Shelby County Today

January 19, 2018 - The First United Methodist Church (FUMC) of Center Angel Tree Program had many recipients this past Christmas who may not have otherwise had as enjoyable of a holiday.

Helping to deliver gifts gathered on behalf of the Angel Tree were Child Protective Services (CPS) representatives for the Shelby County area.

According to Karen Jones, FUMC Pastor, 58 children in foster care, or under CPS care, were recipients of gifts delivered by CPS representatives. A lot of the children are from Shelby County, but may even have been residing in another larger city when they were delivered.

"We deal with children that have already been removed from their home of origin, and those children are placed in foster care," said Sonya Holman, CPS Supervisor. "Those are the particular children that are from Shelby County and the Angel Tree Program helped us provide Christmas to those individuals."

Holman explained the children in foster homes receive gifts in those homes; however, that isn't usually the same as someone might get in their own home. 

"They were able to give us things and provide them with a couple good gifts that they would have gotten when they were at home, so we're grateful for that," said Holman.

Jones stated the Angel Tree Program was coordinated for the church by Jo Watson, and the program even had a little extra help from the Shelby County Attorney.

"We worked through Gary Rholes," said Jones. "I had drawn the little 5-year-old girl, she was the same age as my granddaughter and she just wanted blinged clothes, that was more fun. We had four little boys that were not taken and I said, 'I'll go buy for those,' and Gary [Rholes] sent me money and so I just went crazy buying for them, it was great fun."

Holman stated it went really well as some counties aren't even able to provide much for the children. She described some of what the people in her unit are responsible for overseeing.

She said they're called the conservatorship unit within CPS, and she explained that means foster care. According to Holman, a judge will normally sign an order and give conservatorship of that child, temporarily for the next year to CPS until their parents can get it together.  

"If they don't get it together, which happens sometimes, then we end up terminating their rights and then we try and place them with family or a licensed foster home that can adopt," said Holman. "We try to seek permanency for those children, and we try to keep sibling groups together."

January 17, 2018 - Center High School Counselor Alease Copelin presented the January 15 program to the Golden Harvest Ministries Club in Center, Texas. She explained the Food Recovery Program between the local schools and Meals on Wheels.  Food that would otherwise be thrown away is taken to senior citizens in the local area.

Submitted by Linda Bordelon, Reporter

January 16, 2018 - (Update: 4:32pm) - Wednesday, January 17, 2018:

• First shift evis and labeling will start at 10am. Cutup and debone will start at 12:30pm. 
• Second shift will work a normal schedule.

January 16, 2018 Update - Tyson Center Processing Plant work schedule for Tuesday, January 16, 2018:

• Both shift will not work.
• Maintenance and refrigeration – please contact your supervisor.

We will resume a normal work schedule Wednesday, January 17, 2018.

January 16, 2018 - The William Carroll Crawford Chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas figuratively hit 2018 running at their January meeting at the Sam Samford Lodge last Saturday. Gina Ferren brought the program on one of her ancestor families, the Powell family, and the diary and day book records of their journey to Texas.

During the business meeting plans were made for the Chapter's duties at the 2018 Convention and for the 2018 District Workshop, to be held in Center. And, as far off as next November seems, the Pinecone and Mistletoe Christmas Market was discussed. And the Travelin' Trunk's next stop at the Shelby County Museum in Center, where the focus will be on Frontier Medicine, presented by Barbara McClellan. 2018 will be an active year.

Hostesses for the meeting were JoAnn Rushing, Elizabeth Pate, Vickie Martin, Bonnie Dorman and Alease Copelin, all descendants of William Samford and Barbara Snider Samford. The next chapter meeting will be on February 10.