Courtesy Photo From left, Cynthia Hill, Jennifer King andHeather Sasser with one of the theme baskets auctioned at the recent Heritage Hoedown. The event raised more than $15,000 for Decatur Heritage Christian Academy.

Theme baskets are profitable hit at Heritage Hoedown

Wendy's Word

Sunday is here, and I would like to share a saying that touched me recently: "Life is not measured by how many breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."

I absolutely love what that says. It is so true. We could live 100 years and never have much to show for it, yet in just a matter of moments we could say or do something that could impact our own life, or someone else's life forever. Just think about the everlasting impact that your words and actions have before the day goes any further.

Are your moments being wasted or are you making a lasting impression? More importantly, is that impression one you want to last for an eternity? This is certainly a thought to ponder.

Now let's see what the "chatter" is around town . . .

Heritage Hoedown

More than 175 guests gathered Oct. 15 for a night of good ol' country fun at Decatur Heritage Christian Academy's annual fund-raiser. "Heritage Hoedown" at Mallard Farm raised more than $15,000 to benefit the school's parent association.

Amid fall decorations of handpainted tablecloths tied with raffia provided by DHCA students, attendees reveled at entertainment by the reunion of the Orange and Bluegrass Band, featuring Decatur musicians George Godwin, Mitch Schuster and vocalist Heather Kyle.

Chairwomen Heather Sasser and Renee Stephenson worked hard to put together a stompin' time, along with help from committee members Cynthia Hill and Jennifer King, silent auction; Alisa Poole and Rhonda Spangler, decorations; Fanny Adams, food; Adele Slaton, invitations and print media; Carol Godwin, entertainment; Lucinda Burchel, rentals; Jennifer McBride and Sherree Roberts, finance; and Blythe Bowman, cleanup. Other committee members included Lida Orr, Laura Hellard, Penny Fitzgerald, Tonya Jackson, Teri Harriman, Nancy Peterson, Amy Francis, Shantina Shaw, Tammy Austin, Telete Chappel, Carmen Adams, Margie Thompson, Jennifer Fite, Sabrina Holmes, Kris Hurst, Angela Kurzhal, Amy Tubbs, Anne Price and Donna Mayo.

Silent auctions seem to be the craze, and there was no exception here. Teachers and students prepared magnificent theme baskets for the auction. Topics ranged from from coffee, tea and chocolate to sports and barbecue. Rebecca Linderman's class won a pizza party for raising the most money with the two large snack baskets they provided.

There was one interesting twist among the traditional items we often see auctioned off. Teachers gave donations of their time and talents. For example, Spanish teacher Elizabeth House offered to take a child and a friend to a local Mexican restaurant and teach them how to order in Spanish, while librarian Fanny Adams offered to take a child to Books-A-million, purchase a book for the child and the school library and then treat to ice cream. According to Lida Orr, "These types of items were popular, and people bid way over the "retail value" for them. There was a great show of support from the whole school community, and it was a lot of fun for everyone."

Fund-raising was definitely the focus, as pumpkins, mums, gourds, cornstalks and other fall decorations, generously provided by sponsors, were sold.

Sponsors of the event were Hutto Printing, Whitt's Barbecue, Morgan County Co-op, Madison County Co-op, Smith Nurseries, First American Bank and Hillsboro Gin.

Sounds like a "Happy Hoedown" was had by all! Congratulations on a successful event.

Bridge party

Fun times are in the air. Decatur Daybreak Rotary Club will have a "Trick or Treat" bridge party Thursday at the home of Bill and Jane Kissam, 3303 Heatherwood Place S.W. This fund-raising event will feature and will be limited to 16 tables of bridge from 9 a.m. until noon. From 7 to 10 p.m., there will be another 16. Games may be bridge or Bunko. The cost is $15 per person and prizes and door prizes will be awarded.

Helping with the project are Rotarians Ken Hayes, David Metcalf, Margaret Marsh, Gay Maloney, Sandy Sherman, Michelle Jordan, Richard Thompson, Sue Mitchell, Tami Reist, Donna Vaughn, Ronnie Smallwood, Beverly Crosswhite, Jimmy Smith and Decatur Daybreak Rotary President Mary Morgan.

Funds raised will benefit such Rotary projects as Delano Park Playground for All Children, FACES Reading Program and other local efforts.

Players are encouraged to go together and form a table, but singles also will be accepted. For reservations or additional information, call Mary Kay Braddock, 355-8602, or Mary Morgan, 306-0910.

This sounds like a "deal" of a time.

Magnificent quilts

Forty-two works of art grace Decatur Public Library's main floor through Nov. 6 as part of the annual quilt show. This year's array includes numerous techniques, with the top three "picks" being recognized Wednesday as part of the viewer's choice competition.

Various styles of quilting are featured, including pieced quilts such as "My Stars" by Doris Mitchell and the "Scrappy Nine Patch Churn Dash" by Kitty Beasley. Many works have been pieced over generations, like the "Lafayette Orange Peel" that was partially pieced by Maggie Morgan before she died in 1967. It was later completed by Barbara Eaton and is now a prized heirloom of Kenneth and Mary Morgan. The "Pickle Dish" is more than 150 years old, pieced by Lillian Hancock's great-great grandmother. The "Dresden Plate" was made in 1932 by Mary H. Trapp Shedd. Susan Overall donated the "Wedding Ring" and "Postage Stamp" designs made in 1927 from welfare flour sacks. Margaret MacIlveen submitted two crazy quilts dating back to the 1800s.

There also are some "modern" ideas, so to speak — like the "Red Hat Society" theme by Trudy Spain. Others include "Baby Fans" by Vicki Howell, "Fun with Triangles" by Anna Lou Erickson and "Log Cabin" by Marie Brown. Modern ideas continue with photo transfers. This can be seen on such designs as "Fiona's Surprise" by Eliza Shotz and "For Mama . . . All Her Treasures" by Samantha Perdue.

You also might find the "Friendship" quilt to be a familiar design. It is displayed by Linda McCreary.

Two time-consuming quilts and their designers are "Flying Daisy" by Juanita Dukes, "Hearts and Flowers" by Maria Thornton, "Two Cathedral Window" by Dana Aycock, and another by Lillian Hancock.

Appliques on quilts are another technique featured. These include "Mavis" by Eliza Shotz, "Ordinary Life" by Elizabeth Berg, "Christmas Trees" and "Sunbonnet Sue and Sam" by Martha Slate, "Brown Bag" by Kitty Beasley, "Memory Sampler" by Anna Lou Erickson, "Summer Blooms" by Doris Mitchell, "Grandmother's Garden" by Cora Welsh, "Baltimore South" and "Berries and Flowers" by Annette Byrd, and "Marie's Little Girls" by Marie Brown.

For those wanting to see quilts with more than one technique, you may want to look at such works as "Lavender Dreams" by Cora Welsh, "Star in the Woods" by Kitty Beasley, "Home is Where the Heart Is" by Cathy Owen and "Ties to Daddy" by Kathy Burkett.

For those worried about the future of quilting, don't give it another thought. We are in good hands, as there is a design called "Magic Strips" by 9-year-old Dominique Wozniak.

Take a minute today to stop by the library and view these cherished pieces of timeless tapestry. The library is open Monday through Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information call Patricia Slaten, 353-2993.

AARP

Morgan County Chapter No. 234 of AARP will meet Tuesday at Central United Methodist Church fellowship hall at 11 a.m. The program will feature Dennis Griffith, vice president of the Behavior Medical Center, who will speak on "Life is a Matter of Attitude."

For more information call president Wayne Wagnon, 778-8355.

That's all for now. It's been great "chattin" with ya!

Let me know what is going on in your little corner of the world. Fall special events, family get-togethers and tailgating tales make great Chatterbox items. Just e-mail me at
ddchatterbox@yahoo.com or call me at 350-5730.

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