God's Storehouse N.Tangi story
1
Tangi North WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2014 2C News from Amite, Kentwood and surrounding communities As the unlikely hu- morist, Yoga Berra once accidentally said, “It’s de-ja vu all over again!” And I think I like it. Last week when Lil Miran- do called from the Daily Star to ask if I would begin a column for the paper, my immediate thought was, “No, I don’t think so. It’s been a long time, and…” But then I looked over at the dirty, tattered little orange card on my bulle- tin board next to my desk. Somewhere along the way, I had had it laminat- ed but it shows the worn, torn, sticky goo and grime of its half century life. Yet, it still holds a mem- ory spot on my board with photos of my grandchil- dren, my ever-changing jumbled passwords, and my ISBN book numbers from the Library of Con- gress. And I guess, a place in my heart. This is the 55th anni- versary of my receiving my first card that read PRESS in gigantic letters. (Well, it seemed gigan- tic at the time, since the entire card is only 1.5 by 2 inches.) Across the top was Datebook Magazine, 71 Washington Place, NY 11, NY. (Note in the address, this was before zip codes. How ancient does that seem?) It read “This card is to certify that T.J. Vaughan is accredited editorial correspondent #738 for Young World Press, Inc. Authorized by B. Allen, expiration date 3/59.” In later years I would receive my National Press Association membership card, and even my card as president of the Loui- siana Press Women’s As- sociation, but none were saved, because none were as important as this little orange card. I still remember the day I opened that enve- lope, imagining this slip of paper would get me into Elvis con- certs, or at least, interviews with JFK. The world would be mine with only this card, and a pen and paper. As a high schooler I began a column, even covering sports for The Kent- wood News and contin- ued later as its society editor. When I moved to Amite, I graduated up to columnist for The Tangi Talk, then The News Di- gest, which later evolved into The Tangi Digest. There were hundreds of columns, under sev- eral headings on a zillion topics from “How to Beat Your Child at Pac-man” to “Why Scarves Are the Perfect Accessory” to “Oops I Found a Gray Hair.” Many of these I in- cluded in one of my first books, “Fashion, Fun and Feelings,” in the ’90s for QVC. That old red Smith- Corona typewriter has been replaced by a desk- top computer, an iPad and an iPhone, but that 13 year old with her first Press card is still typing away. I have turned out hun- dreds of business arti- cles, eight books, and 25 years’ worth of Fashion Advantage magazines, but I am so happy to again be doing some- thing I loved, and have missed. Not sure quite yet, what it’ll be. We’ll see what happens. But probably next week I’ll tell you that “Mrs. Smith motored to Albany to visit her new grandchild.” I’m excited to be back spreading news that’s important to people we love. What’s old is new again BY T.J. REID Amite Columnist Friendly smiles greet shoppers at God’s Store- house & Thriftstore, 22 NE Central Avenue in downtown Amite, as workers in this helping hands ministry accept an ever-changing inven- tory of gently used clothes, books, shoes and kitchen- ware. Local churches opened the store on June 1, 1992, as a central place for re- ferring people who come to them for help. Serving Amite and North Tan- gipahoa, they also work with the local St. Vincent de Paul Society. ‘“We are a nonprofit or- ganization, so we could always use volunteers,” said Manager Charlotte James, who will mark her 14th year with the non- profit on Thursday. “If you have children in school or are retired and looking for something to do, please visit us and consider be- coming a volunteer with us. We are happy to have more volunteers. Volun- teering with us, you know that you are ultimate- ly helping others in need.” “Every day is a new ad- venture,” she said. “Funds generated from our in- ventory, monetary dona- tions as well as other do- nations from most of our local churches all go back to people in need. We’re like Sears. We have every- thing, and our inventory is always to day. All dona- tions are welcome.” People who have expe- rienced a home fire can bring a referral from the Red Cross or a copy of the fire department’s report of the fire, she said. People who need help with utili- ties can bring a referral from a church. Mark Campo, vice president of the board of directors, agreed about the need for volunteers -- “more helping hands to help God’s people,” he said. Ann Trappey of St. Hel- ena began volunteering in 2012 when she retired af- ter 35 years of teaching. A friend from church, Che- rie Stevens, suggested she lend a hand. “I gave it a try, and I love it,” she said. “I love everyone who volunteers and works here and our customers, and I do get to see lots of my former stu- dents here too.” JoAnn Boos, a former Chalmette resident, began volunteering in 2007 after the death of her mother. “After losing my mom, I felt lost,” she said. “There’s only so much cleaning at the house you can do.” A friend, Jean Pevey, was working the regis- ter one day when Boos dropped in to shop, and Pevey mentioned they always need volunteers. So the next day Boos re- turned. She volunteers while her teenage grand- children are at school. “Customers ask our opinion about what they are trying on, so we are fashion consultants,” Boos said. “We stock the clothing racks, price house- ware items, straighten up the inventory, and check out at the register.” Originally from Metairie, Lucille Scheurer retired from nursing in 1991 and moved between Montpe- lier and Greensburg to be near her daughter who owns Cooper’s Bakery. She was volunteering at the senior center and was introduced to God’s Store- house one day when she dropped off items left over from a flea market sale at the center. “I am so blessed, and this is how I give back to God,” Scheurer said. “Volunteer- ing gives me a good sense of purpose in helping oth- ers.” The idea for God’s Storehouse came about in the fall 1991 when First United Methodist Pas- tor Ken Irby, president of the Ministerial Alliance, was holding weekly meet- ings with community ser- vice-minded people. Roy Stewart chaired the committee that found the building owned by a retired Methodist minis- ter’s children, who agreed to rent it after letting them use it free for three months. Pevey chaired the re- source group that called for a representative from 10 social service areas to inform the group about needs. Every agency reported a lack of resources for a pool of money, food, and cloth- ing for people they could not help such as those slightly above the poverty line and those too proud to seek help. It was evident that such an organization was needed in northern Tan- gipahoa and in St. Helena parishes. The first board of direc- tors included President Roy Stewart, Vice Presi- dent David Bowles, Sec- retary Rev. Fred Young, Treasurer Jean Pevey, and members at large Ursula McShan, Bertha Andrus and Leona Morris. Photos by Loretta Joiner HAPPY ANNIVERSARY -- God’s Storehouse & Thrift- store Manager Charlotte James brings newly do- nated inventory to the front for customers. She will celebrate her 14th year of working at the store on Thursday. Volunteers serve at God’s Storehouse in Amite HELPING HANDS -- God’s Storehouse & Thrift- store volunteers, from left, Ann Trappey, JoAnn Boos and Lucille Scheurer speak of their rewarding minis- try. BY LORETTA JOINER News Correspondent Local churches opened the store on June 1, 1992, as a central place for referring people who come to them for help. Reid Amite barbershop owner Bob Irwin has received an American ag and a plaque from U.S. Rep. Vance McAllister, for being the winner of Amite Chamber of Commerce’s Business Spotlight for August. Justin Carlin, McAl- lister’s deputy director, presented the award on behalf of the District 5 congressman during the chamber’s meeting last TREATMENT -- Congressman Vance McAllister, R- Swartz, sits while Bob Irwin, owner of Tangi Talk Bar- bershop in Amite, plays with his hair using a head massager. Amite barber gets unexpected gifts BY LAUREN LANGLOIS [email protected] Please see GIFTS | 3C The most important lesson Megan Tucker-Hall learned from her father came two weeks after he died. It came in the form of a letter from her father’s doctor, who said that the man he’d been caring for had changed his life. As Megan wrote in her story “His Final Lesson,” published in our book on thanking our fathers, her dad had told her about his brain tumor near the end of her senior year of high school. She hadn’t taken the announcement as terribly grave news. After all, her mother had beaten cancer, so surely her father would, too. Furthermore, there was a lot going on in her life: prom, her 18th birthday, her last theater performance and graduation. No sooner had her father shared his diagnosis than he became focused on these events. But the condition was serious. By prom, he’d lost his hair; by Megan’s last play, he was having trouble concentrating; and by graduation, he was barely able to leave the hospital. His doctor told the family that he was living for Megan, that anticipating each important event kept him going. In the letter sent after his death, the doctor revealed that he had been living for others at the hospital as well. “He cared more for the people around him than he did his own pain,” the doctor wrote. “He was the type of person I desire to be. In his short time here, he touched everyone who worked with him.” Megan’s mother used the letter to prompt Megan to restart her life after spending weeks locked in her room grieving. She got a job as a camp counselor and poured herself into the job, trying to live for others the way her father had done. Every day, she worked from the time she woke up until she went to bed. “It was not the senior summer I had always envisioned,” she wrote. “It wasn’t all about me. I had learned the final lesson my father was teaching me: that in order to lead a fulfilling and happy life, you must learn how to give of yourself to others.” * * * Visit our website: www.chickensoup.com. (c)2014 by Amy Newmark Distributed by King Features Syndicate A FINAL LESSON FROM A DAD BY AMY NEWMARK BOHNING SUPERMARKET 143 GATEWAY SHOPPING CENTER • PONCHATOULA 386-3358 ROBERT SUPERMARKET 22628 HWY. 190 • ROBERT 902-8345 LORANGER SUPERMARKET 19520 HWY 40 • LORANGER 878-0012 Chicken Soup For The Soul Sponsored by Bohning’s Supermarket 5 Ib. Bag Shurfine Sugar ea. $ 1 88
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Transcript of God's Storehouse N.Tangi story
Tangi North WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2014
2C
News from Amite, Kentwood and surrounding communities
As the unlikely hu-morist, Yoga Berra once accidentally said, “It’s de-ja vu all over again!” And I think I like it.
Last week when Lil Miran-do called from the Daily Star to ask if I would begin a column for the paper, my immediate thought was, “No, I don’t think so. It’s been a long time, and…”
But then I looked over at the dirty, tattered little orange card on my bulle-tin board next to my desk.
Somewhere along the way, I had had it laminat-ed but it shows the worn, torn, sticky goo and grime of its half century life.
Yet, it still holds a mem-ory spot on my board with photos of my grandchil-dren, my ever-changing jumbled passwords, and my ISBN book numbers from the Library of Con-gress.
And I guess, a place in my heart.
This is the 55th anni-versary of my receiving my fi rst card that read PRESS in gigantic letters.
(Well, it seemed gigan-tic at the time, since the entire card is only 1.5 by 2 inches.)
Across the top was Datebook Magazine, 71 Washington Place, NY 11, NY.
(Note in the address, this was before zip codes. How ancient does that seem?)
It read “This card is to certify that T.J. Vaughan is accredited editorial correspondent #738 for Young World Press, Inc. Authorized by B. Allen, expiration date 3/59.”
In later years I would receive my National Press Association membership card, and even my card as president of the Loui-siana Press Women’s As-sociation, but none were saved, because none were as important as this little
orange card. I still remember the
day I opened that enve-lope, imagining this slip of paper would get me
into Elvis con-certs, or at least, interviews with JFK.
The world would be mine with only this card, and a pen and paper.
As a high schooler I began a column, even covering sports for The Kent-
wood News and contin-ued later as its society editor.
When I moved to Amite, I graduated up to columnist for The Tangi Talk, then The News Di-gest, which later evolved into The Tangi Digest.
There were hundreds of columns, under sev-eral headings on a zillion topics from “How to Beat Your Child at Pac-man” to “Why Scarves Are the Perfect Accessory” to “Oops I Found a Gray Hair.”
Many of these I in-cluded in one of my fi rst books, “Fashion, Fun and Feelings,” in the ’90s for QVC.
That old red Smith-Corona typewriter has been replaced by a desk-top computer, an iPad and an iPhone, but that 13 year old with her fi rst Press card is still typing away.
I have turned out hun-dreds of business arti-cles, eight books, and 25 years’ worth of Fashion Advantage magazines, but I am so happy to again be doing some-thing I loved, and have missed.
Not sure quite yet, what it’ll be. We’ll see what happens.
But probably next week I’ll tell you that “Mrs. Smith motored to Albany to visit her new grandchild.”
I’m excited to be back spreading news that’s important to people we love.
What’s old is new again
BY T.J. REID
Amite Columnist
Friendly smiles greet shoppers at God’s Store-house & Thriftstore, 22 NE Central Avenue in downtown Amite, as workers in this helping hands ministry accept an ever-changing inven-tory of gently used clothes, books, shoes and kitchen-ware.
Local churches opened the store on June 1, 1992, as a central place for re-ferring people who come to them for help. Serving Amite and North Tan-gipahoa, they also work with the local St. Vincent de Paul Society.
‘“We are a nonprofi t or-ganization, so we could always use volunteers,” said Manager Charlotte James, who will mark her 14th year with the non-profi t on Thursday. “If you have children in school or are retired and looking for something to do, please visit us and consider be-coming a volunteer with us. We are happy to have more volunteers. Volun-teering with us, you know that you are ultimate-ly helping others in need.”
“Every day is a new ad-venture,” she said. “Funds generated from our in-ventory, monetary dona-tions as well as other do-nations from most of our local churches all go back to people in need. We’re like Sears. We have every-thing, and our inventory is always to day. All dona-tions are welcome.”
People who have expe-rienced a home fi re can bring a referral from the Red Cross or a copy of the fi re department’s report of the fi re, she said. People who need help with utili-ties can bring a referral from a church.
Mark Campo, vice president of the board of directors, agreed about the need for volunteers -- “more helping hands to help God’s people,” he said.
Ann Trappey of St. Hel-ena began volunteering in 2012 when she retired af-ter 35 years of teaching. A friend from church, Che-rie Stevens, suggested she lend a hand.
“I gave it a try, and I love it,” she said. “I love everyone who volunteers and works here and our customers, and I do get to see lots of my former stu-dents here too.”
JoAnn Boos, a former Chalmette resident, began volunteering in 2007 after the death of her mother.
“After losing my mom, I felt lost,” she said. “There’s only so much cleaning at the house you can do.”
A friend, Jean Pevey, was working the regis-ter one day when Boos dropped in to shop, and Pevey mentioned they always need volunteers. So the next day Boos re-turned. She volunteers while her teenage grand-children are at school.
“Customers ask our opinion about what they are trying on, so we are fashion consultants,”
Boos said. “We stock the clothing racks, price house-ware items, straighten up the inventory, and check out at the register.”
Originally from Metairie, Lucille Scheurer retired from nursing in 1991 and moved between Montpe-lier and Greensburg to be near her daughter who owns Cooper’s Bakery.
She was volunteering at the senior center and was introduced to God’s Store-house one day when she dropped off items left over from a fl ea market sale at the center.
“I am so blessed, and this is how I give back to God,”
Scheurer said. “Volunteer-ing gives me a good sense of purpose in helping oth-ers.”
The idea for God’s Storehouse came about in the fall 1991 when First United Methodist Pas-tor Ken Irby, president of the Ministerial Alliance, was holding weekly meet-ings with community ser-vice-minded people.
Roy Stewart chaired the committee that found the building owned by a retired Methodist minis-ter’s children, who agreed to rent it after letting them use it free for three months.
Pevey chaired the re-source group that called for a representative from 10 social service areas to inform the group about needs.
Every agency reported a lack of resources for a pool of money, food, and cloth-ing for people they could not help such as those slightly above the poverty line and those too proud to seek help.
It was evident that such an organization was needed in northern Tan-gipahoa and in St. Helena parishes.
The fi rst board of direc-tors included President Roy Stewart, Vice Presi-dent David Bowles, Sec-retary Rev. Fred Young, Treasurer Jean Pevey, and members at large Ursula McShan, Bertha Andrus and Leona Morris.
Photos by Loretta Joiner
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY - - God’s Storehouse & Thrift-store Manager Charlotte James brings newly do-nated inventory to the front for customers. She will celebrate her 14th year of working at the store on Thursday.
Volunteers serve at God’s Storehouse in Amite
HELPING HANDS - - God’s Storehouse & Thrif t-store volunteers, from left, Ann Trappey, JoAnn Boosand Lucille Scheurer speak of their rewarding minis-try.
BY LORETTA JOINER
News CorrespondentLocal churches opened the store on June 1, 1992, as a
central place for referring people who come to them for help.
Reid
Amite barbershop owner Bob Irwin has received an American fl ag and a plaque from U.S. Rep. Vance McAllister, for being the winner of Amite Chamber of Commerce’s Business
Spotlight for August.Justin Carlin, McAl-
lister’s deputy director, presented the award on behalf of the District 5 congressman during the chamber’s meeting last
TREATMENT -- Congressman Vance McAllister, R-Swartz, sits while Bob Irwin, owner of Tangi Talk Bar-bershop in Amite, plays with his hair using a head massager.
Amite barber gets unexpected gifts
BY LAUREN LANGLOIS
Please see GIFTS | 3C
The most important lesson Megan Tucker-Hall learned from her father came two weeks after he died. It came in the form of a letter from her father’s doctor, who said that the man he’d been caring for had changed his life. As Megan wrote in her story “His Final Lesson,” published in our book on thanking our fathers, her dad had told her about his brain tumor near the end of her senior year of high school. She hadn’t taken the announcement as terribly grave news. After all, her mother had beaten cancer, so surely her father would, too. Furthermore, there was a lot going on in her life: prom, her 18th birthday, her last theater performance and graduation. No sooner had her father shared his diagnosis than he became focused on these events. But the condition was serious. By prom, he’d lost his hair; by Megan’s last play, he was having trouble concentrating; and by graduation, he was barely able to leave the hospital. His doctor told the family that he was living for Megan, that anticipating each important event kept him going.
In the letter sent after his death, the doctor revealed that he had been living for others at the hospital as well. “He cared more for the people around him than he did his own pain,” the doctor wrote. “He was the type of person I desire to be. In his short time here, he touched everyone who worked with him.” Megan’s mother used the letter to prompt Megan to restart her life after spending weeks locked in her room grieving. She got a job as a camp counselor and poured herself into the job, trying to live for others the way her father had done. Every day, she worked from the time she woke up until she went to bed. “It was not the senior summer I had always envisioned,” she wrote. “It wasn’t all about me. I had learned the fi nal lesson my father was teaching me: that in order to lead a fulfi lling and happy life, you must learn how to give of yourself to others.”
* * *Visit our website:
www.chickensoup.com.(c)2014 by Amy Newmark
Distributed by King Features Syndicate
A FINAL LESSON
FROM A DADBY AMY NEWMARK
BOHNING SUPERMARKET143 GATEWAY SHOPPING CENTER • PONCHATOULA
386-3358
ROBERT SUPERMARKET22628 HWY. 190 • ROBERT
902-8345
LORANGER SUPERMARKET19520 HWY 40 • LORANGER
878-0012Chicken Soup For The Soul Sponsored
by Bohning’s Supermarket
5 Ib. Bag
ShurfineSugar
ea.
$188
