Getting The Fiddler ready to move. (Tim Howard photo)
By Michael V. Hannigan/HCNow
“The Fiddler” is gone, but hopefully not for long.
The statue of the The Fiddler has been on the square since the 1980s, when it was commissioned by the Sesquicentennial Committee. It was created by TVCC art teacher Albert Stewart.
In recent years, the statue has begun to deteriorate from being exposed to the elements, so the Henderson County Arts Council has started a drive to “Save The Fiddler.” The Arts Council board is raising money to have the statue bronzed to preserve it for many generations to come.
With that goal in mind, the Arts Council is hosting the Save The Fiddler Shindig, scheduled for 5-8:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 12, at the TVCC Student Union Building.
The good folks at Caring Companions at Home in Athens want area wartime veterans to know about an important program: Aid & Attendance.
“Many veterans don’t know about this program,” said Karen Mondini of Caring Companions.
Aid & Attendance “provides assistance with activities of daily living — home care — to veterans it their surviving spouses and even help from veteran admissions advisors to help veterans get educated.”
Qualification is based on the following three requirements:
Served at least 90 days of active duty with one-day during wartime, with an honorable discharge.
Need for assistance with daily activities due to non-service connected disability.
Income levels related to medical expenses.
This program can help those who qualify with home services like help with personal care, meal prep, medication reminders and companionship.
The Caring Companions at Home website says the company is “committed to providing seniors with quality in-home care. Our personalized and affordable non-medical caregiving services give our clients the companionship that they need to maintain their independence while remaining in the comfort of their home.”
To learn more about this important program, contact Mondini at 903-561-6483.
Time to Step Up
The folks at Men Unleashed have something interesting planned for this Saturday — a little street worship and tag team preaching.
The event will start 10 a.m. Dec. 2 at 615 N. Palestine Street in Athens, next to the Shell Station.
Organizers say traditional churches aren’t touching “these least of these” enough, so they are breaking outside the walls to take the Gospel message to the street.
File photo of McDonald’s personnel delivering toys.
By Michael V. Hannigan/HCNow
‘Tis the season to give … and local McDonald’s owners Kevin and Jeaneane Lilly are leading the way as usual.
Lilly’s McDonald’s will be starting up their annual Toy Drive this week, collecting new, unwrapped toys and monetary donations that will go to Toys for Tots organizations in Athens and Gun Barrel City. They do anything to brighten up a kid’s day, even if it is donating a laser set from http://skytechlasers.com/laser-tag-gun-set/
“This is my favorite time of the year,” said McDonald’s Local Store Marketing Coordinator Berta Winn. “We give back to all the communities that we are in, but our toy drives are over the top. It’s a group effort and the people in this community give and our crew gets involved as well. It’s a competition between our restaurants to see who collects the most!”
The Henderson County Help Center has graciously offered to store the toys collected by McDonald’s before they are delivered. The toys and money will go through The Help Center in Athens and The Family Resource Center in Gun Barrel City for use by Toys for Tots.
This year, Henderson County Now will be jumping on board to help with the effort.
“All of us at Henderson County Now and the Weinstein Team feel very blessed to be a part of McDonald’s local Toys for Tots campaign. Kevin and Jeaneane Lilly’s McDonald’s do so much for our community throughout the year, to be asked by them to participate in the Toys for Tots drive is something that is truly an honor,” said attorney Jeff Weinstein, publisher of Henderson County Now. “McDonalds, HCN, Kevin and Jeaneane, Ba Da Ba Ba Bah, I’m Lovin’ It!”
Henderson County Now’s Tim Howard will be at the following McDonald’s locations from 7-9 a.m. and 4-6 p.m. to broadcast live and help McDonald’s celebrate the giving season:
Tuesday, Nov. 28: Athens
Thursday, Nov. 30: Mabank
Tuesday, Dec. 5: Gun Barrel City
Thursday, Dec. 7: Malakoff
Make sure to stop by and see Tim for a chance to get on Henderson County Now and bring by a new, unwrapped toy or a $20 donation to get a free extra-value meal from McDonald’s.
One of the groups I am really thankful for in Henderson County is Hope Springs Water. Compile a list of local folks doing good work and they are going to be near the top.
Hope Springs will be holding a Turkey Trot 5K and 1 Mile Walk Thanksgiving morning at the Cain Center in Athens. The race starts at 8 a.m. with the walk not long after that.
If you haven’t signed up yet, you can still register in the morning starting at 7 a.m. I also hear that there will be free flu shots for all who participate.
Jessica Richardson of Hope Springs said the proceeds from the Turkey Trot will help the organization buy a new piece of equipment.
By Michael V. Hannigan
