Sunday, June 14, 2009

National calendar will feature photos by local kids

By TOMIE LUNSFORD
Telegram Staff Writer

The decision is final.
Of the 13 photos featured in the 2011 National 4-H Calendar, three are by young photographers from Bell County.
'And we couldn't be prouder of them,' said photo trainer Harold Carter of the Oenaville 4-H club.
Children, ages 8 to 18, from 4-H clubs around the country sent in close to a million pictures for the calendar. Bell County alone submitted 12,000. The submissions that won had to make it through the chapter, district and state levels.
'This calender contest - it's the highest competition for 4-H photographers,' Carter said. 'And to be chosen is a big honor.'
Bell County's three star photographers for 2011 are 16-year-old Danielle Fasolino of Belton and the Coffman siblings from Temple - 11-year-old Emma-Leigh and 9-year-old Christian.

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Youth put 'love thy neighbor' to work

By TOMIE LUNSFORD
Telegram Staff Writer

'Tell me more, tell me more, like does he have a car?'
That's a line out of 'Grease,' and it was coming from Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Cameron.
More than a dozen girls in tank tops and ponytails were singing the tune Tuesday afternoon as they painted murals and cleared out lawn debris.
They were part of a youth group from Memorial Drive United Methodist Church in Houston, and they were on a mission to spruce up Cameron churches.
'We primed the walls, scraped the walls and painted them,' said Sara Wagner, a University of Texas sophomore. 'We redid the sign and did some weed-eating. We're pretty much making it all better.'
It's the Houston church's annual work camp.

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Local Bahá'i community forms spiritual assembly

By TOMIE LUNSFORD
Telegram Staff Writer

The Bahá'i faith is a religion like any other, but it has no church and no pastor. Instead the Bahá'is are led by a nine-member spiritual assembly.
'But only in the administrative sense,' said Vina Stasik of Temple, chairperson of the newly formed Bahá'i­ assembly in Temple. 'There's an elected board of directors with a treasurer and vice-chairperson and officers like that, but we don't lead the prayers or devotionals.'
At a Bahá'i gathering, everyone sits in a circle, and attendees have equal voice and equal right to participate.
'Women are equal to men,' said Dondie Crook of Temple, assembly secretary. 'And children can participate like adults.'
Having formed April 20, the Temple spiritual assembly of the Bahá'i faith has met regularly at Ms. Stasik's home.
'Our weekly devotionals will take place on Sundays at my house,' Ms. Stasik said. 'Those will start sometime this month.'

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Homeless not hopeless: Program supports kids who've hit hard times

By TOMIE LUNSFORD
Telegram Staff Writer

Anna thought she'd never see a cap and gown.
She was 15, pregnant and alone after the death of her mother. And she was homeless.
So graduation didn't seem possible. It wasn't even a priority.
'I was just trying to get by,' said Anna, a Belton High School senior whose real name is being withheld. 'There was too much of everything else to worry about.'
Life was hard. Everyday brought the challenge of finding food, shelter and safety.
'That's how it was, and that's how I thought it would keep going,' Anna said.
But it didn't.
Thanks to Project Heartbeat, Anna will receive her high school diploma on Thursday at the Bell County Expo Center. And she'll be wearing a red cap and gown.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Having the life of her time: Woman shares history through her ancestors' eyes

By TOMIE LUNSFORD
Telegram Staff Writer

She goes by several names, but her face is familiar throughout town.
'I'm the log cabin lady at the Bell County Museum,' said Welba Dorsey of Belton. 'I'm part of the exhibit. I dress up as one of my early Texas relatives and talk about what it was like to be a Texas pioneer.'
But the Texas pioneer is not the only ancestor she impersonates. In programs for schoolchildren and civic groups, she also portrays relatives who lived in the Revolutionary War, the Civil War and early colonial America.
'It's thanks to research that I'm able to do all this,' Mrs. Dorsey said.

Family faces

By TOMIE LUNSFORD
Telegram Staff Writer

Learning about her ancestors has been a joy for Welba Dorsey of Belton.
'The value in doing genealogical research is in the enjoyment and leaving a sense of heritage for your children,' Mrs. Dorsey said. 'It has helped me know more about myself.'
Her work has also reinforced the lessons she learned in childhood.
'I was raised with the phrase, 'You should behave like a southern lady,'' Mrs. Dorsey said. 'With everything I learned about my ancestors, I have a better idea of what a southern lady is. She is polite, well-mannered, strong and capable, and she takes pride in her family and keepsakes.'

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Tenacity of tiny Russian congregation inspires local team

By TOMIE LUNSFORD
Telegram Staff Writer

Tears fell at Monday's meeting of the Church Women of the Temple Area.
The heartfelt reaction was in response to the guest speakers, the Rev. Margaret Boles and Peggy Maesaka, both of First Presbyterian Church in Temple.
The pair came to talk about their summer 2008 mission trip to Russia.
'The presentation was very informative, thought-provoking and moving,' said Theda Maxfield, past president of the Church Women group.
Fellow organization member Ruth Hovel agreed.
'I was surprised to learn about the Russian government's attitude toward religion,' Ms. Hovel said.
While in Russia, Mrs. Boles and Mrs. Maesaka learned that because it's the official church of the country, the Russian Orthodox Church has power over churches of other denominations.
'The Orthodox Church can determine where and when churches of other denominations are planted,' Mrs. Boles said. 'As a result, the other churches are often small and far away from towns.'