The Spirit of Community

There have been so very many wonderful people who have chosen Forney to be their hometown. One of the most memorable was Mrs. Dorris Hamblen. If you had the opportunity to meet her, you came away knowing you had met a very fine lady whose personal ethos was manifested in really caring about the community she lived in. There are many examples of her actions that helped uplift the face that Forney presented to the world. If you have ever wondered about the story behind the Statue of Liberty and the flag display, Mrs. Hamblen had a major hand in it. Ever wonder about how Forney could have gotten a real authentic caboose set beside the train tracks in downtown? Mrs. Hamblen did some serious talking and convinced the Union Pacific railroad to bring a caboose with its own tracks and set it up in Downtown Forney. Miss Dorris was a force to be reckoned with in her own right. And if she was still around, she would be very proud of how the Forney Community has rallied around the students in Forney ISD in supporting all of the nonprofit groups that help make the lives of the children in Forney, Texas so much more.

The spirit of community that has been fostered and grown through the 16 plus years that the Forney Education Foundation has existed directly parallels Mrs. Hamblen’s outlook on the importance of education and encouragement of the youngest citizens as well as valuing the experience and wisdom of the oldest. There were many lessons to be learned from any conversation you might have had with Mrs. Hamblen; yet you never felt talked down to-that was not her style of teaching a point.

Are you the next Dorris Hamblen in Forney, Texas? She would be proud of anyone that stepped up to the needs of her hometown and made a difference like the supporters of the Forney Education Foundation have done. Visit www.forneyisdfoundation. org and see how you can embody the spirit of Mrs. Dorris Hamblen and impact a student’s life.