The Power of Community

I admit, I’ve been somewhat depressed lately. I find myself glued to the news and social media, obsessed with national and international politics and events, unable to understand the level of animosity and hatred between people. You feel it, too. The national trend toward selfishness and isolation into special interest camps threatens to destroy community. And then I look around Lufkin and refuse to believe all hope is lost.

On May 4, I attended a ribbon cutting for an innovative partnership between Angelina College and Lockheed Martin. Lockheed Martin – a global aerospace and defense company – employs over 500 people in Lufkin, where they manufacture components for several guided missile programs. Working with Angelina College, they created a new manufacturing skills training lab in AC’s Technology and Workforce Center, where students can receive college credit and qualify for an electronics assembler certificate. Certificate graduates will be eligible to follow an accelerated hiring schedule with Lockheed Martin. Those continuing on to get an associate degree have even more options.

The ribbon cutting was a community celebration. Mayor Mark Kicks was there, as well as State Representative Trent Ashby, Chamber CEO Tara Watson-Watkins, AC board members (of which I am one), representatives of the College and Lockheed Martin, and local and regional business development and community leaders. It was a beautiful sight! As Mayor Hicks noted, “Lockheed Martin wins by utilizing the unique training opportunities here at Angelina College to create the best trained employees in all of Lockheed Martin. Angelina College wins by educating workers on the latest in workforce technology.”

What was so heartwarming about the event was that it represented in a concrete way the coming together of community entities and people to accomplish much more than anything anyone could do individually or even as separate institutions. It has been said many times and in many ways that Lufkin is a generous and unique community – one that is full of philanthropic and committed people. We have so much in this county because people get together and make things happen, often with generous support of local foundations. But it is people first and foremost who make it happen.

Take the recent Angelina Benefit Rodeo. According to Chase Luce, President of the Lufkin Host Lions Club, the Rodeo deploys an army of hundreds of volunteers and raises nearly $200,000 to distribute annually for the benefit numerous local organizations, including the Lufkin State Supported Living Center. You can think of many other volunteer-driven arts and civic organizations, museums, churches, the Salvation Army, CISC, the Food Bank, etc., that do great work in our community by helping others and improving our quality of life.

Alexis de Tocqueville, a French aristocrat in the early 1800s, traveled the young United States and collected his observations and reflections in a two-volume tome Democracy in America. In describing what was unique about the United States, he wrote:

Americans of all ages, all conditions, all minds constantly unite. Not only do they have commercial and industrial associations in which all take part, but they also have a thousand other kinds: religious, moral, grave, futile, very general and very particular, immense and very small; Americans use associations to give fêtes, to found seminaries, to build inns, to raise churches, to distribute books, to send missionaries to the antipodes; in this manner they create hospitals, prisons, schools. Finally, if it is a question of bringing to light a truth or developing a sentiment with the support of a great example, they associate. Everywhere that, at the head of a new undertaking, you see the government in France and a great lord in England, count on it that you will perceive an association in the United States.

When it comes to getting something done – especially on the local level – we do not rely on the government when we can take care of it ourselves. Certainly government has a role in society, but so does volunteerism and philanthropy. At a time when we are increasingly depressed about national and world events, it is even more important to focus on what we can accomplish right here at home. Heck, it might just be the key to solving the world’s problems. Attorney and columnist David French modernized and expanded on de Tocqueville’s comments:

“It is here [in community] that we find meaning and purpose. It is here that we build friendships and change lives. … To do the big thing—to heal our land—we have to do the small things. … For those who think and obsess about politics, this shift from big to small is hard. It’s hard to think that how you love your friends [this community] might be more important to our nation [than national political positions, votes, or corporate activism].”

So, what can you do? Find an organization and get involved! Find a place to share your time, talent, and treasure with others. As I often have ended my columns, it boils down to loving God and loving your neighbor. Words are cheap (and meaningless) unless action follows. We cannot “Love Lufkin” – much less our nation and our world – without getting involved right here at home. 

Changing our Focus after the Election

 The 2020 election is over. We’ve made our choice for the top of the ticket and any number of other down ballot races. It may be we still don’t know the outcome of the presidential election when this column is printed. Regardless – hear me now! – life must goes on. 

By life, I mean in areas like work, family, worship, and commerce, of course, but also volunteerism and philanthropy. All of these are people-driven, relationship-driven activities, or in the case of our service to others, neighbor-driven. We are learning that we can be COVID-careful and still be caring. We cannot let fear paralyze us into ignoring the needs of those around us. 

Unfortunately, the recent end-of-the-world rhetoric from both sides of the aisle leading up to this election has been way over-the-top scary. One of the last Gallup polls prior to the election showed that nearly two-thirds of voters are afraid of what will happen if their candidate loses. At the same time, both parties are underwater when it comes to favorability. If the Gallup poll is correct, most of us have been not merely concerned, but downright it’s-going-to-be-the-end-of-the-world-if-we-lose afraid; yet, we don’t trust either party to be the solution. 

It is time to take our gaze off the White House and look around our neighborhoods and at ourselves. We must be the solution we want to see in Angelina County. How about supporting the wonderful businesses and non-profits that serve and minister in our community? Don’t just give money (but do that, please). Volunteer! 

There is no question that our ability to volunteer in person has been hampered during the pandemic. Even so, more than 200 First Baptist Church members, organized by Minister of Missions Walker McWilliams, worked throughout the community last Sunday – socially distanced and masked – in their fourth annual Love Lufkin day.

Folks, hunger hasn’t abated. In fact, during the pandemic food insecurity has gotten much worse according to those on the hunger front lines like Captains Cavon and Jenifer Phillips with the Salvation Army. Prior to COVID-19, they fed on average 100 people a day. Since the pandemic began, they are feeding 350-400 people a day, and at one point it was up to 600 a day. In addition, they have seen an exponential increase in rental assistance requests. These two saints do phenomenal work and would love to have your volunteer help and financial support. You can donate online at https://www.salvationarmytexas.org/lufkin/ or sign up to ring a bell during their Red Kettle Campaign at www.registertoring.com. 

Another local saint that can use all the help she can get is Yulonda Richard at the Christian Information and Service Center (CISC). Prior to the pandemic, CISC was seeing an average of 17,000 people per month. Since March, her mostly elderly volunteer base has had to stay home for their own safety. CISC is only able to be open three days a week now. They are still helping around 7,400 people a month and making deliveries as far away as Zavalla to those who have no other way to get food. And they continue their back-pack buddy program which provides weekend rations for school children all over the district. Yulonda told me, “It takes a village to raise a child but it truly takes the love and kindness of Angelina County to help our neighbors in their hour of need.” Thank her by mailing a check to CISC at 501 S. Angelina St, Lufkin, Texas, 75904.

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, let’s not forget the wonderful legacy of the late Rev. Bettie Kennedy and the Community Food Drive, so ably run each year by Bruce Love. In years past, they have distributed 2,000 Thanksgiving meal boxes to families in need. Even with COVID-19 affecting volunteer participation opportunities and logistics, Bruce still plans to distribute 1,000 Thanksgiving meal boxes this year. Send Bruce a Thanksgiving-sized check to Community Food Drive, 1508 S. First St, Lufkin, Texas, 75901.

I still remember as a child reading Corrie ten Boom’s biography, The Hiding Place. Her family’s story of sacrificing their safety (and for some, their lives) to hide Jews during the Nazi invasion of the Netherlands was profoundly inspiring. At great risk and despite constant fear, they practiced love. 

Still afraid of what the election results may bring? Let’s stop wringing our own hands and start holding the hands of those around us. The peace that comes with helping others can heal any troubled soul. That is a choice we can all vote for!

The True Power of Community

I have been reminded lately how wonderful our community of Lufkin is! I use the word community intentionally, for Lufkin is more than a city and more than just voting districts or neighborhoods or individual churches, organizations, or professions. All of these terms tend to identify us in division - as in separateness, not conflict - as opposed to unity.

Not that these markers of identity (such as Rotarian, Church of God in Christ, nurse, Episcopalian, etc.) don’t carry significance or meaning. But community implies (indeed, demands) unity. In fact, the word unity is part of root meaning of community. And unity is our source of strength. When we all – individuals, organizations – have common goals, we can accomplish much.

Sometimes our community rallies around a common athletic team such as the Lufkin Panthers or – the last two years – our Little League players. When a sports team is made up of upstanding individual players, such as the Thundering 13 or the Fierce 14, their victories became our victories. Our pride is not only in their outstanding team play and championships, but in their character, which we not so secretly claimed was a reflection of our city’s character. After all, they are “our” kids.

At other times, our community comes together for important work caring for our own. Two shining examples are the annual Thanksgiving Community Food Drive and The Junior League of Lufkin’s Back to School Bonanza (B2SB). Both events are often seen as “one day” events and get great press when they happen. But the events themselves are the tip of their respective icebergs when it comes to the organization and fundraising that precede them. The real testament to community for each of these events, however, is the number of people involved and purpose of each event.

The Thanksgiving Community Food Drive was started by the late Reverend Bettie Kennedy more than 25 years ago, who hand-delivered Thanksgiving meal boxes to needy families in North Lufkin. Bruce Love joined the work in 1999. That year, they delivered 50 boxes. Over the years, as eyes were opened to the even larger need in the community, the volunteer base and money raised grew and grew. Last year, $27,500 was raised - all for food - and 500 volunteers met at Brookshire Brothers’ White’s warehouse to pack and deliver 2,000 boxes of food for families in need. This is a true community event.

The Back to School Bonanza is another great program with broad community support. The junior League of Lufkin headed that effort, providing $60,000 - on top of $20,000 raised in the community - and leadership to over 60 organizations, churches, businesses, and foundations along with more than 500 community volunteers to provide a staggering amount of help for needy school kids to get the school year started off right. This wasn’t just a backpack drive, either! Yes, nearly 2,200 backpacks filled with grade-specific school supplies were handed out (with most of the supplies purchased from Brookshire Brothers). In addition, 1,100 breakfast sandwiches, 1,000 granola bars, and 1,000 bottles of water were handed out, 3,000 health kits were donated, 958 head checks were performed (and 88 lice kits given out). Over 4,200 uniform pieces were collected along with 2,300 pairs of shoes and 2,500 pairs of socks and $5,000 worth of underwear! One hundred forty haircuts were given. Even 1,500 children’s books were given out. Sixteen vendor booths were set up as well. The first person was in line at 1:20 AM!

Want more examples? Impact Lufkin just purchased the old Lufkin Country Club 170-acre tract of land to be used as a “site where the community will sow the seeds of opportunity,” according to Dr. Patricia McKenzie, Vice President of Impact Lufkin’s Board of Directors. “We have been blessed with a unique venue to carry out our mission as a community-driven organization that connects resources with responsible partners, agencies and programs to serve as a catalyst for sustainable community empowerment, revitalization and enrichment.”

Angelina College has also had significant announcements lately, including the launch of the Early College High School program with Lufkin ISD and with support from the TLL Temple Foundation. LISD Superintendent Lynn Torres noted to the Lufkin News that “this partnership allows students to not only take enough classes for an associate degree, but to also have the additional support from college instructors, teachers and counselors.” In addition, Angelina College – also with the help of the TLL Temple Foundation – is expanding staff capacity of the Small Business Development Center to focus on North Lufkin. These efforts are a demonstration of the power of partnership and collaboration – in a word, community.

A healthy community like ours is evidenced by a unifying spirit of cooperation, trust, and respect across party, racial, and religious affiliations. The danger, though, in any living, breathing community is that division in the body can kill. Much like cancer, seeds of complaint and discontent do not benefit the body; they can grow, take over, and destroy it. We can have differences of opinion about how to support our community and provide assistance to our fellow citizens. But we must voice those opinions in constructive ways while seeking the common good.

Our community is not perfect; no community is. But we are pretty darn close! Lufkin is known for being a giving community. That reputation is well-deserved, but we cannot rest on reputation. We each have different gifts and different roles to play. But none of us are unnecessary; we each need to do our part. Only when we all contribute can we truly support our educational institutions, improve community health, combat poverty, and sustain the many wonderful quality of life organizations and events in our area.

The work continues. What can you give? Time? Money? Expertise? Get plugged in, work together, and give! For WE – together, in unity – are the true power of community.

Feeding the Hungry this Holiday Season

Our series of articles titled Business is Everyone’s Business has focused so far on various employers, both large and small, and their economic or employment impact in the region. In this season of Thanksgiving and Christmas, we must also remember that our local non-profits are everyone’s business as well.

The Thanksgiving holidays saw a great outpouring of giving through the Community Food Drive, originally started by our own “saint” Rev. Bettie Kennedy and now ably overseen by Bruce Love. On November 21, 2015, two thousand boxes of food were quickly packed and distributed throughout the community. Hundreds of volunteers, young and old, black and white, rich and poor came together for a common purpose and in one accord. That singular, annual event has great impact. Do you ever wonder how that need is met throughout the year?

The Christian Information & Service Center is an amazing organization that provides food for our hungry day in and day out. CISC, a 501 (c)(3) organization led by the indomitable Yulonda Richard, has a mission to be a Christian witness and minister to those in need specifically by feeding the hungry within Angelina County. It is a volunteer-supported organization that exists because of donations given in love by individuals and local churches. These donations allow CISC to operate locally in Lufkin to provide food out of the East Texas Food Bank in Tyler.

The need is significant. One in seven Americans will visit a food bank this year. 465,000 East Texans are at risk of hunger. Every year, CISC hands out over 2M pounds of food to around 200,000 people on a budget of $347,000. Though the primary assistance to the community is free food for low-income residents within Angelina County, CISC also offers various programs throughout the year, such as the "BackPack Buddies" after-school feeding program, the "Senior Food Box" senior citizen program which feeds over 2,600 seniors per year, and the "21-Day Meal Program," which aims at feeding children who are on summer vacation. There is also an avenue for assistance with gas vouchers, sleeping bags, bus tickets or utility assistance.

According to Yulonda Richard, the recent layoffs in Angelina County have led to an increase in the number of clients seeking help at CISC. Previous statistics showed that forty-nine percent of the households served have at least one employed adult, and the rest are mostly children and seniors on fixed incomes. It is, to a large extent, the working poor who really need a helping hand.

If you have ever driven by CISC in the morning, you know there are people there at 6:30 AM waiting, even though the doors don’t open until 9:30 AM. Fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy, bread, everything you find in the grocery store CISC delivers. The majority of the donations come from right here in Angelina County: money, food, church support.

How can you help? Come to the Believe in Christmas! musical this Sunday, December 6, 2015 at 6 PM at Lufkin’s First Baptist Church. First Baptist and New Beginnings Baptist are uniting for the second year to celebrate unity, worship together, and support CISC. Admission is free, but bring canned goods or even a monetary donation for CISC when you come. As Yulonda Richard says, “It doesn’t matter what we give, God always expands it. As long as you are giving from the heart, God will increase it.”

CISC may not be the most glamorous non-profit in town, but they just might be the most impactful. As we move through this holiday season, remember that supporting local non-profits like CISC is everyone’s business.

Cattle Baron's Gala Supports Local Cancer Patients

I always look forward to the Pineywoods Cattle Baron's Gala. Not only do I have a good time, I know the money raised is going to a great cause - the American Cancer Society. Unfortunately, there has been recurrent grumbling - from what I hope is an unenlightened minority - that the money raised doesn't stay local. I understand this "local first" mindset and agree that we should expect local return on our charitable giving. The American Cancer Society delivers that in spades.

Yes, the American Cancer Society is a national organization. But did you know that the American Cancer Society has a regional office building right here in Lufkin? This office was built thanks to generous local foundation, business, and individual support. Did you know this office houses eight employees and serves a 12-15 county region? Annual payroll, benefits and overhead is about $450,000 per year. These are good local jobs that feed back into the local economy at a time when all local jobs are significant.

But it isn't just about the jobs. Every dollar raised has local impact in many more ways. Since I started practice in Lufkin nearly 23 years ago, the overall cure rate for cancer has increased from 50% to over 70%. That translates to local lives saved, not in small part due to the incredible research funded by the American Cancer Society. Statistically, an additional 120 people who come through the Temple Cancer Center every year are cured! Now, that is local impact!

Did you know that the American Cancer Society National Cancer Information Center in Austin handles close to 1 million requests for cancer information annually, including calls from Lufkin and deep East Texas? Those calls, emails and online chats provide direct, one-on-one support and information about local services for local patients, including navigation and information on how to access insurance coverage when possible. (By the way, some of these services, like rides for patients to appointments, require local drivers. You can volunteer to help!)

Did you know that every new cancer patient seen in the Temple Cancer receives accurate, specific educational material provided by the American Cancer Society? And local cancer patients have access to wigs, supplies, and support services whether they receive treatment locally or not.

Did you know that the American Cancer Society funds efforts to increase screening rates for cancer? More than 4.6 million women in need have been helped since 1991 through the national breast and cervical cancer early detection program. The latest project is to screen 80% of the eligible population for colorectal cancer by 2018. Colorectal cancer screening can find and remove polyps before they become cancerous, and that prevents colorectal cancer. And what about the incredible American Cancer Society work in the area of tobacco control? Locally, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network was instrumental in the passage of smoking ordinances in both Lufkin and Nacogdoches.

What about local patients who choose to travel to the Texas Medical Center for treatment? Soon they will have access to free lodging at Hope Lodge Houston provided by - guess who? - the American Cancer Society. The TLL Temple Foundation generously provided the lead gift for the Hope Lodge Houston. 

What about the various treatments we recommend for cancer patients? Those treatments very well may have been developed from research supported by none other than the American Cancer Society. The American Cancer Society has funded an incredible $4 billion in research grants since 1946. In Texas alone, this year nearly $36 million is currently invested in research.

Website presence? The American Cancer Society's website, cancer.org, is the most trusted website available when it comes to cancer information, with 61 million hits logged in 2014.

The suggestion that funds raised by American Cancer Society events don’t stay local (or don’t benefit our local community) simply can't be supported by facts. Not only that, it misses the point that we can accomplish so much more together than what we can by ourselves. Isn't that our community spirit anyway?

Join me this Saturday night, October 10th, at the Moore Farm for the 2015 Pineywoods Cattle Baron's Gala in support of the American Cancer Society’s lifesaving cancer research, education, and truly local services. Call (936) 634-2940 for ticket information.

A New Generation of Leaders

A new generation of leadership is emerging in Lufkin.

For those of us who have volunteered for various organizations over the years, there has been a hunger to see young adults step into volunteer leadership roles in the community as well as a desire to see our churches, schools, and governmental organizations mentor and raise up a new generation of leaders.

In recent years, there has been an oft-repeated lament that we've lost a generation of leaders - the Kurth, Temple, Trout and Henderson families jump to mind, among others - individuals who could pick up the phone and make a call and things got done. Though there certainly were instances where that was true, I think nostalgia glosses over the very real hard work and elbow grease that often went on behind the scenes. And the problem with that type of nostalgia is that it discourages current and future leaders from jumping in and getting their feet wet. "Oh, we can never accomplish what those guys did," we surmise. But we can.

Bettie Kennedy, whose life was celebrated this last weekend, didn't just pick up a phone to get something done; she got in the trenches and worked hard. Day after day, year after year. Rev. Kennedy proved you can have influence through servant leadership. Lufkin is a better place and a stronger community because of her.

My church, First Baptist, has been without a full-time pastor and music minister for some time now, and the church (which is the people, after all) has had to step up and be the church they were meant to be. This is the church fulfilling its mission.

In the same way, our community - especially our young adult population - is demonstrating we can step up and be the community we want and need to be! Each generation must reach the point where they take that mantle and lead. It is incumbant on both the current leadership to pass that mantle down and the next generation to take up that mantle and lead us forward.

I had the privilege over the last several months of serving on two different search committees for the Angelina County area and region. The first committee was to recommend a new president for Angelina College. The second was to select a new President and CEO of the Lufkin/Angelina County Chamber of Commerce. Both committees engaged search firms and conducted nationwide searches. Several things were remarkable about each process. Both committees were intent on seeking the input of a broad range of our community, as these were community leadership positions. And both committees were willing to consider, and in the end choose, young leaders.

Starting this month, Angelina College is under the leadership of Michael Simon, and the Lufkin/Angelina County Chamber of Commerce will be led by Jim Johnson. Both leaders come from a younger generation than their predecessors and symbolize the passing of the mantle I already mentioned. At Jim Johnson's press conference announcing his hiring, he was accompanied by his wife, Jasmine, and preschool son, William, who played with his toy car, cheerfully oblivious to the importance of the occasion. How refreshing!

And look at just some of the young leaders we already have! People like Trent Ashby, Mark Hicks, Tara Watson-Watkins, Hall Henderson, Martha Hernandez, Hilary Haglund Walker, Monique Nunn, They are accomplishing amazing things! There are many more in those ranks just starting to get involved.

I am proud of Lufkin and Angelina County. We have always demonstrated a greater degree of leadership, volunteerism and charity than any other place I know. My unsolicited advice to potential young leaders is this: Take the servant approach. Give of your time and talent first and foremost. As you have treasure to give, do so in a generous fashion. Lead by example, like Bettie Kennedy. You will gain credibility which will open doors and allow you to accomplish far more than you can imagine. But the first step of leadership is to step out of your office and get involved. You'll never regret it!

A New Paradigm of Volunteerism

Last week, I had the privilege of speaking at the annual Chamber banquet as outgoing Chair. This was my charge to the 700-plus in attendance, and my hope for Lufkin and Angelina County.

I have a passion for Lufkin – for her growth, her people, her churches and volunteer organizations. We live in a city and county that lives philanthropy. We have inherited a community built and sustained by many visionary leaders who made things happen, often, so the legend goes, by simply picking up the phone. And because of that legend, we run the risk of becoming complacent.

We are guilty of two things, as I see it, and I am intentionally using hyperbole to make a point. First, we are guilty of a reductionist view that thinks all advancement centered around Arthur Temple and that circle of leaders, as influential as it was. Second, we are guilty of a pessimistic view that no one is left who can make the big things happen. Now, of course, neither is true, but we shouldn’t allow ourselves to simplify and excuse away the need for hard work.

There are four keys to our continued success, as I see it.

First, COMMUNICATION.

When I was in medical school, one of the hardest lessons for me to learn was to pick up the phone and call someone for advice when I didn’t know the answer. There are experts out there in all fields. Maybe the Arthur Temples and Murphy Georges, the George Hendersons and Bubba Shands, the Rufus Duncans and Joe Denmans – I could go on – maybe it just seemed like they could just pick up the phone and call one another and get things done. We can, too, but we have to communicate. We are all in this together, and all have the same goal, whether city, county, Chamber, public or private sector, for-profit or non-profit. Let’s communicate!

Second, COOPERATION.

This actually dovetails with communication. Not only do we need to talk to each other, we need to work together. And we are! One thing I do believe is different today from the previous generation, perhaps, and that is rules and regulations are just more complicated. But everyone has to play by the rules, so let’s all get in there and do the work… together, and across organizational lines.

Third, CREATIVITY.

Partly because the rules of the game have changed, we need to get more creative with our solutions. I think of the discussions community leaders have had regarding Economic Development and how both the City and the Chamber have an interest, and how at an Economic Development Partnership meeting we were able to identify common interests as well as areas where either the City or the Chamber should take the lead (for example, bringing in manufacturing jobs versus business retention and retail initiatives). Let’s embrace our different approaches and creatively structure our relationships for maximum effectiveness.

Finally, CONTINUED INVOLVEMENT.

Last month, we buried Lizzie Wallace, a courageous teenager who died from a rare liver cancer. Her two-year fight with cancer didn’t stop her from working to make a difference. “Be the change you want to see” was her motto. As Lizzie saw it, we all have a responsibility to continue to use our influence in a positive way, even if – as in her case – we are near the end of our journey.

Whether you bring youth and energy to the table or the connections and influence that come with age and experience, you are needed. Get involved; stay involved! Together, we can make our dreams for Lufkin and Angelina County come true.