BANGS – The Adopt A Grandparent program began in the COVID year of 2020 as a way to provide nursing home residents with gifts for Christmas, and has only grown since, now reaching out to six local communities. On Tuesday, Bangs Nursing and Rehab was the stop, where 84 gifts were delivered by Bo and Karla Allen, along with a few of the donors behind the program.
“This all started during COVID because they couldn’t get out and we couldn’t get in,” Bo Allen said.
Karla Allen, a Rising Star native, began the program in her hometown and at the end of the original distribution 63 gifts remained. A call was made to Bangs, where 63 residents just so happened to reside at Bangs Nursing and Rehab.
“We didn’t know what to do with the extra gifts so we called Bangs and they counted and had exactly 63, which is what we had left over,” Karla Allen said. “We knew then it was a God thing.”
Since that time, the Adopt A Granparent program has added Western Hills Healthcare in Comanche, Cisco Nursing and Rehab, De Leon Nursing and Rehab and just this year – The Woodlands in Eastland. All total, 679 gifts will be delivered this week as $10,185 was raised in donations. The gifts cost approximately $15 each and Eastland will receive the most with 187 on Friday, Cisco (84) and Rising Star (69) will receive their gifts Wednesday, and De Leon (134) and Comanche (121) will comprise the Thursday stop.
“Every year it just gets bigger,” Karla Allen said. “It’s just been on Facebook so to reach that many people is crazy. People have really gotten behind this and offered to help.”
The Allens stated the plan for 2024 is to add Brownwood to their list of cities.
Platinum donors, who contribute more than $500, for Adopt a Grandparent are Hendrick Medical Center Brownwood, Comanche County Medical Center and AccelHealth.
Diamond donors, who contribute more than $200, are Bayer Motor and Bayer Ford Motor Company, F&M Bank in De Leon, Bo and Pat Allen, Sara Nixon, and Robby and Connie Harding of Full Draw Taxidermy and Processing.
The list of $50-plus, or silver, donors, includes Jerry and Mona Rainey; Janice McCullough, Doug and Joyce Duggar; Jason and Rachel New; Sharon and Ron Bond; John Willis 1687 Foundation; Mary Bailey; Maureen Kelley; Donald and Vickie Strength; Valerie Rhodes; Alpha Omega Hospice of Brownwood; Tina Carr Kendall; Texas Heritage Bank of Cross Plains; Nan Billings; Brian and Pam Holmes; Rising Star Pipe & Panel; Rolling Oaks Golf Course; Brownwood Development; Fat Bottom Grill; Bouldec Properties; Jeremy Bouldec; Ellen deRidder; Shelley Dollins Williams; Shannan Burch; Kerry Parkinson; Phillip and Sharon Ferguson; Bo and Pat Allen; Rhonda Lee Richardson; Tina Smit Lindeque; Carolyn Marvel Carr; Jackie and Roxie Thomas; David Switzer; Tina Hart; Shannon Bond; Joe and Mary Cooper; Ed and Christine Cooper; Sheri Bradley Ornelas; Larry and Shirley Simpson; Andy and Kim Altshuler; Monty and Melissa Richards; Kinder Hearts CMS; Bob and Kaye McCormick; Rhonda Moorman; Vickie Massey and Paul King; Reece and Kallie McIver; Dee Martin; Tammie Lane; Daran Soha; Solaris Hospice of Brownwood; Brad and Mindy Stephenson; Full Gospel Church; and Roy and Cheryl Pfingsten.
The bronze, or up to $50 donors, are Jack and Terrell Casey; Cindy Payne; Jan Bond; Kelly and Susan Spinks; Candice Dillon; Stephanie and Kirk Payne; Michelle Bennett; Eddie and Jeanie Hardy; Jimmy and Amber Shipman; Day and OY Matthews; Tammy Douglas; Shane and Valerie Kelton; Kerry Parkinson; Steve and Laura Howard; Darren and Angela White; Weldon and Diane Brown; Jessica Page; Erica and Graviel Arreola; Kathryn Harrell; Kim and Ross Self; Nevie Lord; Lisa Jarvis; Linda Lancaster; Chris and Griselda Diaz; Terri Duncan; Charles and Myrtle Childers; Scotty and Lucretia Vineyard; Franklin and Sharolyn Cox; Bill and Tanya Davis; Roy and Cherly Pfingsten; Donna Hearitage; Ben and Teisha Childers; Roger and Connie Winkles; Richard and Linda Watson; Earline Tomlinson; Bill and Camille Carpenter; David and Debbie Gilder; Jeff and Sheila Blackburn; Larry and Shirley Simpson; Derrick and Shae White; Grant and Sara Poynor; Mitch and JoAnne Paulk; Joe and Evelyn Fourney; Bob and Kay McCormick; Brandon and Shannon Geye; Mandy Dorsett; Lucretia and Scotty Vineyard; Lezlie Hoover; Judy Porter; Glenn and Ada Turner; Dayleen Ramsey; Tammy Douglas; Joel and Lola Kelton; Tony and Darla Norvil; Sue Couch; Barbara Dillard; Erin Treadway; Cheryl Lucas; Wendy Harris; Natalie Lee; Amanda Schwartz; Jimmy and Pattimae Simpson; Michelle Bennett; Ann Seider; Lisa Faith; Brandi and Kobey Morris; Jomy Campbell; Kelly with Resource Care; Shawnah Bass; Mary with Resource Care; Linda Lee; and Kylie McCullough.
