TAKING CARE OF THEIR OWN: SMALL TOWNS PULL TOGETHER TO HELP FAMILIES IN NEED

Lena May Fulton, a teacher in the Meadow Heights School District, knew there were needy families in the Patton area, but she didn't realize the extent of need until the children entered her classroom.

Some didn't have enough food to eat; others didn't have warm clothes or coats for winter. One family had very little food and couldn't take its sick child to the doctor because there was no money to pay the bill.

So Fulton, her daughter and some neighbors offered to help and organized the Community Closet, a collection of donated items ranging from clothing to furniture available free to members of the community. Once, the group even collected money to buy a child's gravestone for the local cemetery.

Many small towns in Southeast Missouri have similar tales of residents offering a helping hand to neighbors and friends, especially during the holidays.

Patton's Community Closet is a nondenominational venture housed in the former recreation building of the Piney Hill church on Route HH. Volunteers open the closet each Saturday from 9 to noon to take donations.

Clothing, toys and other household items are accepted.

"We don't charge for anything," Fulton said. "There's lots of variety, we don't just stick to the closet. We save toys all year. I wash bears and stuffed toys all year. Another lady dresses the dolls."

At Christmas, volunteers make toy baskets for children in the area. Some 70 to 100 children receive the baskets each year. But toys aren't all that is collected. A women's group from a Perry County church just donated several quilts to be given away during the winter, Fulton said.

When tragedy or triumph hits, it's much closer to home in small communities, and people are quick to see the needs, said Ed Carter, pastor of First Baptist Church in Oran.

Although he's only lived in Oran for a year, Carter said the residents are quick to respond to crises. "Whenever a need arises, the community and churches pull together to help those in need," he said.

During the Christmas season, members of the church take up canned food collections to help fill baskets for needy families. The congregation also has a clothes closet open to anyone in the community.

Helping neighbors isn't just limited to those with the Christmas spirit, but it's more prevalent during this time of year.

"I think you see it more at Christmas," Carter said. "I'm trying to push that it's one of the fundamentals Christ taught -- giving and Christmas is focused toward giving, whether it's your time, your money or your love."

In his job as Scott City Fire Chief, Les Crump has seen firsthand how the community works together to help people in need.

The annual holiday food basket donation probably has gathered the largest outpouring of community support, he said.

Each year Crump and the volunteer fire department organize a food drive to help needy families in town. Last year 119 food baskets were distributed.

"Last year was a record year," said Crump, who has been involved with the project for 19 years.

Local businesses and grocery stores donate food staples, milk and eggs. Civic clubs help with cash donations to purchase other needed items.

"The last four years it has grown so large that we couldn't do it at the firehouse," Crump said.

Instead, the group collects the food and takes it to the gymnasium at St. Joseph Catholic Church to sort and create the baskets. The food will be delivered Dec. 23 by the fire department.

"I feel like this is something I owe the community," Crump said.

DONATIONS

Patton's Community Closet is a nondenominational venture housed in the former recreation building of the Piney Hill church on Route HH. It is open each Saturday from 9 a.m. until noon to take donations. For more information, call Lena Fulton at (573) 866-2360.

Donations to the Scott City food collection can be delivered to the fire department at 618 Main Street. Call 264-2126 for more information or to arrange food pick up.