Good People

5questions Beth Sprouse

Coalition’s volunteer elves and donors make Christmas special for 1,600 kids

Story and photo by David Moore

It’s not like elves busting their little knuckles 24/7/364 in a North Pole workshop (they do get off work one day a year). But making Christmas happen for 1,600 local kids in need – letting them know someone cares at this special time of the year – is such a huge challenge that the small army of Marshall County Christmas Coalition volunteers have already set their figurative hammers to work as autumn rolls around.

“Just the organization,” says Beth Sprouse, executive director of the nonprofit. “It takes a lot of help to get 1,600 people signed up; get them a sponsor; do all the shopping; get gifts to families. That doesn’t happen because Beth Sprouse did it, let me tell you.”

But Christmastime is nothing if not special. And making anything special takes effort on some front or another.

Christmas was always special for Beth growing up in Albertville with a house full of sisters and parents who made it a point, and found it possible, to make Christmas that way. She recalls one especially special Christmas, from a “Santa” point of view.

“That morning I came in the living room, and there set my new bicycle. I will never forget it. I didn’t see anything else because I had wanted that bicycle so badly. It had a banana seat and raised handlebars,” she laughs. “That’s definitely dating myself.”

Beyond Santa, Christmas with her parents meant giving and helping others.

“All my life, really and truly, I was taught as a child that you help others,” Beth says of her parents, Jack and the late Bonnie Fricks. “My mother was an especially giving person and instilled in us how important that is. She took food to people. If there were children in need, she would give them our things or bought them things. And we would help, too.”

Lessons learned at home one day lead not only to Beth’s career, but to her children helping with Christmas Coalition.

Beth traces her years in education to one of her mother’s ways of giving at Albertville First Baptist. Bonnie taught the Girls in Action, Sunday school and Bible school. It rubbed off.

“By high school I knew I’d be a teacher,” Beth says. “I was doing children’s’ choir at that time. It was something God said: this is what you are going to do.”

She also believes God meant for her and Rusty Sprouse to be together. That, however, was not immediately apparent when, as a ninth grader, his family moved from South Carolina to Albertville. For starts, she was two years older.

“We met at church. The minister of music had invited his family to Teen Time, a Bible school for teenagers at night,” Beth says.

That she had a driver’s license and he didn’t might have figured into the mix, but they did date in high school. She graduated from high school in 1977 and headed to Jacksonville State University to earn a degree in early childhood education. When he finished at Albertville, he also went to JSU.

“We sort of dated there.” “Sort of” eventually morphed into “engagement” in 1982. They married the following year while she worked on her master’s.

“I think it was His plan,” Beth says of God. “We tried to make it ours.”

Rusty went on to become chief financial officer at B&G Supply, an Albertville trucking company started by Beth’s father Jack. (Jack, 88, still goes to the office daily, she says.)

Beth went on to teach kindergarten and second grade and work as a parent engagement specialist for 31 years in Albertville. She still works part time for Marshall County Schools.

“I truly love teaching,” she says. And she often sees or hears from former students.

“I am so proud of them … kids that are principals now; people who have wonderful fabulous jobs and they are giving back to the community. It’s neat.”

Marshall County Christmas Coalition was established in 1996 as a non-profit. The founding board members were: Curtis Adams, Mike Alred, Dr. Judy Berry, Michelle Cowart, Jim Danner, Rick Douglas, Larry Hardin, Jean Ann Moon, Tommy Prestridge, Don Richards, Wayne Sellers, Rhonda Springfield, Jill Thompson, Tommy Turner, Tim Walker, Jeannie Wallace and Gina Walley.

Through her teaching, Beth had already sized-up the financial straits in which many of her students lived. So it wasn’t long before she and Rusty were participating in the new group, along with their children, Brett and Lauren.

“We sponsored kids for years and took our children to shop for them,” she says. “God has truly blessed us. Our children needed to see there are kids who did not have the things they would have.”

Heading to checkout while shopping, Brett and Lauren would count the thoughtful but relatively slim pickings for the coalition recipients. “Let’s get one or two more things!” they would tell Beth and Rusty.

“As a teacher, I saw children who were just pitiful,” she says. “All you had to do was love on them a little bit – just let them know somebody cares for them.”

So Beth went beyond sponsoring. She became a volunteer. About 18 years ago she became a board member, and maybe nine years later – “I just don’t keep up with dates … you just do

Beth Sprouse stands in front of a fraction of the toys for Marshall County kids bagged for pick-up last Christmas.

SNAPSHOT: Beth Sprouse

EARLY LIFE: A lifelong resident of Albertville, she’s the second of four daughters born to Jack and the late Bonnie Fricks. Siblings are Cathy Lathem, Mary Malone and Sherri Smith. EDUCATION: Graduated Albertville High, 1977; earned a degree in early childhood education from Jacksonville State university in December 1981 and her master’s in the same field from JSU in 1983. FAMILY: Married Rusty Sprouse 1983. They have two grown children: Dr. Brett Sprouse (wife Melissa), a team doctor for Auburn University athletics; and Lauren Wood, (husband Grant), who teaches pre-K for Albertville City Schools; and two grandchildren, Emery Wood, 3, Madilyn Wood, 1 on Oct. 1. CAREER: Educator, starting in 1982 with kindergarten at Marshall County Schools at McCord Elementary; kindergarten and second grade at Big Spring Lake for several years before going to second grade at Albertville Primary, where she taught most of her 31 years, along with serving as a parent engagement specialist. After retiring, worked part-time in the parent-engagement program at APS; now works part time in parent-engagement and pre-k for the county schools. INVOLVEMENT: Years of volunteering and serving as executive director of Marshall County Christmas Coalition; lifelong member of Albertville First Baptist, where she’s served on numerous committees; Blessing in a Backpack; Montage Study Club; The Literary Club; and Marker’s Child, a program that offers respite for parents while their special needs children attend activities at area churches. And, she adds, her grandkids – “They are the bomb.” AWARDS: Primary Teacher of the Year at Big Spring Lake.

what you have to do.” – she was named executive director.

Sans a title, Rusty is right there with her as part of the army that works to make Christmas special for children in need.

“There is absolutely no way I could do everything I do for Christmas Coalition without him,” Beth says. “If I’m doing something, he’s onboard.” 1. Can you explain to readers why the Marshall County Christmas Coalition is needed?

Last year we served nearly 1,600 children who live in Marshall County. We’ve had more than 1,800 before. In my opinion, that’s all they get for Christmas – what sponsors give, what our volunteers shop for.

Being a former kindergarten and second grade teacher, I had children in my classes who were recipients. They would come back after Christmas and say, “ Mrs. Sprouse, I got so-and-so.” And I knew that was all they got.

Parents have said they were so thankful. They might have been able to buy their children a few little things, but what they got from Christmas Coalition was usually all there was.

Beyond helping the recipients, we also provide an avenue for organizations, churches, businesses and individuals who desire to contribute or purchase gifts for children who wouldn’t otherwise have a Christmas. We make it easy for them.

By the way, we sponsor by family. If you want to sponsor one child, we give you a family with only one. If you want six, we give you a family with six. That way, on Christmas morning we don’t have one child with two gifts and one with seven. One person shopping for a family comes closer to doing that. 2. What churches and other groups work in conjunction with Christmas Coalition? And what part do volunteers play in its success?

Multiple churches – and multiple denominations – throughout our county work with us. I honestly don’t know how many … I’d say 25-plus. Then there are civic groups. There are local government agencies, school clubs, social groups, Sunday school classes, charity groups.

I don’t have permission to give names, but a number of corporations are heavily involved. They may take 150 children and spend well over $250 per child.

There are some families who instead of exchanging gifts with each other, say, “We don’t need anything else.” And they’ll take a list from us and shop for the children or donate money.

Almost 1,500 individuals, businesses, agencies, churches and clubs shopped themselves for Christmas presents in 2021. That’s pretty average. Our volunteers shopped for 188 children supported by way more than that many people who donated money.

It doesn’t surprise me that people here are so generous. If they know a need is there, they’ll meet it. I’ll have people call close to the end of the drive and say, “Let me know if you need help.”

Our volunteer numbers vary year to year. We probably have 100-plus. They are huge to us. Plus, we’re blessed with many return volunteers who come back every year.

I also must say we have a “working” board. When they volunteer to serve on the board, they know they’ll hit the ground running in September and handle it all by parent-pickup time the second week of December.

Most of our volunteers help during assistance sign-up. It takes up to 15 at each place over 30 hours across four days. Some can be there all day, some come on their lunch break. Most of them have done this before. The new ones, we have to train so they fully understand the three-page application form.

We have volunteers that help with drop-off and volunteers that help us with pick-up. Plus we have volunteers and different groups that will shop along with a board member who pays for everything. Most of the shoppers have been with us for years, too.

It takes an army to make Christmas Coalition happen – it really does. The hundred or so volunteers, plus the 18 board members, the coalition assistant and me. Of course, everything during Covid was crazy. But we made it happen. Thank you, Lord. 3. What steps does the coalition take to ensure there is no overlap in assistance to households and no one plays the system?

Are we foolproof? Absolutely not. There are people who slip through the cracks. But we must be good stewards of people’s money and time.

To begin with, we ask recipients for one of these four ways to verify income: a 2021 tax return; a current SSI letter; a current legal paycheck stub; or they can show bank statements for July and August. If there is another adult working in the household, they must also bring proof of income.

We require proof of residency in Marshall County – an electric bill, a water bill, something that is paid monthly. Or they can bring us their lease. Finally, we need a photo ID that has the same name as the document they provide us for residency.

We’ve built an extensive data base from approved recipients’ applications that lists children’s names, ages, schools and grades. We have many clubs, churches, businesses and individuals who contact us and say, “So-and-so reached out to us for Christmas help. Are they on your list?” We say if they are or aren’t. “OK, thank you.”

With our data base we can send a list to, say, the school counselor at Guntersville Elementary, showing who has applied and been approved incomewise. Sometimes they see people on that list who might not need the assistance. Counselors know people and families. They are vital to us. We have a great relationship with the counselors across the entire county.

Another way to check if people are playing the system is that we take every application and check it with DHR. We want to ensure that the person who completed the application has custody, or is the guardian of the children. DHR is very valuable to our stewardship efforts. They know lots of situations and are willing to help us so children can receive assistance for Christmas. 4. Beyond the hard work, on a Christmas-spirit level what makes Christmas Coalition a success?

people in Marshall County who make the Christmas season happen for the children … people who want to pay it forward.

It touches me every year that people call and say, “I got Christmas Coalition when I was a child. Now I want to help others have it. Please send me x-number of children to shop for.”

Some of these callers don’t live in the county anymore but want to make a donation. They do it because it brings joy to them knowing that it helps children here have a Christmas. One called and said, “I got help as a child. I have a great job now and want other kids to have Christmas. What do I do?”

One of our board members got Christmas Coalition help as a child. They said that, as a child, their dad left and their mother worked. She did everything she could do but didn’t have any money left to buy Christmas for her children.

I think that’s why I’ve stayed here as long as I have. I feel God has put me here to help children in our county know that others care about them so that they can have a little joy in their lives, too. Our board members and volunteers truly

Here’s how you sign up ... and help

Christmas Coalition sign-ups are open to qualified Marshall County residents. Household income limits are determined by federal poverty guidelines, but the board had yet to determine the percentage as of press deadline.

Sign up is Sept. 6-9 at Albertville First United Methodist Church, Boaz Park and Recreation and Guntersville Rec Center; times are 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, noon-6 p.m. Wednesday and Friday.

Sponsors for children are asked to spend $200 for ages birth-12; $250 for 13-15. Sponsorship forms are available at: www. christmascoalition.org; or by calling the coalition office: 256-582-9998.

All monetary donations are welcome yearround. They can be mailed to:

Marshall County Christmas Coalition

PO Box 71

Guntersville, AL 35976

As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, sponsorships and donations are tax deductible. A thank you letter, which will serve as your tax receipt, will be mailed to you in January.

have a heart for it, or they wouldn’t be here. I am very blessed to be a part of it. 5. What is something people might not know about Beth Sprouse?

My husband reminded me of this ... “I bet nobody knows that you can bowl really good.” I said I haven’t bowled in years. He said, “Yeah, but you always beat me!”

I don’t even remember my scores. I don’t know how I did it because I am so uncoordinated, but I usually had a strike or a spare.

Another thing people might not know is that, as a teenager, I played the organ and piano at church. Like I said, I am not a very coordinated person, but I had good organ and piano teachers. Patsy Bolton and Gail Hiett taught me well.

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