Dear Santa.....I know it iz so last minute but me just found out that the childrens home here in my town could really use a Christmas Blessing. The hams and turkeys they had for their Christmas dinner waz ruined when their fridge went out on them AGAIN. It iz an old fridge and they so need a new one and wif what grant moneys they get it iz never enough. Could you please send some of your elves to help them out. Thanks Santa ....me lubs ya. ~~~~SweetPea P.S. Here is the article that waz in todays paper iffin you did not get to see it. OCC loses Christmas meal, seeks donations By Beth Bright This article was published today at 4:00 a.m. Just a few days away from Christmas, the Ouachita Childrens Center lost four turkeys and three hams because its refrigerator malfunctioned, becoming the latest item added to its growing to-do list. I want the community to know we appreciate everything they do for us first and foremost, said Linda Ragsdale. Without them, we wouldnt be here. But weve had quite the year as far as things we need to get done around here and it seems like every time we turn around something needs repairs or replacement. The children always come first, she said, and at any given point during the year, OCC is filled to capacity serving 20 children. But when things that are put to use daily, like a commercial-grade refrigerator, stop working, that takes priority. My kitchen manager called me crying the other morning, telling me that the fridge went out again and we lost all our hams and turkeys, Ragsdale said. Everything here is so old, no one can remember when we got any of it and thats a sure sign that it needs replacing. But we get by. Weve put a new thermostat in the fridge that will hopefully get us through at least another month, but were very much in need of a new one. New everything, really. Walking through the old building, Ragsdale has a story for every ceiling crack and every visible sign of shifting in the foundation. The building is in much need of repair, but many projects are multi-thousand dollar endeavors that are not budgeted for through the organizations annual income. Through the year, were given donations aside from our grants and income that we have to keep in reserve for things like this, she said. When we get hit with a big issue, were able to pay for it now, but money will be tight the rest of the year. But were so very thankful for those donations from the community that we can put toward this reserve. Over the course of the past year, Ragsdale said the plaster ceiling in the front lobby fell out just minutes before people walked in. Close calls like this are why their to-do list is so important. Its an old building and all of the walls and ceilings are plaster, she said. It all needs to be replaced. The places that the plaster ceiling is visible, you can see the cracks and the foundation shift. But there are lots of rooms with drop ceilings where you cant see the plaster up above it. Those are even more troublesome. And if its not the foundation, its the plumbing, which also caused problems at an inopportune time. The septic line is deteriorating and it actually backed up into the front yard while we had several community leaders visiting with us. They definitely saw us at our best that day, she said jokingly. The good thats done through work at OCC often makes up for the difficulties thrown at the organization, and its evident in the feedback children give them. Especially during the holidays, its so important for us to make sure these kids know someone is in their corner and cheering them on, she said. We give them the best Christmas we can with gifts donated to us, gifts that we purchase for them, things we know they will need and the few special things we can afford to get them. Ouachita Childrens Center, she said, is a stopping point -- a temporary home for children on their way to a better, more stable life. But even though children are only with them for a short time, Ragsdale said they quickly become family. Whenever a child leaves us, we have a survey that they and their family or guardians fill out with them and we get so many positive comments and expressions of thanks from the children, she said. Usually its about particular staff members that they bonded with or things we did with them while they were here, but when you get that appreciation from the children, you know youre doing something right. As for the building, building and finance director Liz Mathis said it doesnt just house their organization -- its very much a home for everyone involved with OCC. And I think thats why we want so much to fix all of these major problems and fix them well, Mathis said. Its a beautiful old building and we want to keep it beautiful. Anything we can get to fix these big issues were having are greatly appreciated. Anyone interested in making donations to OCC may contact the organization at 501-623-5591.
Posted on: Wed, 24 Dec 2014 23:40:22 +0000
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