Kristi DuBose, left, Shana Moland and Gina Bolton at Legacy House
COVER PHOTOGRAPHY BY Les Hassell
Kilgore Fire Department keeps memory of fallen colleagues alive
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HOMEGROWN MINISTRY
Cowboy churches like Bar None offer welcoming arms to ‘unchurched'
story by AUDREY BLASCHKE | photos by LES HASSELL
Cowboy churches are a familiar sight in much of rural Texas, and anyone who’s driven along the twenty-mile stretch of Texas 43 between Henderson and Tatum can’t fail to notice the Bar None Cowboy Church with its big barn-like church and adjacent covered arena.
The graveled drive out of front offers plenty of space to accommodate the hundreds, sometimes thousands, of visitors Bar None gets at a time — not just for their regular Sunday and Wednesday services but the frequent bustling rodeo events the arena hosts. The church itself has room for over a thousand, with rows of chairs not pews, a concrete floor and a rustic, comfortable atmosphere.
Those details are key, because like all cowboy churches, the mission of Bar None is to be a church for the “unchurched.” To bring in people who might feel they don’t fit in at a traditional church by drawing on western heritage culture.
“When you bring in people that ride and rope and buck, they don’t go to church. But when you bring them in here, you get them to church,” says Stacy Wylie, one of the Elders. “Our folks don’t feel comfortable in a traditional church because you’ve got to look right and act right.”
“We don’t look right or act right,” quips Jason Taylor, the pastor.
“Some of us can act right, sometimes,” adds Taylor’s wife, Christie, with a laugh.
“We’ve got everybody… We can average 40 miles drive time for Sunday services. Way more for rodeos and events — those come from across the country,” says Taylor. “We’re not a church for location, or even a church put in position for convenience. We’re a culturally driven, target oriented church. The culture God told us to reach are people that aren’t reached by regular church.”
As the leaders explain it, it doesn’t matter how informal or formal someone wants to dress, whether they have tattoos or are even dirty from being out feeding their livestock on their farms, all are welcome. It’s a “come-as-you-are” church. The concrete floor is easily swept, so it doesn’t matter if someone tracks dirt inside. People can wear hats. They usually come off for prayer but go right back on again afterward.
And the atmosphere is always relaxed and welcoming, with a country western band playing songs about praise and worship, coffee and donuts, and dozens of greeters to welcome people and shake hands, often from horseback.
Though there is a place to contribute at the door, the church doesn’t collect money or ask for building funds. It’s another way of removing barriers that would prevent people from coming.
“There are people that do not go to church because they say they just want your money. People will feel pressured by that so that’s one of the things you just take out of the way,” says Christie.
“It’s all about getting engaged and involved. When people come, we’re just happy to see them,” says Taylor, noting that they often invite church goers, regulars or newcomers, to help out with small things like greeting or tidying up after a service to make them feel involved.
“We have fun. We are raw. We’re going to have fun if it’s at all possible. And if it’s going to be ugly, it’s going to be just as ugly as it’s got to be. As far as a Sunday morning church service, we have a band. They’re great. They play four songs. We don’t have a choir. It’s a barn. We have a barn.”
The church is interdenominational and one of over 200 cowboy churches affiliated with the American Fellowship of Cowboy Churches (AFFC), based in Texas. All the churches are a little different from each other and most are modeled from the Baptist faith.
The arena, of course, is the heart of activity at Bar None. There’s always something going on there. It was one of the first and most important things they built when the founders got together in 2007 and bought the 50 acres Bar None stands on now. | CONT.
Mickey Thornton delivers a lesson before the start of a youth rodeo skills camp at the Bar None Cowboy Church arena in Tatum.
Being able to host everything from big rodeos like the Panola College Rodeo and the Four States Youth Rodeo to weekly youth roping practices is essential to how cowboy churches function not just in Texas but across the country — drawing in horse people and showing them hospitality written in scripture.
“Each cowboy church is often the most popular thing in that area. We’ve got ropings with some sortings,” says Christie. “Another cowboy church that’s closer to a city might do more bull ridings. It’s really what draws people in that area. What’s the event that will bring them to the arena so that while they’re having fun and doing what they enjoy and competing, we also can present the Lord and just love on them while they’re here.”
“We’ll furnish the facility. We’ll charge them nothing. There’s 25 RV hook ups. We have a concession stand that has everything you could want. If you can pay for it, great. If you can’t get it, get it anyway,” says Taylor. “It’s all the Lord. So for that whole weekend, our church are servants. We’re actually hosting this rodeo so that we can do what the Bible told us: practice hospitality. Because we might run into an angel or two and not even know it… Show hospitality, love strangers, be caring, give what you can give and help where you can help. We have to do it. If our church is going to survive, we have to do those things because it’s the structure of the church.”
There’s no gate fees for rodeo spectators, just the entrance fees for the competitors. For events like the Panola College Rodeo, a big fundraiser for the college, Bar None will write them a check that covers how much they expect to raise with gate fees.
Bar None’s arena also hosts cattle dog trials and therapeutic horseback riding for special needs youth and adults as well as veterans. Every December, they recreate the City of Bethlehem throughout the whole arena, attracting up to 3,000 visitors for a weekend. It’s a live recreation, with animals and functioning bakers, tanners, basket weavers, candlemakers and blacksmiths.
It’s a long, arduous process putting something like that together and taking it apart again, but that’s just what it’s all about at Bar None — the balance that Taylor says made the church. The founders and ministry members who have joined them since 2007 built almost everything themselves. They’re almost always at work on something, never quite stopping since the church opened. People who can weld or do carpentry came on board to help over the years as they expanded the main church and added new buildings like their red barn and the youth ministry.
Many got involved because they needed help, sometimes not even knowing what they needed before finding Bar None. It’s attracted drug addicts and alcoholics and people suffering from trauma and loss who’ve been able to free themselves from those things. They’ve seen lifelong alcoholics decide to line up all their liquor bottles outside and shoot them, committing to never drink again. Leaders like Taylor and Joe Cox, a co-pastor, can also personally attest to how the power of the Holy Spirit changed and saved them from addictions many years ago.
“The fact is that this church allowed this. Just like they started and a lot of others started, but God allows us to come as we are. I came here as a drunk several years ago,” explains Cox. “And being able to serve and be a part of this church, to be involved in things, with building things… whether it was welding or sheet metal or whatever it was… Through that serving — you cannot serve God and remain the same… They’ll all tell you that there’s not just a handful of people that makes this happen. It takes the entire church to do it. And only God can bring a group of drunks, meth heads, whatever walk of life you want to talk about that has come through it and make that possible through those people.”
Bar None has helped start other cowboy churches in nearby
towns like Carthage, Troup and San Augustine. Due to the wide geographical area, many of the women meet up in different groups at each other’s homes once a month to mentor the younger women and help anyone going through hard times, providing food or childcare as needed.
“That’s one of the things that drew me when I started coming,” says Mandy, Cox’s wife. “It was to get involved, serve on some teams, and really, just to feel the love of the ladies of the church. The different groups. Once you start serving and working together, you feel a part of that family.”
Bar None’s most recent building project was the Lodge, a handful of cabins further back on the property which serve as a place to stay for people grieving a loss. Taylor likens it to a trauma facility, where people can come together to learn how to live past death. They’ve also held marriage counseling camps there.
Whether it’s the Lodge, the church building itself or the arena, Taylor says, “The environment for those things to take place, it’s there. Now people only have to decide if they’re willing or not. That’s the individual’s decision, but we make sure they know how much they miss out on if they don’t. Because it’s the best thing you’ve ever done. To serve others for no benefit and no gain.”
Bar None is located at 9162 Texas 43 East Tatum, TX. More information is available at their website: https:// barnonecowboychurch.org.
Avalon Faire celebrates 10th anniversary with upcoming 2025 season
What was once a forested field off a highway near Kilgore is now an enchanted hideaway, filled every year with the ringing sound of a blacksmith’s hammer, shouts and cheers from the jousting arena and the hypnotic strains of ancient melodies drifting through the air.
Now, after a decade of daring jousts, tumbling jesters and stage shows, Avalon Faire is poised to celebrate its 10th anniversary season when they open in April.
“It feels pretty good,” Avalon Faire co-founder Adi DiShion said.
“It’s pretty challenging too, considering we work with very minimal people and a lot of volunteers. We really depend on our volunteers to help us.”
Back in 2015, DiShion helped to open Kilgore’s first-ever Renaissance faire, an attraction featuring events, games, food, songs and shows inspired by Arthurian legends of the Middle Ages. Before Avalon Faire opened, Kilgoreites would need to drive
story by LUCAS STROUGH
photos special to ROUTE 259
to another fair like Sherwood Forest or the Texas Renaissance Festival in Todd Mission. Now, they can just look for the banners flapping in the breeze along FM 1252.
The elements to open the attraction just fell into place, she said. She knew a couple of vendors and performers from another show she had worked at, and they joined forces.
“When we knew that show was going to close out, that’s when everybody got together, and literally, this is how it went: they've got a general manager that knows the ropes. We've got entertainers that know what they're doing. We've got vendors and Adi, you have land!” she said.
DiShion, a former educator in Kilgore, formed a tight-knit bond with that original group. Ten years on, however, only a few remain with Avalon from the original merry band.
“You know, we've lost a couple to death and the others have moved on to do other things, but Avalon is still standing,” she said.
After some time, DiShion decided to partner up with Jill Hall, who invested in the fair. Hall penned a few words in honor of the fair’s 10th anniversary.
“Avalon Faire first opened its gates in the spring of 2015. Aside from the year of The Great Plague, the 2025 Faire season will be Avalon’s tenth year of staging the most family-friendly medieval festival in all of East Texas. During these ten years, Avalon has struggled, defined and re-defined itself, battled weather, fire, and subversion. We survive. Indeed, we thrive.
Since the first season, Avalon has grown to an average seasonal attendance of nearly 7,000 patrons. For some, Avalon is their home faire – the place they come to relax in the living fantasy. For others, Avalon is an annual family outing. Avalon’s School Day event entertains – and educates – hundreds of public, private, and home-school students, who come from as far away as Shreveport, LA, to take part. There are thousands of potential patrons who have yet to be introduced to the magic of Avalon’s annual festival. Outreach plans are already underway that include multi-media ad campaigns, community events, improved social media output, and maintaining contact with our patrons through email,” Hall wrote.
DiShion said plenty is in store for the anniversary year, including grounds improvements, especially an effort to deal with water mitigation issues.
“Hopefully, some of the things we've done this year will help, and I think you'll be really surprised to see the new features when you come through the gates this year,” she said.
Over the years, DiShion has relied on many others to keep the dream of Avalon alive. Her partner Hall and other volunteers made all the difference, she said. Bruce the Leatherman, a vendor specializing in hand-worked leather goods, has been at Avalon from the very beginning, she said, staying onsite during the week to keep an eye on things.
Thom Bedlam, an infamous piratical entertainer originally
from Canada who tours the globe, also has been a mainstay on the Avalon stage for a decade.
But not all things have stayed the same at the enchanted location. New events, including a zombie hunt, Viking Yule festival, Oktoberfest and more have been added to the fair’s roster, as well as adding new space for vendors, dancers, jousting and musical performances. Avalon is also embarking on a major advertising campaign, purchasing two billboards and increasing their digital outreach.
While some steadfast friends remain here in Kilgore, others have used Avalon Faire to launch travels and careers of their own.
“This is the legacy of a small faire,” DiShion said.
“You kind of bring in the unknown and then they go onto new and bigger and better things. We were like a springboard for them to go to a national circuit.”
Still, 10 years on, some have remained and others have joined in the mission to create an otherworldly, family-friendly and fun environment right here in East Texas.
“One of things that I hear the most from people is that, walking through the gates, you can leave the world behind and absolutely burst into this historical fantasy world. Yes, people say they can literally forget about the worries and the cares of everyday life, you know.”
Learn more and find tickets at https://www.avalonfaire.com.
When Kristi Rumbo’s dad invited her to handle the dog grooming at his boarding kennel, she thought it’d be a temporary thing. She’d just moved to Henderson to be closer to her dad’s side of the family, and she wasn’t even sure she’d be good at working with dogs. Fast forward 18 years, Rumbo is now the proud owner of Lone Star Grooming in its new home at 110 S. Marshall St. in downtown Henderson.
It is the realization of a dream Rumbo nurtured after nearly two decades: to have her business right in the heart of Henderson. Her dad had decided to retire and sell the original Lone Star Boarding Kennel — formerly located just off Texas 43 and about a 10-minute drive for Rumbo and most of her clients. For her move, Rumbo initially looked into renting somewhere in Downtown, but a little building off Main Street had just gone up for sale. It turned out to be perfect.
“I finagled with the owner and got it to where I could do it and make my dream come true,” says Rumbo.
It took about six weeks of renovations to get it ready, including placing new floors, painting everything, replacing lights and repairing the ceilings. They officially opened for business in July 2024, and it’s been nonstop ever since. All Rumbo’s old clients followed her there, and thanks to the old building’s makeover with new stucco and signs, she’s had curious people regularly stopping in to inquire about prices.
Rumbo says her vision for the interior prioritized the comfort of her four-legged customers, especially new ones who can feel
Kristi Rumbo, owner Lone Star Grooming
nervous over being left with strangers.
“It’s not supposed to be stressful. When I was designing the remodel of this place and how I wanted it laid out, I wanted to make sure it was cozy,” explains Rumbo.
The welcoming reception area has a pair of bright green and yellow couches for dogs to jump on to their hearts’ content. If they’re allowed to be on couches at home, Rumbo says they’re allowed to be on these. It’s also a place where Rumbo and other groomers and bathers who work there can sit with the dogs when they’re done for the day or on a break.
“I have two high school girls that come in the mornings, four times a week, to help bathe the dogs, and they’re usually sitting out here with a dog,” adds Rumbo. “So, the dogs get some attention while they’re here.”
Years ago, Rumbo also invested in vacuum clippers for extra polished haircut results and to protect the dogs’ skin.
“It sucks up the hair and makes the haircut a lot more even, and the blade’s cold so dogs don’t get razor burn. I’ve never had a dog get razor burn,” says Rumbo.
She also invested in a quieter, supersonic vacuum that’s easier on not just the dogs’ ears but her own, and she stocks a variety of dog shampoos to accommodate different coat types and skin sensitivities.
Goldendoodles are the most common breed they see at the shop. Grace Gatlin, the groomer’s receptionist and one of the bathers, typically bathes three to four doodles a day. One of their regulars is a large one named Byngo, who is energetic, affectionate and easy to work with.
“Most of them are like Byngo. They’re loving and they jump on you. They just want to be held,” says Rumbo.
They also typically see a lot of schnauzers and shi tzus and plenty of mixed breeds, which are some of Rumbo’s favorite to groom.
“You never know how they’re going to turn out. I don’t get a typical schnauzer or yorkie cut with them. You can play with their haircuts more,” she says. “I really like doing personality cuts. When I get a new dog in, I kind of get a feel of their personality and give them a cut based on their personality and their features. That’s one thing my dad said I was always good about when I first started grooming.”
Rumbo learned the basics of grooming from her dad, who trained at Kilgore Grooming School. She further developed her skills over time, occasionally learning from YouTube videos. Of course, she’s an old hand now at doing those frequently requested teddy bear and lion cuts.
“I just did one yesterday for a mini Australian shepherd. She was super cute — big and round,” says Rumbo. “The owner wanted a teddy bear cut mixed with a lion cut, so a little longer around the neck. The dog turned out adorable.”
The dogs they see aren’t always well behaved, which comes with the territory. Rumbo says the key for her, Gatlin and their
other groomer Tori Green, is patience.
“You have to be an animal lover to do this type of job,” she says.
Sometimes it just takes a couple of appointments before she can get nervous dogs to trust her, and then they’re fine.
Rumbo says that Gatlin manages the same way.
“She’ll talk to them and say, ‘You’re so kind. You’re so sweet.’ Even when they’re not being good and sweet,” Rumbo laughs. “She’ll tell them that and it works.”
Rumbo says her prices haven’t changed much. She set them low when she still worked out of the boarding kennel and customers had to drive outside the city limits, and since she kept all her original customers, she wanted to maintain the same prices for them. Those customers often tell her, however, that her prices may be too low.
“I’m a new business owner and trying to figure out everything,” she says.
The shop operates from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. Dogs start piling in early, and Rumbo often works on 10 to 15 dogs a day. Depending on the service, an appointment can be a 20-minute haircut touch up or a two-hour bath, brush and sanitary trim or haircut, and anything in between.
Rumbo avoids overbooking because she wants to ensure the dogs aren’t stuck waiting a long time before they can be picked up. They don’t have a yard for the dogs to stretch their legs in, only a little grassy station outside they can be taken out on a leash to do their business, so ideally no dog is staying longer than two hours. Most days, all the dogs are done by 1 p.m., and the downtown location makes it easier for customers to pick them up on lunch breaks or after work.
Rumbo has plans to hire more dog stylists and further grow the business by potentially selling products like premium dog food brands. Currently, a local company, Rockin’ G Candle Co., has candles for sale on a display by the front door, including dog paw shaped candles.
One thing that won’t change at Lone Star Grooming? No cats. Rumbo likes cats but can’t ever see herself grooming them.
“I’m just used to dogs. When people called my dad and asked about cat grooming, he’d tell them, ‘No, we don’t have thick enough skin.’ I tell people the same thing,” she laughs
BEST SHOWIN
East Texas students show livestock at seventh annual Gregg County Youth Expo
East Texas students competed Wednesday, Jan. 8 at the seventh annual Gregg County Youth Expo at the Longview Fairgrounds Livestock Pavilion.
The nonprofit Gregg County Youth Expo “focuses on equipping students with essential life skills such as leadership, time management and responsibility,” according to the organization.
“Through livestock shows and project-based competitions, students gain practical experience in animal care, agriculture, and business management, preparing them for future success,” the organization said in a statement.
The following students won grand and reserve champion titles at the 2025 Gregg County Youth Expo:
CHAMPION STEER:
Graci Melson, Gregg County 4-H
CHAMPION HEIFER:
Tobi Melson, Gregg County 4-H
CHAMPION SWINE:
Merritt McMahon, White Oak FFA
CHAMPION LAMB: Mason McMahon, White Oak FFA
CHAMPION GOAT:
Chloe Todd, Longview FFA
CHAMPION DOE:
Chloe Todd, Longview FFA
CHAMPION MEAT PEN:
Rhett Arrendell, White Oak FFA
CHAMPION AND RESERVE BREEDING RABBIT:
Elias Sanchez, Gregg County 4-H, and Ashton Cox, Longview FFA
CHAMPION SALE AG MECH: White Oak FFA
CHAMPION NON-SALE AG MECH: Sabine FFA
CHAMPION BROILER:
Alex Dixon, White Oak FFA
CHAMPION SALE DESSERTS:
Addison Murphy, Kilgore FFA
CHAMPION SALE CONTAINER GARDEN:
Jaidan Johnson, White Oak FFA
CHAMPION SALE FLORAL DESIGN:
Emery Stagner, White Oak FFA
RESERVE HEIFER: Kellen Murphy, Kilgore FFA
RESERVE SWINE: Brantley Voss, Sabine FFA
RESERVE LAMB: Joeli Hoffman, Kilgore FFA
RESERVE GOAT:
Gunnar Broadway, Longview FFA
RESERVE DOE: Merritt McMahon, White Oak FFA
RESERVE MEAT PEN:
Jaidan Johnson, White Oak FFA
RESERVE BREEDING RABBIT: Ashton Cox, Longview FFA
RESERVE SALE AG MECH: White Oak FFA
RESERVE NON-SALE AG MECH: White Oak FFA
Reserve Broiler: Bailey Watson, White Oak FFA
Reserve Sale Desserts: S usie Miller, Sabine FFA
RESERVE SALE CONTAINER GARDEN: Brooklyn Polve, Kilgore FFA
RESERVE SALE FLORAL DESIGN: Jaidan Johnson, White Oak FFA
A LegacyOF LOVE
Henderson’s Legacy House provides support and resources in trying times
story by AMBER LOLLAR | photos by LES HASSELL
On a quiet Henderson street sits a small, unassuming and seemingly vacant house.
One would never guess that behind its wellmaintained door and just past the rustic welcome sign lies an entire community. A peek through its windows would give only a hint of the open arms and caring hearts that make their way in and out of this tiny house, or the endless support these generous souls provide to area foster families.
Answered Prayers
Legacy House took shape in the increasingly generous mind of its now director, Virginia transplant turned full-fledged Hendersonite, Shana Moland. Forever focused on engaging with her community and offering a helping hand to those who need it most, she recognized the desperate need for resources amongst local foster families.
The Moland family was no stranger to the struggle of the
foster care system. After making their way to Texas more than 10 years ago with their three young daughters Ruthanne, Sophia, and Tabitha and 10-month old foster son Josiah in tow, they discovered that the foster care experience was vastly different from what they had experienced in Virginia.
“We were still in the process of adoption for Josiah, so when we moved here Texas took over the case,” said Moland of her personal journey within the system. “It was still a Virginia case but for us to adopt Josiah, Texas had to tell Virginia that our home was acceptable.”
“It’s a different system in Texas and our case had some hiccups we weren’t expecting. Even though they had approved our home we had to not do the adoption for longer than we expected. We had to have visits from a local CPS worker every month” she continued. “It took 972 days for Josiah’s adoption to be formalized.”
These roadblocks opened Moland’s eyes to the level of support needed within this outlying section of the community and she took her blossoming idea directly to the top.
“We started a prayer group,” she said. “We would pray at First Baptist Church’s prayer house and families were praying for their case, for their kids, for biological parents. Just praying on all the situations.”
While prayer was the focus, conversations were also happening. Fosters within the community shared ideas and needs but also wishfully-spoken solutions. It didn’t take long before those Wednesday night prayer meetings opened a door Moland was not expecting.
“People were like, ‘We really need a place to exchange car seats and clothing like they have in Longview,” said Moland. “ It would be really great to have a place where we could just borrow a car seat and not have to drive that far to get one.”
Coming from Virginia where support on this level didn’t exist, Moland’s curiosity led her to Longview’s Legacy Closet and into the office of First Baptist Church’s then-Associate Pastor Don Edmonson.
At the time, FBC was building a Children’s Center, and Moland asked Edmonson if it would be possible for her prayer group to have access to a closet in the new space to fill with supplies to aid families during unexpected foster placements.
“I imagined an actual closet,” she said, still blown away by the response all these years later. “I literally imagined my coat closet with a few car seats, and he says, ‘Come here.’”
Delighted by the fast response, Moland followed Edmonson outside to the expansive FBC parking lot, where her prayers were answered on a much more grand scale than she could have ever expected.
“I was confused because I’m still expecting a closet,” said Moland. “But we’re in the parking lot and he points to a house and says, ‘You can have that house.”
After taking a bit more time for prayer, Moland and crews of volunteers took on the backbreaking task of removing years of storage.
Support From All Sides
“The whole community came around us,” she said of the wealth of volunteers who turned up to bring her vision to life.
“This is not the Shana show,” Moland says often.”Kristi DuBose is one of our most wonderful, awesome, faithful volunteers. She is our chief organizer and my right hand woman. She retired from teaching and dedicated her time to us for, at least, the last four years. She’s such an incredible gift.”
Gina Bolton has volunteered since the Legacy House’s creation. As an adoptive mother of two, Bolton knew the assignment well. Another invaluable member of the Legacy family is Bonnie Murphy, who like Bolton has been onboard since the beginning. Murphy is an active, open foster home and has, so far, adopted six.
Phillip’s Flooring, a Longview-based company, volunteered to update the building’s floors, but beautiful hardwood floors were discovered under decades-old carpeting. Prepared to refinish much more than the kitchen and two small restrooms, and a bit disappointed about the diminished need, the company inquired about items needed to fill the space.
Moland believed she was starting small by pointing out that one of the biggest needs would be underwear, but again was surprised by the response.
“They bought all the underwear in Wal-Mart,” laughed Moland. “All the underwear.”
“We always hear from places that we weren’t expecting,” she said. “Overland, which is a contractor that came into Henderson to build some stuff; they brought us truckloads of bikes and Lego sets and dolls, amazing stuff. They filled Legacy to the point where I couldn’t walk from all these toys.”
“It was amazing.”
“Overland was so generous, they gave us huge makeup kits and cologne sets,” she continued. “We were able to give multiple gifts to each child, and I still have enough that I can create a bag for new fosters.”
Simple Facebook posts relaying the need for specifically sized clothes, socks, shoes or any number of specialty items often results in bag after bag of donated items. Oftentimes the
| CONT. PG 20
Shana Moland, left, visits with Bonnie Murphy as she shops with her children
posts aren’t even necessary as members of the community will randomly drop off items.
“We appreciate the eagerness to donate,” said Moland of the unexpected generosity. “It’s a blessing, always, but it does need to be said that we really do need to be aware of what’s being given.”
She went on to explain that clothing items should be in like new condition, free of stains or tears, and should always be appropriate for children. Shoes shouldn’t show extensive wear and branded items should be relevant and car seats must be brand new.
“We can’t take everything,” she continued. “We can’t take a taxidermy deer, we can’t take plates. We don’t want a funny, haha, swear word onesie, and monograms, as cute as it may be. I will probably not get the name you gave your child in enough quantity that I can keep all of those”
“I can’t send a child home with a VBS shirt that they didn’t attend,” she pointed out. “We’re not going to do a Disney World shirt or an event that they did not go to. If they haven’t been to the theme park we’re not going to keep the shirt and certainly not a 2016 Bleacher Creature shirt.”
“We want our kids to really feel good about what they’re wearing,” she continued. “The items we have available should be clean and in great condition so they can be proud to wear their new clothes and shoes. They should be excited about a new toy.”
“Another thing that we would like to start taking only new would be pajamas,” explained Moland. “Kids love new pajamas. There’s something about getting brand new pajamas. Another thing is bedding. Our teenagers especially love to get a new bedspread or a new pillow.”
Moland also asks that donations be left inside the unlocked storage room at the 301 W. Elk St. location.
“The donations come under the carport inside the closet,” she said. “It may look like it’s locked, but it’s not. Please, don’t leave donations under the sign that specifically says don’t leave items in the carport. Place all donations inside the closet.”
Collaboration, Collaboration, Collaboration
Moland’s ongoing experience within the foster care system, both through her own adoption and her work with Legacy House, has paved the way for her to partner with several East Texas agencies, greatly expanding her ability to offer support to foster families and children in desperate need of a forever home.
“The system has privatized, enabling us to add support opportunities and to partner with agencies like 4Kids4Families, to partner with like-minded organizations,” said Moland of Legacy House’s ever-expanding outreach.
In February 2023, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) began implementing CommunityBased Care in Region 4. This means foster care services will no longer be carried out by the state, but by a Single Source Continuum Contractor (SSCC).
The SSCC is responsible for providing a full range of services
to children in care. Community-based care allows a local organization to tap into the unique strengths of their community to address the specific needs of children, parents, and foster parents in the region.
As the SSCC for Texas DFPS Region 4, 4Kids4Families was eager to implement community-based care, a placement method with the freedom to support children, foster parents, and biological parents with the right services, therapies, and programs for their unique needs.
“Legacy House has become a parachurch ministry,” she explained. “We have many churches that support us and make us a part of their ministry, and, likewise, we support families in their church who want to foster and don’t know where to start. That’s where the Fostering Collective comes in.”
The Tyler-based Fostering Collective exists to recruit and shepherd Christ-centered families in East Texas to bring hope to children in foster care.
“The Fostering Collective was started with one goal in mind, helping you change the lives of children in need,” the group states on their website. “Our staff and board, foster and adoptive families ourselves, struggled with the complexity of the system when trying to get started. We faced some of the same questions you do.”
Within the Fostering Collective is the Heart Gallery program, another initiative near and dear to Moland’s heart.
Launched in July, Heart Gallery is hoping to recruit East Texas families interested in adoption. To keep area children seeking adoption fresh in the minds of those who could offer a loving, permanent home, the agency displays professionallystyled portraits of available children in high-traffic public spaces.
Organizations and businesses throughout Henderson were happy to host a Heart Gallery display. Henderson’s Rusk County Library displays the ever-changing portraits, along with neighboring business Campfire Coffee Co. The Henderson Civic Center also hosts the display.
“I go and I change out the photos every couple of weeks so you won’t see all 100 at once you’ll see a few of them,” Moland explained. “We have temporary displays, large canvas portraits and digital versions. You can do a permanent or you can host a temporary gallery.”
Pairing with these organizations has allowed Legacy House and its volunteers the opportunity to broaden the scope of faceto-face support offered to the community.
“We offer a mom’s support group at FBC and Fostering Collective covers that,” said Moland.
Each meeting covers a different topic. January’s meeting was
specific to children with sensory needs, but the group also offered a ‘sensory day’ where the group partnered with occupational therapy students completing their capstone projects. These are complex academic projects that students complete at the end of their academic program. They are a chance for students to apply their knowledge and skills to solve real-world problems.
“The kids come in and they get to do all these sensory-rich projects and they get to take stuff home.”
“We do a babysitting class,” said Moland, “All the local agencies, such as Buckner and Azleway, have agreed that the babysitting class we offer will cover any of them. You can become a certified babysitter and you can babysit for six different agencies. Before Fostering Collective existed, every agency had a different class you had to take and they were running the classes but now they do it with us.”
“We have monthly meetings with them,” she said. “We have monthly meetings with CPS workers. It’s all about collaboration, collaboration, collaboration.”
Through her vast array of connections, Moland is now able to assist post-adoption families.
“Just because adoption is done doesn’t mean they don’t still need support,” said Moland. “Once adoption is done, so many of those people that you thought, ‘I can’t wait until they are out of my life,’ well now they are and you don’t have someone coming and checking on you every month. Sometimes their ‘checking’ is ‘Hey did you know there’s this support event?’ Now you’re not getting that agency support anymore.”
“We stay in your life,” said Moland of her Fostering Collective and Legacy House families. “As long as you will have us we will stay. You can still shop at Legacy, and we will continue to support your journey.”
Within Rusk County alone, 32 children were in foster care on the day Moland sat down with Route 259 Magazine to extol the virtues of the services with which she is involved. That number changes on a near-constant basis, and only a few of those are placed within Henderson homes. Many more are in placements in Tyler, Longview and as far away as Houston, due to a lack of area homes willing and available to foster.
“This is why we try to recruit families,” Moland explained. “It’s good they’re out of an unsafe situation, but we don’t want them out of their familiar school, away from their friends, their neighbors, their communities. These are kids. We just don’t want to make it harder than it should be.”
While the hope is for reunification, oftentimes that’s not a possibility and the end goal is adoption into a loving home but those familiar connections can lessen the trauma involved in these life-changing events.
“If the home they’re in decides to adopt them, if reunification is not an option, then they’ve lost so much,” she said. “You can still have a relationship with cousins, or grandparents that aren’t able to foster you. We really want these kiddos here where their community can continue to love and support them.”
KILGORE FIRE DEPARTMENT KEEPS MEMORY OF FALLEN COLLEAGUES ALIVE
story by LUCAS STROUGH | photos special to ROUTE 259
Alot can change in 16 years. It’s natural to hope that things change for the better, as natural as it is to keep memories fresh and alive so they are never truly forgotten.
Kilgore firefighters and other locals remember the horrifying events of Jan. 25, 2009 and now, 16 years later, continue to keep those memories alive to honor the lives that were lost.
Firefighters have been training in Kilgore for decades and, in 2009, a few such firefighters were conducting a training exercise using a new ladder truck at Stark Hall, an eight-story dormitory and the tallest building in town, on the Kilgore College campus.
KFD Driver/Engineer Kyle Perkins, 45, of Kilgore and firefighter Cory Galloway, 23, of Van, were in the basket of the ladder truck with two other firefighters when the basket became stuck on the roof of Stark Hall. As the firefighters worked to free the basket, it suddenly swung free. The force of the movement threw Galloway and Perkins against the door of the basket. Rather than holding in place, the door failed and swung open, sending the two men to fall around 83 feet to the ground. Both were transported to Good Shepherd Medical Center, where they later died. Two other firefighters, Kyle Huckabee and James Sanders, were treated for minor injuries and released while another firefighter suffered an injury while leaping from the truck upon seeing his teammates in danger.
They were the first active duty deaths KFD had seen since 1986. Galloway had only joined the department a year before the tragedy and Perkins had been with KFD since 1994. Both were graduates of Kilgore College Fire Academy.
The community reacted immediately with shock and horror, then quickly came together to support both the department and the family members and friends of the fallen firefighters.
The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation sponsored a candlelight remembrance service.
Firefighters from New London volunteered to cover shifts for KFD, a 40-man department badly affected by having multiple firefighters suddenly gone from the duty roster. The city, college, department and community came together to hold remembrance ceremonies and to install a commemorative monument for fallen firefighters at KFD Station No. 2.
After the initial shock faded, a desire for justice began to grow. A few years later, in 2012, a judge awarded nearly $800,000 in damages to the families of Galloway and Perkins. KFD and the manufacturer of the truck involved in the tragedy were found liable and ordered to split the cost of the damages. The truck had been purchased for nearly $250,000 less than a year before the tragedy, specifically with the intention of being able to reach the top of Stark Hall in the event of an emergency.
16 years later, Kilgore still remembers, sharing tributes on Jan. 25 and on Sept. 11 as well, to the memory of the two firefighters.
Longtime Kilgore News Herald columnist Linda Ballard wrote in 2009: “For Kyle Perkins and Cory Galloway, their job is done; the last call has been made. May they rest in peace.”
