Community — such a simple word, yet it can cause so many emotions, sometimes good and sometimes not so good. But, as the community entered the CARE Arts Center on Friday, May 10, it was all for good. Some entered alone and some entered with friends and family. Yet, everyone had one goal in mind ... to support one of their own.
I remember years ago being at a meeting and Clay McFerrin was asked to introduce himself. In his introduction he stated, “I am just the local paper boy.” For over 40 years, he has compiled and published The Sun-Sentinel for the community every Thursday. And, Friday was their opportunity to thank him for his hard work over the years.
As a result, we have to take a few minutes to thank everyone who took part in our fundraiser for Clay and Krista. Thank you to everyone who joined us on Friday to purchase lunch, to purchase baked goods, to bid on auction items and to make a donation to our cause. Thank you to everyone who worked and donated all of these items to CARE for this event. Thank you to our local businesses who purchased lunch for everyone in their office to support our fundraiser. And a special thank you to Matt Bennett and the Modern Woodmen of America organization for agreeing to match our donations up to $2,500.
Thank you to the CARE Board of Directors for your dedication and assistance on Friday. And, a special thank you to our “kitchen crew” for keeping the lunch hours humming right along. Patsy Simmons, Jessica Strider, Lisa Wolfe, Carol Roark, Ray Clolinger, John Ball Burnett, Glenna Callender, Patti Gregory, Jackie Jones and art instructor Teresa Adams met everyone with a smile from before 10 that morning until the late afternoon.
And, finally, a very special thank you to Lyn Hardy, who worked tirelessly to ensure that our fundraiser was a success. Lyn approached me several months ago with the idea to hold this event and then made it happen. She spent numerous hours on the phone with donors and picking up gift certificates. Lyn organized the silent auction by day and cooked at night, yet never stopped smiling through all her hard work. This is the perfect example of how a simple idea, with focus and determination, can bring our community together for the greater good.
Thank you again to everyone, and we hope to see you again soon at CARE!
