chorus much like what is
used in Greek Drama.
The production is delight
fully different, but the ador
able Cratchitt family is
alive and well along with
the sweetest Tiny Tim,
old Scrooge and his neph
ew, Jacob Marley and the
Christmases Past, Present
and Future and other famil
iar A Christmas Carol per
sonage.
Watch for cast members in
the Perry Christmas Parade,
at Henderson Village, in
newspapers, magazines and
on televisions! See you at
the opening Dec. 7!
Till next week
”We never could learn to
be brave and patient if there
were only joy in the world.”
Helen Keller
Children looking for a few loving parents
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Journal Charlotte Perkins
Joyce Handy, Resource Development Specialist for
Houston County Department of Family and Children
Services, accepts a proclamation of National Adoption
Month from Perry Mayor Jim Worrall.
Crossroads Civitan Club honors good works
Special to the Journal
The Crossroads Civitan
Club of Perry recently
honored the Feed My
Sheep Ministry at St.
James CME Church and
Doug and Gail Base as
Citizens of the Year.
The honors were pre
sented at the club’s
annual awards ban
quet and installation of
new officers on Sept. 21
at the Miller-Murphy-
Howard Building, Georgia
National Fairgrounds.
The Feed My Sheep
Ministry was started by
St. James CME Church
when the church voted to
start a food ministry. It
began as a food pantry and
evolved into a hardwork
ing team of retired ladies
who come together every
Thursday to buy, prepare
and deliver wholesome
home-cooked meals to 26
elderly shut-ins in Perry.
These dedicated women
prepare the food and
deliver it to those who
need not only nutrition
but companionship.
The Crossroads Civitan
Club honored the follow
ing ladies for their hard
work: Catherine Ingram,
Minnie Burden, Emma
Bannister, Leila Felton,
Gloria Ragin, Gaynell
Lumpkin, Anna Lumpkin,
Selena Pitmon and Annie
Johnson.
Doug and Gail Baase
were recognized as
Citizens of the Year for
their work with both
Loave and Fishes and
Meals on Wheels in Perry.
Gail Baase has been dedi
cated to meals on Wheels
since 1988 and Doug
Baase began in 1995 after
retiring. Together they
have logged thousands of
miles to deliver meals to
those in need. Gail was
instrumental also in start
ing Loaves and Fishes in
Perry in 1993.
Both are active at
Houston Lake Baptist
See CLUB, page iC
My thoughts of giving thanks at this time of year
It’s true; I look forward to
Thanksgiving as much
to be with my family and
to enjoy the bounty of our
kitchens as I do to giving
thanks.
This is the only time of
year the whole extended
family tries to get together,
so it’s an event to anticipate
and enjoy.
I also look forward to
Thanksgiving being the offi
cial start of the Christmas
season, as it is my tradition
to get out our Christmas
decorations the day after
Thanksgiving.
However, Thanksgiving is
about more than food, fam
ily, or a season.
We tend to forget that in
the midst of the turkey and
the dressing.
Actually, we tend to forget
that on a daily basis we are
to give thanks for our many
Lifestyle
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blessings.
At least, I say “we”
because I know I do, and I
also know I’m not the only
one out
there
who
needs a
day to be
remind
ed to be
thankful.
S o ,
with that
thought
in mind,
I offer
y
Sherri Martin
The Front Porch
the things that, at this the
moment, readily come to
mind. The things that I
have thanked God for this
week because it would be
a true sin of omission not
to thank Him for all that I
have.
This is not by any means
a complete list, but here
By CHARLOTTE
PERKINS
Journal Lifestyle Editor
If you have space in your
home and a place in your
heart for a child in need,
there’s a number to call.
It’s 1-877-210-KIDS, and
it’s the first step to take if
you’re interested in being
a foster parent or adopting
a child.
According to Joyce Handy,
who works with foster and
adoptive parents, Houston
County currently has 48
children in line for adop
tion, which means that they
would become a permanent
part of the family adopting
them.
goes.
I’m thankful:
That my husband and
I find a reason to laugh
together every day.
For the hugs of my chil
dren, especially first thing
in the morning.
That I’m home and getting
to hear each new word my
younger son learns as he’s
adding daily to his vocabu
lary, and getting to watch
as my older son grows and
learns more every day. He is
reading to me as much as I
am reading to him.
For the little kicks and
bumps in my midsection
that remind me that anoth
er little one is on his way.
That Georgia beat Auburn
37-15.
For loving and generous
grandparents, and neigh
bors who act like an extra
set of grandparents, to my
“We’ve found homes
for 24 children this year,”
Handy says. “The state’s
goal is permanancy for the
children.”
She adds that DFACS
strives to keep brothers
and sisters together, and in
many cases, a parent might
adopt more than one child
for this reason.
Parents hoping to
adopt attend the Impact
Orientation, a series of
classes on childcare and the
responsibilities of parent
ing, and start as foster par
ents.
They must pass a back
ground check. Foster par
ents receive a small reim
children.
For my grandmother, and
the fun my sons and I have
when we go visit her.
For my sister, sister-in
law, their families and the
rest of my family who cre
ate a network of love and
support.
That my momma taught
me to be a true Dawg fan
even when we lose to Vandy
on homecoming and still
can’t beat Florida.
For good friends who love
me in spite of me.
For e-mail to keep in touch
with friends and family far
and near.
For creative people who
make great movies. (Yes,
this is my shameless plug
for the movie “Facing the
Giants.” If you haven’t seen
it, you should. You will be
thankful you did.)
For our two pet dogs who
SECTION
c
bursement from the state.
Foster parents in Peach,
Crawford, Bibb, Pulaski,
Twiggs, Wilkerson and
Jones County receive vary
ing levels of supplement
from their county govern
ment, while there is no sup
plementary funding for this
program from the Houston
County government.
Some choose to be fos
ter parents only, providing
homes for infants and chil
dren on a temporary basis,
while others may chose the
foster-to-adopt route.
Following the finalization
of adoption, DFACS pro
vides six months of post
placement support.
ABOVE: Members of the
Feed My Sheep Ministry
were honored by the
Crossroads Civitan Club
for preparing and deliver
ing hot homemade meals
to shut-ins in the com
munity. LEFT: Doug and
Gail Baase, shown here
with Crossroads Civitan
President Susan Pierce,
were honored as Citizens
of the Year for their work
with Meals on Wheels and
Loaves and Fishes.
Submitted
keep us laughing, even
though one of them often
keeps me exasperated.
For my church family, for
modern medicine, for beau
tiful music, for good books
and bright blue fall skies.
For the bad times that
help me grow, teach me to
rely on God more and more,
and make me appreciate the
good times.
For a God who loves me
even when I forget to be
thankful.
Oh, and did I mention
that Georgia beat Auburn?
As I said, this is not a
complete list.
In fact, I feel like I’m
not even getting started.
Perhaps this little exercise
will carry me through the
holiday season and all the
way through next year.
I hope you and yours had
a wonderful Thanksgiving.