Christmas at the Smoky Mountain Children’s Home
December is a time for giving: giving of time, talents, finances, energy, wisdom and most of all ourselves. However, at the Smoky Mountain Children’s Home (SMCH) giving is no different in December than any other time of the year. Many are faithful to the task of caring all year round for those whom God has entrusted to the Smoky Mountain Children’s Home.
By Pamela Kay Overbey
SMCH Director Dan Boling, left, accepts a check from Kelsey Dowell of the "Four Corners Motorcycle Ride."
The joy of seeing Christmas wreath’s on the windows of the Administration Building, the Christmas tree in the foyer, the upside down tree beautifully decorated in the cafeteria and other decorations throughout the building remind those who work at SMCH that it’s Christmas time at the Smoky Mountain Children’s Home. It’s also having folks like Kelsey Dowell, who completed a “Four Corners Motorcycle Ride” so that he could raise funds for the children to have a Merry Christmas. With an expression of thankfulness, he shared his story with the director, Dr. Daniel F. Boling, about how he rode 10,000 miles across country for a penny-a-mile to raise monies for the children at SMCH. Kelsey states that his start date was October 14 at 1:00AM EST and ended on October 24, 2013 at 12:00AM CST. He started his journey at Madawaska, Maine, rode to Lebanon, Kansas, up to Blaine, Washington and back to Lebanon Kansas. From there he was headed to San Ysidro, California when he hit a deer in Colorado which totaled his bike. He had a friend trailer the bike. The next day, he received a call from another friend who was willing to loan him his bike to complete the ride. Kelsey flew to St. Louis, got on his friend’s bike and finished his charity ride to California and then back to Alabama finishing the entire Four Corners Ride. On Friday, November 23, Kelsey came to the Smoky Mountain Children’s Home in person to present to the Home a check in the amount of $5,565.50 for Christmas. Dr. Boling expressed to Kelsey his sincere appreciation for his endurance charity ride for the children telling him that Christmas would be brighter for them because of his act of selfless giving.
This event was just the beginning for the Smoky Mountain Children’s Home. Ye Olde Steak House, Knoxville, Tennessee hosted the children, house parents, staff and widows for a steak dinner on Sunday, December 1. Churches from Knoxville came on Saturday, December 7 to host parties on campus. Parkwest Church of God, Knoxville, Tennessee, Pastor Gerald McGinnis, hosted an all-time favorite for the widows at the Iris B. Vest Widows Ministry Center; Christ the Rock Church of God from Knoxville, Pastor Stephan Gardner, along with the Knoxville Explosion Softball Teams, hosted an amazing party for the girls at the SMCH Cafeteria. The simultaneous parties were full of surprises with lots of food, love and gifts shared with the widows and the girl residents of SMCH. Many others have come to bring Christmas joy to our Campus.
The spirit of Christmas visualized in Matthew 25:40 is experienced all-year round at the Smoky Mountain Children’s Home. The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. (NIV)’
Submitted by Pamela Kay Overbey, Administrative Assistant
