REBUILDING HOPE AND LIVES: HELPING THOSE AFFECTED BY FIRE
My name is Brooke Bolton. I am 15 years old and a Freshman at Sylacauga High School. In February of this year, I entered the Miss Sylacauga Outstanding Teen pageant. To enter the pageant I was required to have a platform. The process of coming up with and organizing a platform seems like a difficult task, but really it was easy.
My grandfather, Louie Gallops, has been a volunteer fireman for over 35 years. I also have two uncles, Chris Gallops and Jason Gordon, who are volunteer firemen. So the decision to form a platform around fire victims was easy. My whole life I have experienced family dinners where the men would suddenly “jump and run” to a fire. When they would come back, the discussion would always be: “How bad was it?” and “Was anyone hurt?” To further my interest in this type project, I got involved two years ago with a family that lost everything in a house fire. The Clifton family of Sylacauga lost everything when their home burned a couple days after Christmas in 2005. Their four year old son, CJ, was badly burned and spent several weeks in the burn unit at Children’s Hospital. My thirteenth birthday was a couple of weeks after the fire, so instead of gifts, I ask my friends to bring a donation for the Clifton family. I raised $280.00. I cannot imagine the feeling of loosing everything. I do know how comforting it is for me to come home each day to a warm home, a soft blanket to curl up with, food in the pantry, clean clothes in the closet, and a sense of security from all the elements of the world. Can you imagine not having any of that?
In an effort to ease some of the pain for people affected by a fire, I have developed “Rebuilding Hope and Lives”. This platform is not just a passing project. My plan is to grow this project into a lifetime effort and develop it into a state wide program.
In this project, I am making three different kinds of care packages for families. The first is a “Home Care Package”. In this I am including a blanket, towels, washcloths, toiletries, notebook and pens, coloring book and crayons, band-aids, wet wipes, and most importantly a Bible. I am delivering these care packages to the fire departments. The firemen will give them to the family the day of the fire. This distribution will allow the family to get it on day one when it is needed most. The second package will be delivered to the children in the burn unit at Children’s Hospital. They will be in a canvas tote bag and include such things as a small blanket, stuffed animal or doll, small toys, craft kits, coloring books and crayons, art supplies, and books. The third package will be given to the families of these children who basically are living in the waiting room. They will include travel size toiletries, lap blanket, pillow, puzzle books, Bible, and other items to make their stay a bit more comfortable. The most important part of these care packages is not the items in them or the value of them but the HOPE. Hope that everything will be ok. Hope that all things will work out for the best. Giving hope to someone is a powerful gift, and I hope by doing this that that is what I achieve.
To make this possible, I need your help. One Home Care Package cost about $60 to fill. If you would like to donate to this project you may send it to First Presbyterian Church, 100 South Norton, Sylacauga, AL 35150 or to me at 2303 Valley Lane, Sylacauga, AL 35150. If you prefer to purchase the items yourself, that is great too. You may deliver those to the above locations also. Let’s all join together to spread HOPE and LOVE around the world. Is there a better time to help someone, than when they are left with nothing? Than when they are in fear? Please join me in giving HOPE to those who have been left in a very scary situation.
Each one of these care packages are meant to lighten a heavy burden. They are each given in the spirit of the verse from Phillipians 4:13. “You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.” Please feel free to call me if you have any questions.
Home: 256-249-6030 or cell:256-487-2178.
Thank you for your time,
Brooke Bolton
We at the Sylacauga Fire Department, thank you Brooke for your concern. And we also thank you for the two "HOME CARE PACKAGES" we have received. They will be put to good use. I will be praying for this “Rebuilding Hope and Lives” program you have started.
If we can help you in anyway please contact us at the firehouse. It means a lot to us that we now have something to give to these victims of tragedy. Like you said it builds HOPE.
Thank You,
Chaplain Robert Osbourn
We give out our first "HOME CARE PACKAGE" on April 12, 2008.
The package open the door for me to minister to the family of the residents. We recieved a call for a structure fire inside the city limits. When officer LT. Chuck Baker arrived on scene a woman was still inside the structure. He help her to safety. No one was hurt. And the crew attacked the fire. Job well done by c-shift. But the lost of property was still a problem, a since of being lost or maybe discouragement, sad, could not understand why this happened to her, was the feelings from the female that was living inside the house. The package lifted her spirit and gave her hope, Chuck and I had a chance to minister to her because of the Care Package. And she called me on the morning of April 13, 2008 and after discussing the fire she agreed to be in church on April the 14th, (sunday) for the first time in a long while. --PRAY ABOUT THIS MATTER--
For more testimonies look on the donation page
