Connecting Caring Communities

News

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I Have Got To Do Something in My Neighborhood

      Being invited to speak to a group is always an honor.   The Women’s Group of Wylie Christian Church (WCC) invited me to speak at their monthly meeting.  This is my home church and although I have not been as active as I would like to be I was looking forward to seeing some familiar faces and sharing with them information about where I work at Connecting Caring Communities (CCC).  After a tasty Mexican meal I began my presentation of CCC.  CCC has several different aspects of building meaningful relationship to help build a whole healthy community.   We talked about all of them and how they work, whether it was The Caring Team, Haven House Leader’s, the Friendship House and volunteering with CCC.   It was a lot to talk about and an hour was not enough time.  We finished by sharing our favorite neighborhood stories, which is always my favorite part of the meetings I speak at.

     A couple of days past and I get a phone call at 8:00 a.m.   It was a woman from the Women’s Group of WCC.  She was very upset and I could hear in her voice she had been crying.  I asked her what was going on and she answered, “I have got to do something in my neighborhood.  The shooting last night was next door to me.  Christine I am tired of sleeping on my floor in my own bedroom.  I can understand how people in areas like New York are stuck in the slums where they live.  Right now I feel stuck in my neighborhood until something better comes along but right now this is where I have to live and I want to do something about my neighborhood.  Can you help me?”  The answer was YES!  We talked for quite a while and I am taking her some helpful information on how to reach out to her neighbors on her block and a “We Care” sign for her yard.  

     I drove to her home and through the neighborhood that day.  Driving through there during the day didn’t seem too unsafe but knowing that there are shootings in that neighborhood at night quite often made me a bit nervous.   I drove from her neighborhood to my home, 1 mile away from each other.  I must admit at night when I am getting into my bed I think of this woman and wonder, “Is she sleeping on the floor tonight?  Does she feel safe this evening?  What sounds is she listening to in her neighborhood?”  Mine is very peaceful a few dogs barking every now and then but that is it.   I can safely run to my car, at dark, in my robe and still feel safe.   Not everyone person can do that in their neighborhood.  Not even in a neighborhood one mile from my house.

     I hope to follow up with this story by sharing many more happy stories of the progress and relationships that will be built in this neighborhood.   A song comes to mind it goes, Have no fear I am here give me your hand, I understand.   To be continued……….

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North Park Newsletter Completed

Patri, one of North Park's neighborhood moms just helped our kids and teens finish the first newsletter and HSU students walked with the kids and teens to go out in the neighborhood to go door to door handing out the newsletter on March 24th.  Neighbors were excited to get their newsletters and see how our kids are giving back to the neighborhood.  One neighbor, I visited with personally, David on Anson Avenue, commented how he felt like our neighborhood was really learning how to watch out for each other again, as we dropped off his newsletter, he said, "for the first time in many years I know everyone on my street", and as we stood there he visited with his neighbor from a few blocks south.  Here are a few excerpts and pics from the newsletter for you to enjoy:

NEW FRIENDSHIP HOUSE

The children were asked to interview Linda Carleton on the topic of the new Friendship House.

 The new friendship house is on the corner of Lowden and Hickory. The  will cost several millions of dollars by the time it is done. The project will include 6 houses for sale for young couples who have never owned a home, there will also be four subsidized homes that will be provided by the city that must be applied for. We hope to further improve the neighborhood with the new expansion of  Friendship House at its new and permanent site. The contractor is Bruce Higgins with Chanley Homes. The entire project is being sponsored by: Connecting Caring Communities, Hardin Simmons University and The Shelton Family Foundation. “Even before I started walking this neighborhood—even before Danyel and I started  walking this neighborhood, I would look at that corner and say ‘my dream is to have a Friendship House on that lot’ and I never even really believed that it was a dream, so it’s been really exciting to see how God has brought  us one step at a time to making this dream a reality. I still don’t even believe it; I’ll believe it when Danyel moves in.” said Linda Carleton. The new friendship house will hopefully be completed the summer of 2009.

 —interview conducted by FH children, article written by Shelby Bailey and Gabby Gamboa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"DID YOU KNOW" Section from the Kids:

 

· That human thigh bones are stronger than  concrete.

-Gabby

· Babies aren’t born with knee caps, they don’t get them until they are 2 yrs old.

-Gabby

· Nintendo Game Boy was the most successful game system ever with more than 100 million units sold world wide.

-Elijah 

· In the old days footballs were made out of pig skins.

-Elijah

· In the book, “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe” all four children that went into the wardrobe became kings and queens of Narnia.

-Damaris

· The almond is a member of the peach family.

-Tanner

 

 

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The Good Neighbors Bowling Team.

On Saturday, March 21, 2009 CCC staff and volunteers bowled at Abilene Bowling Lanes for the Community Bowl.   Bowl For Kids' Sake was a fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters. The Good Neighbors CCC team were; Lori Thornton (team captian), Christine Brockman, James Brooks, Sarah Frazier and Emily Kochetkova. 

Many of the team members have not bowled in years so high scores of over 100 were very exciting to them.  It was very enjoyable time while visiting, eating pizza and enjoying a couple of games of bowling. 

 

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Breaking Ground in North Park

Here's the story on the North Park Development Project, as told today by CCC executive director Brad Carter at the groundbreaking.

It’s been only seven years since Connecting Caring Communities became actively bringing community renewal to Abilene. To say “only seven” seems silly—especially to Linda because it already seems like such a long time. CCC has come a long way since that time when we were simply part of a new little office at Hardin-Simmons University called the Neighborhood Enhancement Center. Since launching from HSU as an independent organization in 2005, CCC has grown and touched neighborhoods all over our city with our message of community, caring and relationships. We’ve especially touched College Heights just to the south of here with our Friendship House in partnership with Hendrick Medical Center and here in North Park where we stand today and largely through our Friendship House in partnership with Hardin-Simmons.

Naturally, a project this size did not happen overnight—but has been in progress for several years. With the great vision and support of Dr. Craig Turner and HSU—and we’re so glad to have you with us, Dr. Jesse Fletcher on behalf of HSU now that Dr. Turner is gone—and the generosity of the Dodge Jones Foundation—thank you for your help and encouragement Larry Gill—CCC was able to receive this block for a new development.

Once upon this dirt stood North Park Elementary School, later Ben Milam Elementary—a centerpiece of the neighborhood left vacant for the past 25 years when it was condemned and demolished. Today, we’re turning this dirt not only for a new North Park Friendship House that will stand right here, but a development to help re-build this community and continue bringing renewal to our city.

Many ideas and plans have been explored for what to do here—as David Todd and his staff at Enprotec/Hibbs & Todd can attest. Thank you, David. And we’re proud of our final site plan which was developed through neighbor brainstorming and idea processes. Patri Bailey, current President of the Abilene North Park Neighborhood Association is here, thanks Patri, as well as other officers and neighbors from the neighborhood. We’re so glad you are here today and for your work, encouragement and help along the way with this project. Oh, and Nathan Varble, an architectural intern at Tittle-Luther Partnership is also here. Nathan helped lead this charrette process with the neighbors in developing our site plan. And Brandon Young’s pre-architecture class at ACU also had a deep impact on our final plans thanks to their work and exploration of “community” together with us.

This plan includes a new North Park Friendship House provided through the extremely generous support of the Shelton Family Foundation. David Copeland and Mittie Blackburn are here from Shelton. Thank you so much. Shelton was a very early supporter and remains so for CCC. Without their generous support we truly would not be here today.

It also includes a neighborhood park – a major request from the neighbors in the designing process. Everyone, I think, is excited about the park and the enjoyment that will come from a green place to play together, sit together and garden together.

It also includes ten lots for new single-family homes. Six of which are for sale if you or someone you know is interested. And at least four homes for low-to-moderate income families. To give you a taste of what that means—this is a new, energy-efficient home for a family made affordable through subsidies for a family of four making a household income of $30-40,000 a year. We are still looking for a few more future homeowners here and would love your help in passing on the word. Jean-Marie Kagabo and his wife Angel-Marie are here today and are our first family of homeowners. They, too, are very excited and ready-to-move in to their home.

The cost of construction for these homes are subsidized through the generous support of HOME funds from the City of Abilene. Larry Gilley and his staff—Jon James, Sandy Bowen and ONS staff are here today—have been extraordinarily helpful and supportive of this project—thank you. The City is also providing some funds for the neighborhood park through a Community Development Block Grant. Both of these programs utilize funding from the federal department of Housing and Urban Development.

And, through the support and generosity of the Abilene City Council, the infrastructure costs—the new curbs you already see, sidewalks you will see, and many things we’ll never be able to see—is being funded by infill development funds. Several of our Councilmembers are here today. Anthony Williams, Laura Moore, Sam Chase. Thank you. Mayor Archibald sent his regrets as he’s out of town today.

We’re excited about what will occur here over the next few months after we turn this dirt to begin construction. We’re thankful to many generous partners who are here today. Like Breece Higgins of Chanley Homes who is our contractor and is generously donating his time and expertise to oversee this project as a gift back to Abilene and Hardin-Simmons. To Casey Curnutt of Batjer & Associates, Matt Robinson of Lone Star Electric, Mike Cagle of Sherwin-Williams Paint, and Russell Weathersby of Weathersby Roofing who have all committed to help with generous donations of time and equipment to this development. To Marsha Jeffries and Christy Robertson of Creative ReDesigns who are leading our interior decorating in the Friendship House. To an exciting new partnership with the Big Country Home Educators – their president, Kay Orr is here today—who have many young men and women who will work with us and the neighbors on the park as part of our Families in Action effort.

We’re also excited to launch today ManPower alongside our Women of CCC as connected groups of volunteers. If you’re interested in volunteering your skills here—or in the many other ways you can “do what you do” – talk to Brandon Rogers who, as a volunteer, is heading up this new male volunteer group. Brandon and his daughter, Mya, and wife Danyel, who is on our staff as the Community Coordinator in North Park will be living in the new Friendship House. They have been a part of this neighborhood in our current Friendship House just a block south of here for five years now. They have done an excellent job and lives have been changed—including their own—over the course of having children, families, seniors and college students in their house and being in the homes of other neighbors. I also want to make sure you know Dusty Garison, our College Heights Friendship House Community Coordinator; Lori Thornton, CCC assistant director; Christine Brockman, our Haven House Director; Sarah Mulkey, Volunteer Impact Director; and Jeremy Tatum, an office assistant; Brooke Nichols our Abilene CART 2009 Coordinator, and Sherry Moore, Kids Club Coordinator for College Heights. And also our board members who are here: Odis Dolton, past president; Nancy Coburn, vice president. Terry Davis is also here.

I’m thankful again for each of you being here and sharing your wonderful support for CCC and this project. Many exciting days are ahead as we continue bringing loving people together to work together to bring community renewal throughout our city toward a safe, caring, whole community.

And, with that, let’s break some ground!

 

 

 

 

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A missing "We Care" sign has found a permanent home.

A few months ago one of our fabulous Haven House Leaders (HHL) said she was missing her “We Care” sign that was hanging on her home.   Those signs are precious to the HHL’s. I anticipated that this may happen someday but of course hopeful that it would not.   I just so happened to have a “We Care” sign in my car and gave it to her.   At a recent Haven House Celebration a new HHL mentioned that she saw a “We Care” sign hanging at a business behind AM Donuts.  This business sold used furniture and such and she said it was hanging up there with other items that appeared for sale. 

This business was located near my house so one morning on the way to work I stopped by to inquire about the “We Care” sign.  If it was for sale and I had intended to purchase it back and hoped that with a little explanation of CCC the new owner would just give it back to us.   I arrived to the business and see a man opening up and setting used furniture, tables, pet carriers and such out in front of his small red brick building.   I did not spot the sign yet and had a brochure in hand which has a picture of our “We Care” signs.   After our introductions and my explanation of CCC and the “We Care” signs, I asked if he had one or already sold it.  And this is where Alvas Gillespie and I began a new journey in friendship.

Alvas shared his story of how he came across the sign.  “It was in a dumpster and I couldn’t believe someone tossed it out because it has so much meaning.  I care about people so much and wanted to hang it in my window so everyone would know we care.”   Alvas shared with me his devoted work in his church and how he visits the elderly in nursing homes because he understands how lonely they must be.  So if his business isn’t opened during lunch on Wednesday that is where he is, visiting.  He also told me even though he has some used things for sale if someone really needed a certain item and they did not have the money for it, he would let them have it for nothing.  He just wants to help others.  

Alvas and his wife have been married over 50 years and his eyes sparkled when he spoke of his loving bride.  Being the kind man Alvas is he offered me the sign back, no charge because it was never for sale.   I asked Alvas if we could join in his efforts in building relationships with others and ask if he would not mind being our first Business Haven House Leader.  He agreed and made sure I got his number in case I needed anything and added that I could call him day or night and he would be there for me.  So the next time you are traveling near S. 1^st and Willis I encourage you to drive by S. 2^nd and Clyde Street.  You will see a red brick building with some furniture and miscellaneous items out front.   Be sure to stop by and visit with Alvas our newest Haven House Leader.   We are blessed that he has joined us and let us join his efforts!

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Haven House Enhancements News

On February 20, 2009 seven women gathered in the old railroad depot which is now the Visitors & Conventions Bureau on North 1^st.  As we ate lunch, we shared our favorite neighborhood stories, some of the stories took us back in time when we were small children and it was then a train passed by and the feeling of being young in safe friendly neighborhoods was overwhelming.  During this Haven House enhancement we learned how to reach out to our neighbors.   Wonderful acts of kindness came from this meeting.  Samantha Manski offered to submit photos for our Haven House newsletter and calendar.   Although Linda Collins’ children have all grown and moved from home, she enjoys her home and neighborhood and now is traveling more with her husband so she is referring two people on her block that would be interested in the Haven House program.  Charla Hammond has chosen to be a Haven House Leader; she is moving to a new home in late summer and is very excited to reach out to her new neighbors in her new residence. 

 

The Abilene PFLAG (Parent, Family & Friends of Lesbians & Gays) ask Christine to do a presentation at their monthly meeting.   (Pictured below)  There was a large group of 14, and joining the group was Brooke Smith who was from the Washington, DC office making visits throughout Texas.  Brooke was excited about what we are trying to accomplish in Abilene and will be taking information home to Washington.  Rudy shared stories of his neighborhood and the community garden he maintains for the neighborhood and PFLAG members.  From other stories shared there was a feeling and acts of discrimination in neighborhoods that are obstacles to get through.  The willingness of the group to step up and try to make friends on the block they live on was uplifting.   Kim McLaughlin has joined the Haven House team and plans on having a hot dog social soon on her block. 

 

 

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Senior Adults Reaching Out to Care Over the Phone

Ann has been attending the Northpark Neighborhood Association meetings for several years, but just recently has become a regular at the Friendship House Neighborhood Lunches.  She has gotten to meet several new neighbors, and catch up with old friends at these lunches, but has been asking for a while what she can do to help around the neighborhood.  She has known for a long time that she is great at calling friends on the phone, but just last week got a couple phone numbers from the neighbor lunch and called to check on two neighbors, one who missed the neighbor lunch and another she had just met and wanted to learn more about, and ended up visiting with her neighbors on teh phone for over an hour.  Now Ann has volunteered to call the other neighbors who attend our bi-monthly adult luncheon to check on them, as many of them are seniors who live by themselves, and she is at home most days and loves to talk on the phone.  She also tries to keep the Friendship House informed of any neighborhood happenings, and calls to suggest when sympathy cards, or welcome cards can be sent to neighbors.  We are thankful for having caring neighbors like Ann in North Park Neighborhood.

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North Park Neighborhood Teens and Children Create Newsletter

 Three weeks ago, Patri Bailey began working at the North Park Friendship House to teach neighborhood Children and Teens about creating a neighborhood newsletter.  Each Tuesday Patri comes after school with her three children and is helping coordinate the Children and Teens by assigning them to groups with 2 college leaders one neighborhood teen leader and three to four elementary children.  Each group is given an assignment to complete to help put together the neighborhood newsletter.  As an entire group the kids got the opportunity to interview Linda Carleton, CCC Board Member, about the North Park Neighborhood Development.  They have also been running around taking pictures of various neighborhood activities, collecting funny jokes, and creating art work all to be included in the first edition of the North Park Neighborhood newsletter created by Friendship House children.  The kids are really starting to understand the idea, many of them didn't even know what a newsletter was when we started, but with Patri's patience, passion and guidance they are starting to slowly understand how to be more aware of the happenings in their neighborhood, and collect information to include in the neighborhood and see how they can make a difference in their neighborhood no matter how young.  We can't wait for the first edition of the newsletter to come out next month!

 

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New Kids Club Coordinator

The College Heights Friendship House is pleased to announce the hiring of Mrs. Sherry Moore as the new coordinator for the Kids Club after school program.

"We are so excited to have someone of Sherry's caliber working with us," said Dusty Garison, Community Coordinator for the Friendship House.  "She brings a vast wealth of classroom experience as well as a real heart for working with kids.  I know she will be a great asset to our program."

Sherry has over 20 years of classroom experience with the Abilene ISD, and has taught at College Heights and Lee Elementary Schools.  She spent many of those years teaching third grade, but has also taught first grade and fifth grade, as well as teaching reading "pull-out" classes.

In addition to her classroom work, Garison noted Sherry's experience as a member of the New Life church.  "She knows this neighborhood very well," he said.  "She already knows many of the families here, and will be able to build on relationships already establshed."

Kids Club is an after-school program for neighborhood youngsters in Kindergarten through the fifth grade.  At Kids Club, students receive help with homework, have a snack, and participate in various activities including crafts, Bible stories, and outdoor games.  The program is free for residents of the College Heights neighborhood.  For more information, call the Friendship House at 325-677-8521.

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Dinner Table at the Friendship House

About a dozen friends and neighbors gathered at the College Heights Friendship House on Saturday evening, January 24, for the fifth annual Abilene Dinner Table.  The evening was sponsored by Connecting Caring Communities.

"We were so excited to be able to host one of the tables," said Dusty Garison, College Heights Community Coordinator.  "It was a delight to be able to open our home to a cross-section of the community and meet new friends."

The group enjoyed a delicious meal of roast beef with potatoes and carrots, green salad, fruit salad, and hot rolls, and hot fudge sundae cake and ice cream for dessert; while they ate they discussed issues facing the Abilene community.

Partcipants agreed that one of the things they enjoyed about living in Abilene was the convenience of light traffic and a friendly community.  They also praised community leaders for being generally forward-thinking, and looking ahead to future needs.

Dinner-goers also identified some of the challenges facing Abilene, including crime problems in some neighborhoods, as well as the isolation some segments of the community face.  Everyone agreed that events like Abilene Dinner Table were helpful in bringing the community together and looking for solutions.

The Friendship House event was just one of many venues across Abilene where Dinner Table meetings were taking place.  About 115 people at 15 separate locations took part in the evening's activities.  For more on the dinner at the Friendship House, click here to see the video story from the Abilene Reporter News website (will open in a new window).