Of the people, By the people, For the people
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Bud Compton
TUESDAY, December 1, 2020 / Vol. 6 Issue 48 / 75 cents
Angel Tree Program Works Christmas Magic by Warren Johnson
For as long as many of us can remember, the Angel Tree has been a holiday tradition in our community. Many of us adopt Angels at Christmas with the aim of bringing a smile to a child’s face. I became curious about the origins of the program in our county. To learn the answers, I only needed to walk across my backyard. I visited one afternoon with my neighbor Jo Nell Warren and her friend Debbie Whillock. They have worked tirelessly for decades helping the less fortunate in
our community. Debbie remembered hearing about a family in need of food during the Thanksgiving holiday in 1978. She and Jo Nell discussed the need with fellow members of a ladies group they belonged to at the Clinton Methodist Church. The ladies gathered provisions for the family, and Debbie agreed to deliver the care package. She recalled visiting with the ladies group afterward and telling them the family’s need was great. The group decided to adopt the family for Christmas.
They gathered provisions, including clothing and toys, for three little boys. The fixings for a Christmas meal were assembled, and the care package was readied for delivery. Debbie said, “The act of kindness was never forgotten.” The children would see her on the street and come running to give her a hug. Debbie and Jo Nell were close friends and spent a lot of time together. As they heard of needs in the community, they were able to respond more quickly than the church group considering the group only met once a month. Debbie and Jo Nell began by giving food from their pantries and clothing from their children’s closets when a family would have an unexpected need, such as a house fire. As word spread,
more needs became known to “Friends of Special People” and donations began to arrive from residents across the county. Debbie recalled, “We just kind of trudged along until the United Way was formed.” She said, “United Way took care of many of the needs, such as when someone’s house burned.” This freed the ladies to focus on the children in the community. The Optimist Club had a small Angel Tree program at the time and turned it over to them. Debbie and Jo Nell would purchase for the Angel Tree until their donations were gone. They only went under one year. The shortage was forty dollars. They each contributed $20 of their own money. Every year, Sid King would help with
2019 Donation a toy drive, and Harlan Isom would bring out baskets of toys and clothing. Debbie recalls, “There was nothing more satisfying than seeing the children’s faces when they would receive meager gifts... clothes mind you. The kids were thrilled to death.” She
Angel Tree receiving donation from Walmart Manager Harlon Isom 1980’s
Debbie and JoNell are still passionate about Angel Tree
Clinton Beta and Student Council raised $2900 in 2019
said, “Every year it made my Christmas to see the children get the gifts and to see the smiles on their faces when they came back to school after Christmas break.” Jo Nell said, “That’s the thing about the Angel Tree. It’s not just for the people who get the gifts. It’s for the whole community. There are families who have made this a tradition. The people who donate money are also helping. Although the ladies are still involved and continue to help with the Angel Tree, eleven years ago they passed the torch to the Clinton Chamber of Commerce. The efSee Angel Tree on page 4
Officer Scott Solomon has been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant for the Clinton Police Department.
Santa Letters
The Voice invites teachers to share letters to Santa from your kindergarten, first- and second-grade classes from our county schools. Deadline to send in the letters is Thursday, December 17, 2020. The special pages will be published on December 22, 2020. We will publish as many letters as space allows. Send those letters to voiceeditor@artelco.com. Merry Christmas
Live Nativity Play marks 23 years by Anita Tucker
Robert Snyder captured this beautiful sunset.
Coronavirus By the numbers November 28, 2020
Van Buren County Share your Christmas bling with the community. Send your holiday photos to The Voice. voiceeditor@artelco. com
State of Arkansas
• Total Cumulative • Total Cumulative Cases: 374 Cases: 155,026 • Total Active Cases: 83 • Total Active Cases 13,221 • Total Recovered Cases: 288 • Hospitalizations:1,010 • Total Deaths: 3 • Total Deaths: 2449
Years ago, a group of church friends were eating pizza after a Sunday Service when one of them shared a vision. Let’s put together a live nativity play, Paul Rhoda suggested to the group. That was the beginning of a 23 year tradition. “Behold The Lamb,” an annual live nativity with a cast of children and animals, begins its run on Tuesday, Dec. 1, and runs through Saturday Dec. 5. The cast includes more than 100 kids as well as camels, donkeys, goats and chickens. It wasn’t always that way, Tammie Aday, one of the original organizers, re-
called. At the first live nativity, there were seven or eight kids and one donkey, she said. And, she said, the weather didn’t cooperate either. It was cold and it snowed, she said. There have been problems over the years, including having to find a last minute Baby Jesus a time or two. A few times a doll has had to be used. “Everybody has a job,” Aday said, “and usually it works like a well oiled wheel.” She said the same kids are in the play year after year, playing different roles as they grow up. But, she said, there is always room in the inn for more. This is a community event and it doesn’t matter which
church the kids attend, everyone is welcome. The play now is held at the Van Buren County Fairgrounds on Highway 16 East. It began at Friendship Baptist Church then later moved to the sale barn in Clinton before landing at the fairgrounds. The fair association allows use of the grounds to the organizers at no cost. There is a table set up where donations are accepted, but Aday says nobody has to contribute. “We do it because it is a blessing” she said. “Behold the Lamb” will be presented at 6:30 p.m. each night from Dec 1-5. Coronavirus guidelines apply.