The Paris News

ROXTON — A labor of love began in 1994, when a group of women decided to raise money for worthwhile projects in Roxton.

Through the years since, the organization that developed from that meeting — The Roxton Community Hope Chest — has provided funds for many projects, helped families in need during the holiday season and even adopted a financially challenged family for two years.

The group also installed a downtown fountain near the Chaparral Museum, made donations to the Volunteer Fire Department, provided for the Roxton Independent School District’s Angel Tree, helped fund the Roxton school’s first band and dance team, and helped revitalize the downtown area.

The Hope Chest also saved a vintage old iron bridge and moved it to a downtown park.

When a Roxton woman with two children lost her husband unexpectedly, the Hope Chest stepped in to help.

When a Roxton family with three young children was burned out of their home, the Hope Chest stepped in to help.

Along the way, the Hope Chest women bought a downtown Roxton building, and with $10,000 borrowed from First Bank-Roxton, revitalized the old building and established a quality but low-cost place for residents and visitors to shop.

Each of the Hope Chest members brought their own individual talents to the organization, creating a unique gift shop that offered fine quilts, craft items and floral arrangements.

Shoppers and visitors looked forward to the Hope Chest open house events as well as shopping at the gift shop during community events.

Shoppers could come in on Wednesdays to watch the members work at their creations.

The building purchase and restoration fell entirely on the shoulders of the Hope Chest women.

Because of the damaged state of the building and the massive repairs needed, many people, including the Hope Chest members’ husbands, advised them not to take on such a challenge, one person predicting since the women were getting on in age they might not be there more than two years.

The $10,000 building loan was for five years, but the Hope Chest paid it off in two and still managed to put thousands of dollars into their community-oriented bank account.

During the repairs on the building, Roxton area residents Bryan and Martha Duke provided the materials and built a fireplace in the new Hope Chest gift center.

As the original organizers of the Community Hope Chest dwindled because of age and death, the “ladies” of the Hope Chest made a decision this year to leave one lasting gift to the City of Roxton — a community center, where residents could go, enjoy camaraderie, have meetings and enjoy events.

Today, the Hope Chest officially turned over their building and will turn over thousands of dollars in funds to establish the community center.

Roxton Mayor Jimmy Cooper accepted the gift and praised the women of the Hope Chest for all they have done for the city.

“It is amazing this started out in an old barn, took an old storm-damaged building and built what the Hope Chest has accomplished today,” Cooper said. “There truly are angels among us, and you are Roxton’s angels. I am so pleased to accept this on behalf of the city council and the citizens of Roxton.”

The Community Development Committee of Roxton now will operate the Community Center, establish a kitchen area, add a second restroom and open it up for community use.

The Community Hope Chest had a simple beginning at the Roxton United Methodist Church.

The organizers first gathered to help raise money for the Lord’s Acre Project.

They enjoyed the experience so much, they decided to meet weekly for fun, fellowship and craftwork to raise money for the church.

Looking for a place to meet, the group decided on Roxton resident Jerry Terrell’s little barn on Pecan Street.

They remodeled it and began their projects.

Being in a barn earned them their first title as “The Barn Ladies.”

They were so successful at selling their crafts, they quickly outgrew the barn.

They moved to the McGlasson Hall, owned by the Methodist Church.

In the early years, the members donated all the supplies, time and energy for their crafts, and soon began catering Friday Night Suppers, that also raised money for church projects.

They catered luncheons, Christmas parties for organizations and eventually moved into the balloon business, providing gifts with balloons for Valentine’s Day, birthdays and special occasions.

McGlasson Hall was a success, but the women began looking for a better location.

By that time, the membership had increased and represented members from several churches, and the group decided it wanted to expand its operation to include projects for the entire town.

They moved to the front section of Ruby and Sonny Slayden’s building on Harrison Street and became an official non-profit organization known as the Community Hope Chest.

When a major storm hit Roxton, destroying a nearby building and damaging the Hope Chest quarters, the group began looking at a building next door that also was heavily damaged by the storm.

The Hope Chest bought that building — the former Drew Swearington Service Station, an historic building.

The women decided the city had lost the majestic old Wight Building to the storm and was in danger of losing the damaged service station along with the huge wall mural that depicts Roxton in earlier days.

The Hope Chest had helped fund the painting of the mural.

That’s when they went to the bank to secure funds to restore the old station and turn it into a storefront, saving Roxton history and opening up a shopping paradise for residents and visitors.

“Reasonable people were convinced we had bit off more than we could chew,” said member JoMarie Bush.

The venture succeeded, and the Hope Chest, through its new storefront operation, was able not only to pay off the note, but raise thousands of dollars for projects in the city.

The Hope Chest sponsored a vintage style show for the community in the Roxton ISD Fine Arts Building and numerous bake sales to help raise funds for community projects.

Some of the early members of the group — Esther Cunningham, Jane McClure, Maggie Henshaw, Ruby Slayden, Marian Rhoades, Alma West and Dorris Norris — have passed on. Lou Blackwood moved to a different area.

But as members passed on, others have been added.

Today, the group consists of JoMarie Bush, Thelma Anderson, Lois Crofford, Elizabeth Hankins, Shirley Crowe, Louise Lipstraw, Ann Nichols, Pat Pruitt, Jerry Terrell and Charlotte Yorkson.

“There is a lot of work operating a business with only volunteer labor,” Crofford said. “And a lot of members talked of getting old and tired.”

When the opportunity arose to develop a community center operated by the Community Development Committee, the women of the Hope Chest decided that project would be in the best interest of Roxton.

“The CDC had been considering a community center, and had determined it would cost between $100,000 and $150,000 to construct a new building and would take years to achieve,” Phillip Rutherford of the CDC said. “The Community Hope Chest Ladies, God bless them, met and voted to donate the Hope Chest Building to the city and thereby continue their generosity even as they closed.”

The gift served to preserve the historic building and provide for a community center.

“The City of Roxton, the Community Development Committee and the citizens of Roxton will be eternally in their debt,” Rutherford said.

As they end their tour of duty for the City of Roxton, the Hope Chest members left a legacy in the form of a “Community Hope Chest Ladies Cookbook” full of their favorite recipes, past and present.

The cookbook was published in July and is available through any of the members.

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