By all accounts, Forney is a place of true community. Anytime there is a need among the citizens, the men, women, and children band together to make sure that need is met. Oftentimes, the response to a need is so great and overwhelming that the donations far exceed the need! When Mike and Amanda Lewis were delivering food to a local resident during the COVID-19 pandemic, they became aware of some much-needed repairs for her home. What began as a plan to make some simple plumbing fixes quickly became a much more in-depth list. The Lewises, through the assistance of Forney Community Ministries, gathered local volunteers to contribute their time, energy, and materials to check needs off of the list.
The homeowner, Ms. Lucille Redic, was humbled by this outpouring of love. At 76, she has lived in the Forney area for most of her life and in this particular house for nearly twenty years. When the Lewises approached her about completing repairs around her house, she humbly agreed. “I just wanted to have somewhere to live that was comfortable and didn’t have a leak,” she recalled. “I was just looking forward to running water in the sink and having it all drain!”
The results of these efforts came to be more than Ms. Lucille imagined. Her favorite part is the new flooring that the volunteers installed for her, and she is so excited to be able to put up draperies. “I just thank God for all this,” she smiles. “It is just a blessing. More than I ever expected.”
Though there are a few more items on the to-do list awaiting completion, an appreciation lunch was held for the volunteers in Ms. Lucille’s newly-spruced-up front yard late last month. A cold and overcast day, the forecasted rain held off so that the men and women in attendance could gather to thank God for the blessing of being able to have a part in making these home improvements and repairs. The group visited and laughed together over a socially-distanced barbecue lunch while Mike Lewis handed out some tokens of appreciation to several of those who have been extremely instrumental in this process. Re:Build with Community Life Church, namely Steve and Kim Taveau, provided an abundance of materials and volunteer service, and Lowe’s of Forney was an invaluable support for the projects, providing donations and special pricing for many needed items. Doug Moran of Connect Church, the general contractor on the project, thanked the group. “Thank you to everyone who showed up,” he said. “This is community.”
The legacy of caring for one’s neighbors goes back through generations of Forney residents. A true picture of community, this way of life continues on in the men and women who call this town home today.
- Log in or Subscribe to post comments.