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Chicken Soup for PEC Families -- A story of our families connecting to make a difference.
One cool Fall evening when the Sim's were out, and their four-legged family were in, a fire broke out in the secluded home. Neighbors heard the dogs barking and looking out their window they saw the house on fire. After calling for help the neighbors headed to rescue the dogs. The neighbors were able to rescue two of the Sim's dogs but the third dog lost its life in the fire. The fire quickly burned everything to the ground, and not a thing was saved, and the Sim's were left cold and homeless.
When the Sim's were allowed back to the sight the two story home was one pile of rubble, however, by the end of the day Sherri had located two small treasures that survived fire. The first was found as Mrs. Sim's rummaged through where her once exquisite Christmas ornament collection was housed and now was nothing but broken and charred ashes; she uncovered one small figurine from her Nativity set and then another piece and then another until the entire Nativity set was hers again. The set no longer was multi-colored hand painted figurines and were now all ash white-washed - not even the small baby Jesus was lost, broken, or chipped. This discovered encouraged Mrs. Sim's to continue sifting through the ashes which she located only one other item worth renovating -- her wedding album. While the albums cover and pages had to be discarded and the pictures' edges were all damaged from water, they were in a condition that could be salvaged by scanning and re-printing.
The story can't fully be told here because I will never know what the Sim's experienced nor endured; and I don't know all of the efforts of support that flowed from their friends and colleagues of the National Guard Bureau's Professional Education Center, the Education Support Center, the Arkansas National Guard, and their many family and friends. I can tell you, however, of one small effort that I spearheaded.
Knowing that pictures are worth a thousand words and treasured recipes warm hearts, I and the PEC FRG set out to give the Sim's something that can never be taken away -- pictures and treasured recipes because, these are keys to our memories! So, after some brainstorming, planning, coordination, picture and recipe collection, and a few activities with busy hands.... 31 pages of warm memories were compiled into a new book of memories. And on New Years evening the Sim’s were presented their scrapbook. Larry and Sherri laughed and cried over seeing Jake and Elwood as puppies, their Dalmatian Domino, a blue jacket with a yellow strip launched one great story, and pictures of their world travels launched other stories. And when Sherri set eyes upon the picture of she and her grandmother... the tears that filled her eyes was told said it all... memories of family and friends war all our hearts!
Many gave of their time, others submitted photos and recipes, while others offered motivation to keep the project moving forward, and everyone's effort combine was priceless...It took a PEC family to remind good friends of what they hadn't lost!
Enjoy these two page from the 31 page scrapbook folks created:
Special thanks to our sponsors:
And a special Thanks to these folks who contributed!
On behalf of the FRG, may you and yours have a wonderful and prosperous 2005!
Phase II The "Wedding Album" re-due will be completed during an upcoming ladies night. PAR Project was spearheaded by Teresa Newton-Terres, on behalf of the PEC FRG, Sim's family, and friends. |
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Web updated: July 2004; Contact webmaster: web@project-tnt.com Copywriter All Rights Reserved Project-TNT, LLC 2001 |
