Peggy's Porch is stockpiled for those in need

God would help me decide how to fill this need." said Jackie Bozeman. "What has been about Peggy's Porch is this town "

The city leased the old Domino Hall building to Peggy's Porch at no charge, however, the building was in terrible condition

A few years back, a trip to the homeless shelter inpired Howe resident Jackie Bozeman to start collecting clothes for the shelter. After collecting loads and loads of clothes, Bozeman, who was in retail talked to her husband Dennis Bozeman, who was at the time and still is a city councilman in Howe about opening a community clothing closet for those in need. She said that she would like a downtown building, but wasn't able to find one for a low enough rent price.

After talking with City Administrator Joe Shephard, they finally worked out a deal for the old Domino Hall behind City Hall.

"It had a hole on one side of the wall One side was rotten The floor was tobacco stained " said Bozeman "We had so many people that helped us work on the building "

Paris Palacios of Designer Cuts donated a sink for the bathroom. The toilet was donated by the Ragsdill

"I went in front of the city council and I just wanted to fill a need and hoped that continued on Page #2

Fulenchek expected to play in alumni game on Feb. 20

The Howe Bulldogs baseball team have announced a fundraiser exhibition baseball game with the Howe Alumni Bulldogs It will be the first alumni game since 2013 That game two years ago was the first ever game played under lights at the current stadium, which has been the Bulldogs home baseball field since the late 1980's.

The event will start with a longball competition at 6pm followed by the game at 7pm

Garrett Fulenchek is expected to pitch vs the Bulldogs should it not continued on Page #3

Peggy's Porch

Continued from Page #1 family The air conditioning unit was replaced by the city and Baker Air Conditioning donated their labor to install the new system

Bozeman said that city councilwoman Georgia Richardson works each time Peggy's Porch is open, which is every second and fourth Saturday from 9am - 11am

"She's only missed two Saturdays and that's because she was out of the country" said Bozeman "Robin Speed is always there to open up when people need things Linda Wall started spending afternoons there and organizing clothes. Curt Beckemeyer showed up and had heard about us and asked what we needed. I told him I needed some more storage He started paying for a storage building every month in Howe That's amazing "

The late Peggy Richardson is the namesake of Peggy's Porch She was a Bible teacher at First United Methodist Church

"She would send these letters and scriptures and I would receive them right when I needed them " said Bozeman "A lot of things being done at Peggy's Porch is doing done for her"

Peggy Richardson's daughter Mary Martha Stewart bought buckets and the family donated money so they could buy more buckets. Dr. Maniet of Whitewright built the shoe rack in the back. Angela Dunkle and her son helped Bozeman sort through the clothes the very first time they were in there.

"The clothes. You would not believe." said Bozeman "I really was worried at first that we'd run out of clothes because it's free I have never not had more than enough clothes I've had people come in and need black pants and a blue shirt for a job interview and we just so happened to have it "

Bozeman remembered one day that a person was needing a pair of brown shoes Georgia Richardson was going through a bag that had just been delivered and inside the bag were a pair of brown shoes that were the exact size needed for that moment

"It's just unbelievable." said Bozeman. "This community is amazing. Carolyn Cherry, I love that woman and she drives me crazy. She pushes me to the brink sometimes, but she's pushed us to some of our finest moments."

Cherry's pushing helped influence a "Back to School" drive which has now gone on for two years in a row The community had over 100 families that were helped in that second year

Even though they are open on the second and fourth Saturdays, they will open on special occasions for people in need

"We have fun " said Bozeman "We don't limit anyone, unless it's a jacket because we want

Continued on Page #4