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Thursday, September 9, 2010 | DeKalb County's Oldest Newspaper

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Newly formed group helps for Christmas

By Lindsay Slater
The Times-Journal

Published January 9, 2010

There are many organizations in DeKalb County devoted to helping children in need.

Beginning in December, a new charity began their operation to help children in the Hammondville and Valley Head areas.

Cops and Cowboys for Kids was able to raise enough money to buy 116 children a gift for the annual Foster Care Association Christmas party.

Treasurer Gwen Terrell said the group was formed when the Hammondville, Mentone and Valley Head Police Departments wanted to do something to help.

“We wanted to do something in addition to the Sheriff’s Department’s Christmas for Kids,” Terrell said. “Some of us are cowboys and some of us are cops, so we’re Cops and Cowboys for Kids.”

The group worked in accordance with the DeKalb County Foster Care Association to help bring Christmas to those less fortunate.

“We did two roadblocks in Hammondville to raise money, and other than that it was by word of mouth,” Terrell said.

And the majority of the money stayed in DeKalb County.

“All of the money stayed in the Hammondville, Mentone and Valley Head area, except for one family in the Sand Rock who home burned right before the holidays and a couple of families in the Gadsden area where some of our members are from,” Terrell said. “We appreciate everyone that helped and donated money.”

Terrell said there are plans in 2010 to continue to work with the Foster Care Association.

“The Foster Care Association has talked with us,” Zimmerman said. “They do an Easter egg hunt and other things. We want to work with them and it will depend on what type of fundraisers we can do.”

President of the group, Kathy Zimmerman, said Cops and Cowboys have many things they would like to do during 2010.

“We’d like for our fundraisers to be oriented around horses,” Zimmerman said. “We might do some organized trail rides, park cars at events, a trail horse competition and do a fishing rodeo all for donations. We have a lot in mind and a lot of our stuff will be centered around horses.”

Terrell said there is nothing like the face of child experiencing the joy of Christmas.

“It was like it was better than getting a present yourself,” Terrell said. “It was more rewarding than anything I could do. Some sang for us, they would hug our necks and they were all playing. It was very rewarding.”

Zimmerman said she was pleased with the success of the Christmas fundraiser and is ready to do more to help.

“I think the more we get out there, the more help we’ll get,” Zimmerman said. “I have an awesome group of people. They just don’t know what they mean to me.”

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