Congratulations to Zenoba Henry

Buckner Children and Family Services

Southeast Texas

Greater Beaumont Chamber of Commerce

Employee of the Month

October 2010

Laura May, Administrator of Buckner Children and Family Services of Southeast Texas, recently submitted a nomination form recommending Miss Zenoba to be considered as the Greater Beaumont Chamber of Commerce’s Employee of the Month. Nominations were received from numerous chamber members and Miss Zenoba was selected.

Tuesday, October 26, Miss Zenoba was found busy in the kitchen when she was surprised by a special visit from Jim Rich, President of The Greater Beaumont Chamber, along with Chamber staff, and a camera crew from KBTV FOX 4. In the presence of her peers, she was presented with flowers donated by Petal’s Florist, a $50 gift card donated by Gulf Credit Union and a lunch invitation for four at Carino’s Italian Grill. She later appeared on KBTV FOX 4 @ four for a live interview.

Zenoba has worked at Buckner’s Children’s Village for over 26 years and is loved by all who know her. She quietly works behind the scenes, sharing lots of smiles, hugs, and encouragement to all who cross her path. Her work at Buckner is best described as a ministry. Laura May said, “She puts her whole heart into everything she does. She juggles so many duties, and manages to also keep everything clean, sanitized, and in its place. She’s an example to all of us and is loved by all of us.”

Some of her duties include shopping and preparing delicious and nutritious meals for the children who’ve been removed from their homes due to abuse, neglect or abandonment. She washes their clothes, dries their tears, fills their bellies, their school supply lists, and helps provide them with any other items they may need.

Jeff Edmonds, Campus Program Manager asked “Miss Z,” as she’s affectionately called, what she loves most about her job. Zenoba said, “Taking care of the children…just being here for the kids..It’s very rewarding. Some of them come to see me when they’re feeling down. When they open up, you see the beauty in each one. They want to be loved, and cared for and just be accepted. I can do that. I love being a part of Buckner. It’s a family..it’s my family…and the children who so desparately want to be loved, they find a place to belong here.”.

Rhonda O’Neill

By Brittany Black
BEAUMONT, Texas –

After 40 years, Buckner Children’s Village in Beaumont is a place where traditions are still carried out and smiles are still being made.
Buckner welcomed more than 175 former residents and their families to Buckner Homecoming June 11. The day’s activities included catching up with old friends and staff members, a worship service, a group photo and plenty of activities for friends and family.
“We think our kids need a place to call home and we try and make sure no matter how old they are, we treat them like family,” said Laura May, Buckner administrator in Beaumont.
The Children’s Village provides residential cares for children who have been removed from their families, often due to abuse or neglect.
Former resident Amy Archer and her old friend Elinda Martin Taylor sat at a table reminiscing while Archer’s boys played. Archer lived at Buckner from 1993 to 1995 and Taylor from 1994 to 2000.
“One time they took us camping in the woods. We ended up running into someone else’s tent, and the lady didn’t even speak English. That was the first and last time I went camping,” Archer said with a laugh.
Taylor credits Buckner for her desire to be dedicated to her family and spiritual life.
“Buckner showed me how important it is to spend quality time with your family,” she said. “I remember always going to devotional and worshiping with a large group.”
C.T. Hooker came to Buckner Children’s Village when he was 11 and stayed until he graduated at 17.
“When I first got here I was quiet and shy,” he said. “Being here forced me to speak and it is why I am where I am as an adult. I have done so many things with Buckner that it is home to me.”
The children who lived at Buckner Children’s Village aren’t the only ones with great memories. Irene Whitaker worked at the Village for 38 years for support services and has vivid memories of taking the children shopping and helping them get ready for prom. She considers all the children she worked with as her own.
“Look at all my children, these are all mine,” Whitaker said after pointing to a wall filled with pictures of grads in their caps and gowns. “I was so proud when one of my kids graduated and made that big step.”
To learn more about the ways you can support children living at Buckner Children’s Village, contact Rhonda O’Neill at roneill@buckner.org or call 409-866-0976

They were returning to their home at Buckner Children’s Village after Keller Williams Realtors and community partners spent the full day putting roughly $20,000 in donations to use in renovations for the emergency shelter.

Keller Williams Realty is an international organization, but for its company-wide day of service, the local franchise selected a very local goal. RED (Renew, Energize and Donate) Day is an annual Keller Williams Realty service initiative dedicated to improving the local communities of franchise offices. On May 13, 2010, Keller Williams Realty market centers in the US and Canada closed their doors, and the associates spent the day donating their time to renewing and energizing aspects of their local communities. Buckner Children and Family Services was extremely pleased to have been selected as their charity of choice in Southeast Texas, to receive much-need renovations at the Emergency Shelter located at on the campus of Buckner Children’s Village.

The emergency shelter is the first place a child goes when they are removed from a home due to abuse, neglect or abandonment. The gifts and the work done by more than 40 volunteers, does a lot to give the children a more cheerful environment.

Laura May, who serves as administrator for Buckner in Southeast Texas, said the emergency shelter houses up to 16 children between the ages of 5 and 17.

“It was truly like an extreme home makeover edition. They came in one day and painted 5 children’s rooms, 5 bathrooms, they accented walls in the living room and kitchen. They installed new kitchen appliances including a double convection oven. They put together a new entertainment system and had a big screen TV donated. It really looks like a new home and so welcoming. The kids stood on one side of the van and screamed “move that van” and then ran through a cheering group of Keller Williams staff and volunteers from the community. It was great to watch the kids run into each of their rooms jumping up and down squealing with excitement of how bright and colorful their rooms were. They each had 2 new outfits laid out on their bed and they showed off their new stuff to each other. They love the chalk board wall and can’t wait to write messages everyday. It was such a sweet blessing for our staff and children to be uplifted by the generous spirit of giving that was outpoured from these Keller Williams staff and so many community groups. This home will be a cheerful, safe, welcoming home to so many children and at a time of crisis for them. For many it will be the nicest, safest place they have ever lived!.”

“Seeing the children’s faces as they walked through their rooms that evening and being able to show them how much the community cares about them was overwhelming,” said Leah Cleveland from Keller Williams Realty. “It was an honor to work with Buckner and have the ability to make such an impact on not only these beautiful children, but every child who walks through those doors from this day forward.”

Some sponsors include:
Allstate Insurance: Mike Roby
American Home Shield: Susan Miguez
Arc Angels Motorcycle Ministry
Call AHollier / Handyman
Chem-Dry
Chili’s – Beaumont
Cornerstone Media
Golden Triangle Title Services
Great American Cookie Company @ Parkdale Mall
Hadley’s Furniture
Home Masters Inspection Services
Hooks Title & Abstract Company
Lowe’s Home Improvement
M & D Supply
Manning’s Office Supply
Market Basket
McClelland, Samuel, Fehnel & Busch, L.L.P.
McCowen Paint
Mr. Sparky Electrical Services
National Property Inspection
Patriot Bank Mortgage
PODS
Quality Stone Works
R&P Employer Solutions, Inc.
RPR Group Payroll
Sherwin Williams
Stewart Title Company
Sutherlands
Target
The Mortgage Group
Triangle Blueprint
Tri-Supply
Wal-Mart
Wallpapers, Etc.
Wells Fargo Bank
Westin Mortgage: Calim Atkins & Ruby Martin
Video Monitoring
Zummo’s Meat Co.
…and numerous individuals!

Buckner Children & Family Services is committed to providing safe and loving homes for at-risk children.  We offer both foster family home placement and foster family group home placement for children with basic, moderate, and specialized levels of care.   Buckner also offers adoption services through our Foster to Adopt, Texas Waiting Children, and Domestic Infant Adoption programs. 

Buckner Foster Care and Adoption have tenured staff who work closely with DFPS providing support, assistance with documentation requirements, client crisis resolution, and more.  Buckner staff work as professional team members to ensure that the needs of each child are being efficiently and effectively met.  Buckner is well equipped to provide quality services through our team of experienced professionals.  Buckner Foster Care and Adoption staff have extensive experience working with children who have been abused and neglected and who consequently struggle with mild to severe mental health and behavioral problems.

Buckner strives to develop the skills and competencies of foster and adoptive parents in order to effectively meet the physical, emotional, educational, social, and spiritual needs of children entrusted to our care.  At Buckner, we are both personally and professionally dedicated to the restoration and healing of individuals and families.

Did You Know…

Buckner has been making a difference in the lives of children for over 130 years.  The first orphan’s home was opened in Dallas, Texas in 1879.  Buckner is now impacting the lives of children both domestically and internationally through community based prevention services, foster care and adoption, transitional/independent living programs, after school programs, and humanitarian aide.

Buckner is preparing four containers of humanitarian aid to send to Haiti, where a 7.1-magnitude earthquake killed thousands Tuesday evening, and we need your help to make it happen. Buckner, through its international adoption affiliate Dillon International, provides adoption services and humanitarian aid in Haiti.

Randy Daniels, vice president of Global Operations for Buckner, said Buckner is desperately seeking financial and in-kind donations to help the effort.

“We’re rallying our resources to send a variety of emergency aid items to victims,” Daniels said. “Right now, we’re putting together four shipping containers to send new shoes and emergency food items we already have collected in our humanitarian aid center. In Mesquite, Texas, we are gathering donations of new items from the public, including new socks, tents, blankets, toiletries and other personal care items, and new, unopened first aid kits.”

Daniels added that Buckner also needs $5,000 per container to provide the shipping costs of the four containers. The containers will be shipped through Buckner’s contacts in the Dominican Republic before being trucked in to Haiti.

Daniels said donors may give through both in-kind and financial donations.  Buckner is taking deliveries of in-kind items from 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. weekdays. In-kind donors are encouraged to contact the Buckner Center of Humanitarian Aid to schedule drop-offs by calling 214-367-8080. The Buckner Center for Humanitarian Aid is located at 5405 Shoe Drive, Mesquite, Texas 75149.

To give financially, donors may call the Buckner Foundation at 214-758-8050 or give online by clicking here.

The containers are being provided by GAiN (Global Aid Network), another U.S.-based aid organization that has previously collaborated with Buckner to provide shipping containers for Buckner International’s shoe distribution drive, Shoes for Orphan Souls.

Buckner announced Wednesday it also was accepting financial donations for Haiti relief through Dillon, to be used for Hope Hospital and Hope Village, a private hospital and orphanage in Haiti that collaborates with Dillon for adoption of orphan children.

Buckner Children and Family Services provides services to the abused and neglected children in SE Texas. Buckner is a global ministry that helps vulnerable children and families around the world. We respond to people in need, in crisis situations, and we’re doing our part to help our neighbors in Haiti.

Please  visit our website regularly for the latest information on our Haiti Relief efforts….and thank you for partnering with us to make a difference in the lives of hurting children and families in Southeast Texas and around the world.

The New Year will be a brighter one for twelve non-profit agencies and institutions that received Mamie McFaddin Ward Heritage Foundation grant monies. The grant awards were given at a reception Thursday, December 17, 2009, from 4:00-5:00 p.m. at the McFaddin-Ward House museum that was once the home of the philanthropist Mamie Ward.

The reception honored the recipients and provided the opportunity to network with each other and meet Mrs. Ward’s relatives and museum staff. Each organization discussed how the money will be used to advance the organization’s goals.

The reception was followed by the museum’s traditional “Eggnog Thursdays,” a special holiday house tour when visitors to the museum are treated to eggnog and Christmas cookies at the visitor center with a self-guided tour of the house’s first floor. Different musical groups performed in the house’s entry hall. New items from the museum’s collection, some of which the public has never seen, were displayed throughout the house. Fresh flowers, garland and red ribbon festoon the house.

The 2009 Grant Recipients are: Art Museum of Southeast Texas, Buckner Children and Family Services, Inc., Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council, JASON Alliance of Southeast Texas, Julie Rogers’ Gift of Life, IEA-Inspire Encourage Achieve, KVLU, Muscular Dystrophy Association, Nutrition and Services for Seniors, St. Katharine Drexel Humanitarians, Spindletop Mental Health & Medical Retardation Services, and Texas Energy Museum.

BACKGROUND

The Mamie McFaddin Ward Heritage Foundation was created by Mrs. Ward in 1978 to establish and maintain the McFaddin-Ward House as a museum for cultural and educational purposes. The Foundation also supports other charitable, cultural, historic, and educational organizations and programs which serve the general public in Beaumont, Texas, and the Southeast Texas region. These grants have supported the arts, provided assistance to the needy and disadvantaged, furthered education, assisted in historical and cultural areas, provided health, medical, and counseling services, and benefitted other community needs.

Mamie McFaddin Ward was born in Beaumont, Texas, the daughter of William Perry Herring McFaddin and Ida Regina Caldwell McFaddin, a pioneer family who amassed assets in land, cattle, and oil. Her parents were active in statewide civic and social affairs, and Mrs. Ward became a civic leader and philanthropist in her own right.

Mamie McFaddin Ward Heritage Foundation board members include three McFaddin relatives: Rosine McFaddin Wilson, Ida McFaddin Pyle, and Eugene McFaddin. Capital One Bank/Beaumont is a co-trustee.

Donda Foran Thomasson
Communications Coordinator
McFaddin-Ward House Museum

This Christmas, gingerbread is not just for eating; it’s for helping children.

Thirty-one edible gingerbread houses will be sold through a silent auction to benefit orphans and vulnerable children served by Buckner Children and Family Services. The entries will be on display and available for bidding from Dec. 2 – Dec. 6 in the McFaddin-Ward House Visitor Center, 1906 Calder at Third Street in Beaumont, Texas.

Entries came from: Taylor Career and Technology Center, Silsbee High School Interior Design Class, Odom Academy Middle School, Lamar University Family & Consumer Sciences, Calder Woods Retirement Center, Lamar University graduates, and the Sanders family.

The contestants competed in the four categories of property/professional, school, open/general public, and college.

Cynthia Espinoza won first place for the division of property/professional with her entry: “A Weenie Dog Christmas” and received $250 in the name of Calder Woods to be donated to Buckner Children and Family Services and $150 for herself. Taylor Career and Technology Instructors won second for “Christmas Cottage Home.”

In the school division, Culinary Arts I & II Classes from Taylor Career and Technology Center won first place with their entry, “Winter at Home,” receiving $100 in prize money. Hillaire Soignet and Kara Szemborski from Silsbee High School’s Interior Design Class took second place earning $75 with their creation, “Canary Manor.” Honorable Mention was awarded to Stephen Young, James Meridith, and Carlee East of Odom Academy Middle School with “Santa Claus Lane”.

Additional ribbons were awarded in the school division because of the large number of entries. Below is a listing of all award winners.

3^rd Place: Dezera Morton & Susan Welborn of Silsbee High School “Hope House”

4^th Place: Christina Robertson, Shantasha Jones, Lakedria Bradley, Brittney Hickman, Britania Randolph of Silsbee High School “Evergreen House”

5^th Place: Kayleigh Washington & Adrianne Whitehead of Odom Academy “Christmas Cabin”

“Special Award” Silsbee High School: Kayla Burrows, Reagen Robinson, Alley Rose of Silsbee “Rainbow Castle”

“Special Award” Taylor Career and Technology Center: Cherlynn McDonald and Japera Coleman  “Winter Wonderland”

“Special Award” Odom Academy Middle School: (TIE)

Ann Nguyen, Elizabeth Tirawain, Manniah Harris “Gingerland”

Caleb D. Wright, Isaiah Wilkerson, James Reed “Big Colorful”

The general public was also invited to participate. First Place winner in the Open Division was Serafina DiVello receiving $150 for Are You in Good Hands?”

2nd Place: The Sanders Family “Sweet Real Estate” 

In the College Division, Rachel McGee of Nederland, Texas took first place and Best of Show for her Alice-in-Wonderland inspired “A Very Merry Un-Christmas to You.” Second-Place winner Sendi Gardner of West Orange, Texas with her “The End of the Lane” creation received approval marks as well. McGee earned $100 and Gardner took $75 as the top two finishers in the College Division.

The Honorable Mention winners from Lamar in the College Division were Louann Walker with “The Hunt is On,” Jessica Boulos with “The Wedding,” Kimberley Wade with “Christmas in the Sands, ” and Christina Pileggi with “Candy Land.”

The judges were Elaine Wikstrom, assistant editor at The Beaumont Enterprise; Michael McEachern, Renaissance Hospital CEO, and Ann Clary Old, who serves as Buckner Auxiliary President, along with her son, James Old. They rated the Gingerbread creations on degree of difficulty, work involved, artistic achievement, originality, and total appearance.

The rules for the no-entry-fee competition stated the houses had to be original designs and must be made of 100 percent edible food items, except for candy wrappers and the baseboard for the display. Wrappers may be left on the candy. 

The event was the result of a partnership among Charles Duit, of Calder Woods and Lamar University; Donda Foran Thomasson, communications coordinator at the McFaddin-Ward House, along with The Golden Triangle Chapter of the Texas Chefs Association, Lamar University Hospitality Program, Buckner Auxiliary, and Renaissance Hospital, sponsors of the event. Prize monies were sponsored by the Golden Triangle Chapter of the Texas Chefs Association, of which Chef Duit is the State President. The McFaddin-Ward House served as location host for the fourth year.

Laura May, administrator of Buckner in Beaumont, said she is very grateful for all of the participants and everyone who took part in putting together the competition.

“The gingerbread houses are beautiful, and are such a great reminder to everyone about what holidays are about—love, service and giving,” she said. “And we know that each of these displays required a lot of time and energy, so we are very blessed to have so many participants.”

Buckner Children’s Village has been caring for the needs of abused and neglected children of Southeast Texas for 38 years, providing healing and restoration in a loving and safe environment for boys and girls ages 5-18. A non-profit multi-service organization, Buckner is devoted to protecting children, promoting independence and building strong families. As a licensed Child Placing Agency, Buckner recruits and trains foster care parents and provides STAR (Services To At-Risk Youth) and TRAIL (Transitioning to Responsible Adult Independent Living), community outreach programs. In addition, Buckner FYi Center (Fostering Youth Independence) continues services to foster youth age 16-25, who are learning to live independently.

Santa, please bring us…

• Loving, Foster Care and Adoptive Families
• Youth Study Bibles
• Personal Care Items (plush towels, wash clothes, shampoo, conditioners, soaps, gel, toothbrushes, body sprays and lotions, shaving cream, brushes, combs, powder, Q-tips
• Rainy Day Arts & Crafts
• Volleyball Net (industrial strength), along with sports equipment – volleyballs, baseballs, bats, mitts, basketballs, footballs, etc.
• Straightening Irons for hair
• New Board Games
• PS2 Games (for the Emergency Shelter)
• Fishing Poles and tackle boxes with gear for freshwater lakes/pond fishing
• The girls would love to have their own make-up (eye shadow, lip gloss, mascara, blush) and Hair Products like scrunches, barrettes, ribbons, hair bands, etc…
• Multi-cultural dolls and doll houses
• Children’s books, board games, puzzles
• Models (airplanes, cars, etc.) for the boys to build
• Scrapbooks, Journals, and Photo Albums for the kids to make “life books”
• New Stuffed Animals
• Videos like Veggie Tales / Disney
• Birthday Supplies
• Coloring Books and Crayons
• New Twin Sheets and matching comforters (4 sets per room)
• Gift Cards to area restaurants, clothing stores, Wal-Mart, Target,  Best Buy, Market Basket and HEB
• Movie and/or Skating passes, Colorado Canyon gift certificates
• Sponsored allowance
• School Supplies

We are blessed by the community support provided through giving trees.  Through giving trees, we strive to ensure that every boy and girl living on our campus, those in foster care and in foster group care, receive a special gift (at least 1 or more) to open on Christmas morning.  Community members can help by pulling a tag from a giving tree.

Giving Trees are currently located at:

* Gulf Credit Union (Groves and Beaumont)

* 5-Point Credit Union in Beaumont

* Calder Woods Retirement Center

* Cheertown in Lumberton

We are also seeking ways to have families adopted during the Christmas season.  We work with families in the community that most definitely won’t have Christmas gifts – or even a Christmas meal without assistance from community friends and partners. Buckner STAR program helps families and children in at-risk situations. Please call Buckner at 866-0976 if you are interested in adopting a family for Christmas!

Buckner also provides guidance and services to youth aging out of the foster care system, helping them transition to living on their own. These young adults, age 17-25, many times, have no family other than Buckner to turn to…many will have nothing for Christmas unless we receive gifts for them. If you’re interested in helping this group, gift cards are best — for food, gas, clothing, or even a Mall certificate.

For community members who prefer to make a monetary donation, these donations can be used to assist those we serve to cover expenses in all of these categories and more. With any of these projects, we are happy to do the shopping for you! We also anticipate receiving children the week of Christmas and after.  Contributions allow us the opportunity to provide a special gift.

When do we need these items?

OPEN HOUSE - We ask that Santa’s helpers  plan to deliver any gifts collected to Buckner Children’s Village on (or before) Dec 16, 4-7pm during our Open House or call Buckner at 409-866-0976 to make other arrangements.

Laura May, Administrator of Buckner Children & Family Services has been working with the organization for nearly 20 years and has seen hundreds of lives impacted by the support of our community. “Christmas is often a tough time for the children at Buckner who are separated from their families,” she said. Fifteen-year-old Amy shared with staff and residents that she was moved by the fact that so many people who don’t even know her, care about her. May added, “I wish every donor could see the smiles that light up the children’s faces on Christmas morning when they have a gift or two to open.”

Ruby and John Perrault are foster parents on the Buckner Campus, working with pre-teen and teen age girls. Ruby and John Perrault feel that God has called them to this challenging work, and they are committed to the children in their care. Ruby and John want to make a difference in the lives of young girls who need mentors. Having been a teen mother, Ruby understands that young girls struggle with decisions that can change their lives, and she wants to be there to help them along the way. She expresses deep appreciation for her mother and father and their leadership in her life. She feels spending individual time with children is important. She recalls time she spent with her father, “My father always talked with me about things. He always took the opportunity to teach me about life; he saw every mistake as a learning opportunity. My mother taught me responsibility and accountability, and that was important too.” Ruby wants to share these blessings with children in her home.

Ruby and John appreciate the value of family. John was born into a family of fourteen children, and they were very close to each other. They all depended on each other as they grew up, and they continue to be close. John believes in the strength of “community.” He grew up in a community where everyone looked out for each other and shared what they had with one another. He wants to give back and help children learn to trust again. John has great compassion for children in foster care who have lost that sense of trust in their own families.

Ruby and John’s faith is very important to them. Ruby is grateful for God’s leadership in her life as she struggled with being a teen mother; she knows God will lead both her and John as they travel the path He has put before them. They look forward to the lessons in life they have yet to learn, and they know that the work they have left to do is challenging but very important, and they will stay the course.