Johnson County
King’s Daughters changing Christmas focus
The Cleburne City Union of the International Order of King’s Daughters and Sons recently decided to change several facets of their operations and services.
The Cleburne Union, which is the largest King’s Daughters’ group in Texas, will not be doing Goodfellows Christmas boxes this year, as in years past.
“But we’re still here,” said Kay Kelm, member of the Goodfellows Committee in her King’s Daughters’ circle. “We don’t want people to think we’re not. We’re just hoping to be able to serve more people all over Cleburne in a larger manner other than only focusing on Christmas.”
King’s Daughters always performed charity calls and work throughout the year, Kelm said, but placed its main focus on the holidays.
The focus now, she said, is to maintain a larger presence year round.
One plan involves working with Cleburne ISD. Each of the seven local circles of King’s Daughters would adopt a school or two.
“Where [the school] can contact us to let us know this family or child needs something,” Kelm said. “Or the school needs something, like paper or supplies.”
Through donations, King’s Daughters will now focus more on helping families and other area charitable organizations.
The decision to discontinue the Christmas boxes developed because several area organizations provide similar services, Kelm said.
In a release, King’s Daughter City Union President Lisa Waits said she hopes the community embraces the changes, which Waits said were made to run the organization more efficiently and cost effectively.
“We feel it is our responsibility to make every effort to be a good steward of your gift,” Waits said.
The following changes were announced in the organization:
* The organization will continue to be King’s Daughters/Goodfellows, but money collected will be more efficiently spent and monitored in an effort to provide service without duplication.
* King’s Daughters will no longer purchase clothing and toys for families at Christmas, a move to avoid duplication of the services of the other area organizations.
* King’s Daughters will hold a citywide toy drive but will give toys collected to Operation Blessing for distribution at Christmas.
* Another new program involves choosing a service agency in Cleburne each year and making a donation to them. The East Cleburne Community Center will be this year’s recipient.
* In the spirit of King’s Daughters’ national literacy campaign, the Cleburne Union will provide a book to every needy child at its Christmas party this year.
* The organization’s main focus now is to extend emergency assistance to families and individuals who request help through the year-round campaign. Specific guidelines will be in place to avoid duplication of services.
* King’s Daughters will hold a communitywide food drive each spring to fill the shelves of local agencies assisting families in need.
* King’s Daughters’ annual solicitations campaign to help fund the next year’s budget will begin each October.
Waits said she hopes residents will continue to support the work of King’s Daughters and give generously.
King’s Daughters have done well locally, despite recent economic conditions, Kelm said.
“But this year may be a different story,” Kelm said. “We just hope people can continue to give because we really want to continue serving the ones who need help.”
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