Shelby County Today

March 7, 2017 - Volunteers from the Center Garden Club met over the weekend at the Community House on San Augustine St.,  for some early spring cleaning & garden tasks.   Center Garden Club members worked on; shaping ups shrubs, trimming back perennials, pulling weeds, and general bed maintenance; until the rains made working the soil more of a mud bath.     

During the remodel of the Community House, the Center Garden Club, in partnership with the City of Center; designed, developed and maintain the gardens on either side of the entrance walkway.  
The members of the Center Garden Club are honored to help with the beautification projects of Center, Texas,  by supporting The Community House gardens, along with other various garden projects around the city.

Submitted by Rachel Campbell

March 2, 2017 - Michael Cranford, of Center and a Deacon at Blount Chapel Baptist Church, is fighting for his life. In January of 2016 he was diagnosed with lung disease. There is no family history of this illness. Doctors say a double-lung transplant is critical.

During such a challenging time, Michael is thankful to be surrounded by a strong support system of family and friends. He and his wife, Mattie, have a total of seven children, three of whom they adopted just three years ago. They also have ten precious grandchildren and two great-grandchildren who bring them so much joy. These days, he’s unable to participate in as many family activities as he would like and looks forward to the transplant that will allow him to be more active. Michael enjoyed working with his church, doing yard work and playing ball with his kids, before his health began to decline. More than anything, he just wants to be healthy enough to return to his normal activities and looks forward to taking a family vacation. But right now, he needs your help.

Unfortunately, Michael’s hope for a new life comes at a very high price. The average double-lung transplant costs more than $1 million. And that’s only the beginning. Even with health insurance, which will cover the cost of the transplant, he faces significant expenses related to the surgery. For the rest of his life, he will need follow-up care and daily anti-rejection medications. Post-transplant medications are very expensive, and they’re as critical to his survival as the transplant itself.

When Michael receives his transplant, he must temporarily relocate 200 miles from home to be near the hospital during recovery, incurring substantial expenses for travel, food and lodging. Because of his health challenges, he can no longer work, adding to the financial strain.

You can help by visiting http://give.transplants.org/goto/michaelcranford to make a tax-deductible donation to NFT to help with his expenses.

If you have any questions about National Foundation for Transplants (NFT), feel free to contact the staff at 800-489-3863.

March 1, 2017 - Participants of the Walk and Talk Nutrition and Fitness Program gathered at the old Center Elementary School Gym on Nacogdoches Street to kick off the 8-week program with a nutrition tip followed by a Zumba class.

Feleshia Thompson, Extension Assistant, spoke to the class about the program which includes steps to a healthier you, "Different things work for different people and you have to take small steps." She said it is important to find a balance between food and physical activity. "It has to be a lifestyle change," explained Thompson saying to start off small but continue to do it for it to work.

Speaking about nutrition she emphasized cutting out empty calories and making good choices and suggested using an app on your phone to help keep track of your progress. A handout was given with additional nutrition tips and recipes.

The Walk and Talk Nutrition and Fitness program has had over 100 people sign up. Thompson was thrilled, "This program is kicking off awesome. I'm new. I just started in January and to see the response is amazing. I am excited and encouraged!"

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service is launching Walk and Talk, an 8-week program that encourages exercise and healthy eating. Participants are able to select each week a fitness class for free and are also able to select one nutrition tip class - Nutrition Tips for a Healthy Life with Feleshia and Jheri-Lynn. Weekly door prizes and incentives will be given to class participants.

The Extension office is partnering with Zumba Fitness instructors Denetra Slaughter and Celia Aguilar and Tri-County Jennifer Gillespie to provide weekly fitness (Zumba and walking) classes.

If you have any questions about this program, please contact Jheri-Lynn McSwain, County Extension Agent – Family & Consumer Sciences or Feleshia Thompson Better Living for Texans, Extension Assistant at (936) 598-7744 or jlmcswain@ag.tamu.edu or Feleshia.thompson@ag.tamu.edu or follow us on Facebook Shelby County Extension Service FCS.

February 28, 2017 - Thanks to all who contributed to the SCCAC Princess Ball! Our community is so fortunate to have people who care deeply about the wellbeing of our children.

Thank you to all who served as a sponsor of the event: Boom Boom Photo Booth, Cline Family Medicine, GCS Cakes by Cindy Metteauer, Hughes Florist, Monco Motor Co, Nix Forest Industres, Quickstop Stores, The Reserve, Smith’s Sawmill Service, Shelby Savings Bank, Snell Photography, Trails End Grocery & RV, and Ultra.

We would also like to thank all those who made donations, including Center High School, Wal-Mart, Timpson High School, Few Ready Mix, Chick-Fil-A, Three Birds Photography, Brookshire’s, As You Wish Photography, Citizens Bank, Megan Jackson Photography, Cornerstone Construction, and Leah Chase Photography.

Finally, we would like to thank all of our volunteers who worked hard to make the Princess Ball go smoothly (too many to name, but you are greatly appreciated!) and our local media for your coverage of the event (Light and Champion, Center Broadcasting, and Shelby County Today).