CMYK Thursday, April 10, 2014
features
3B LeAnne Akin The Paper
Silent auction items at A Night of Hope for Children were getting attention from those attending the 16th annual fundraiser for The Tree House including Allyson Summerour. At right, Doug Garrison was one of the spotters pointing out bidders during the live auction segment of the April 4 special evening at the Winder Community Center. See more scenes from A Night of Hope for Children at ClickThePaper.com
All for kids By LEANNE AKIN
lakin@clickthepaper.com
Silent auction items filled a banquet room and lined the walls of the Winder Community Center on April 4 as the community came together to raise money for children. As the 16th annual Night of Hope for Children, benefiting The Tree House, was getting under way, a beautiful rainbow painted the blue sky. As night fell, stars could be seen bringing to life the event’s logo featuring a child with a teddy bear pointing toward the heavens graced by planets and constellations. The evening with food and fundraising and a silent and live auction gave supporters from Barrow, Jackson and Banks counties a chance to learn more about what The Tree Jackson House does and how support of the child advocacy center, which has locations in Winder and Commerce, is helping children and families of the Piedmont Judicial Circuit and beyond. Sandra Holliday, who chairs the board of directors of The Tree House, welcomed the packed community center. She thanked everyone for their support of The Tree House, saying, “You never stand taller than when you bend Maddox to help a child.” Larry Rary gave the invocation and offered prayers for the children, The Tree House staff, the event com-
mittee and everyone who came together to be a part for the children. While guests roamed around the silent auction items to record their bids for an assortment of lots for children, adults and families – from a tricycle and a painted child’s rocking chair to a grill, pottery, jewelry and lots of sports memorabilia and collectibles, the focus turned to auctioneer Chris Maddox on the stage. Let the bidding begin, and Maddox challenged the crowd to push the numbers higher. Popular live auction regulars had the spotters staying busy to keep up with the incremental bids. A hay ride on the Holliday farm netted $400, a kid’s birthday party at a fire station thanks to Barrow County Fire and Emergency Services Chief John Skinner and Lt. Scot Dakin brought in $350 and a low country boil for 10 prepared by Tree House supporters Gwen Hight, Beverly Jackson and Linda Shoaf added $550 to the fundraising tally. Gold packages at The Legends at Chateau Elan and Currahee Golf Club also had bidders battling it out. Spotters included Bill Brown, Scott Dakin, Doug Garrison, Steve Loggins and Seth Thompson. It was noted that longtime spotter Terry England was missed. University of Georgia items including a quilt made by Jean Murray from an assortment of University of Georgia T-shirts, club level seats at the GeorgiaFlorida game and a BBQ and UGA vs. Vandy football day with Tara and Michael Farmer were live auction attractions. But it was the travel opportunities that got the
Fundraiser for The Tree House includes auctions plus presentation of special donation
During Friday evening’s Night of Hope for the Children, the 16th annual fundraiser for The Tree House held at the Winder Community Center, two representatives from First Baptist Church of Jefferson’s Morning Glory Circle presented a $1,000 check to Becky Lee, executive director of the child advocacy center which serves Barrow, Jackson and Banks counties. Glenda Blackstock and Sandra Jones made the presentation. Blackstock said they learned about The Tree House six years ago when now-Jackson County Sheriff Janis Mangum spoke so passionately about what The Tree House does for families that the circle wanted to support its child advocacy efforts. A quilt was donated to be raffled off as a fundraiser for The Tree House. “We know you will do a lot with this $1,000,” said Blackstock as she presented the check to Lee. most attention – with a St. Simons Island getaway and a Panama City Beach condo stay ramping up the bidding. Lee commended the staff of The Tree House and said they work long, nontraditional in order to meet the needs of children. The staff includes Ida Segars, Jason Simpson, Tina Mingus, Debbie Nelson, Paige Sanders, Debra Schreve, Rebecca Crowe and Christina Thomason. Interns were also recognized. During breaks in the live auction, Tree House staffers shared information about the work they do. Jason Simpson, child services program manager, explained why the fundraising was taking place by reading a letter from young Josiah who was the victim of an
assault at school. After working with a counselor for several months, Josiah gained the confidence he needed not to be scared and to go into court and testify against his attacker. The child’s letter was poignant and shared Bible scriptures about strength and forgiveness. Because of what he had learned during his sessions at The Tree House, Josiah was able to give advice to a fellow student who was being bullied at school. “Helping children like Josiah is what we do every day,” said Simpson. “That, folks, is what it’s all about.”
See NIGHT O F HOPE , 4B
An artistic and giving spirit
Katie Griffin The Paper
Delores Garrison of Jackson County crafts treasured handkerchief dolls in a time honored tradition. She is also an accomplished artist.
By Katie Griffin
klgriffin@clickthepaper.com
Jackson County’s Delores Garrison has been commissioned to make and sell her famous “church babies” at the Crawford Long Museum in Jefferson. “We are thrilled that Ms. Delores will be making some church babies to sell in our Museum gift shop. We are always looking for special items that are from Dr. Long’s era and the church doll is a perfect example of something that children would have played with back then,” said Vicki Starnes, manager of the Crawford W. Long Museum. As the story goes, fathers and brothers that went off to the Civil War, not knowing whether they would ever return, left the little girls of their families one of their best handkerchiefs which seemed to say “don’t
forget me.” The handkerchiefs were often all the girls had left of their fathers, brothers. “Little girls treasured these gifts and made them into dolls. They could carry them to church and if dropped on the floor made no noise,” said Starnes. Garrison, who is almost 85 years old, has been making church babies for years. She always gives them to friends and family members. She explained that back in her day, churches did not provide nurseries for children and babies so mothers had to bring toys to church to keep the children quiet and occupied during the sermon. Many times the children would drop the toys on the floor making an awful noise and disturbing the service. Like Starnes said, the church babies were designed to keep the children occupied but did not make a noise if dropped on the floor. This was the
Commissioned by the Crawford W. Long Museum, Delores Garrison will be sharing her ‘church babies’ perfect solution to mothers bringing their families to church during that era. Garrison recently took a lady handkerchief of one of her dear friends, Marion Porter, who is now deceased, and made a bonnet for Porter’s great-granddaughter. Garrison has long been an important aspect of the Jefferson community. She owned and operated Dot’s and Dee’s Flower and Gift Shop in the square in Jefferson. She was also one of the first women to work in advertising at the Athens Banner-Herald. “The men at the Herald didn’t think I could sell anything so they sent me to their hardest clients and when I came back with ads sold to almost all of them, they couldn’t believe it! That’s when I knew I liked that
job,” said Delores Garrison. She would go to each business in the area and talk to them about buying an advertisement and then she would go back to the office and write the advertisement up herself. “We didn’t have all the graphic options that businesses have now a days. A good ad back then was a written ad with maybe a picture or two. So I had to be a good writer and a good saleswoman,” said Garrison. She is an accomplished artist and excels in oil painting, water colors, china painting, jewelry making, embroidery and porcelain doll making. She has made countless porcelain dolls with her own moulds
See CHURCH BABIES, 4B