RealSource and Circle of Love to Make Christmas Merrier for Many DeKalb County Kids

December 16, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

Having a gift to unwrap on Christmas may seem trivial, but it may be the only gift some children receive all year. To each of them, it means the world.

Thanks to RealSourceTitle Insurance and Real Estate Closings, through its Circle of Love project, 157 DeKalb County School aged children will have a gift this Christmas.

Since 2004, The Circle of Love has held its annual community-wide toy drive for children at risk of being overlooked during the holidays in the state’s served by RealSource. Circle of Love was introduced in Smithville two years ago when RealSource expanded into Tennessee.

“This is our 19th annual across our business but our second in Tennessee. We were sponsored this year by some of our local businesses. We asked for unwrapped new gifts we could give to kids. This year we sponsored 157 DeKalb County children,” said Katie Harris, RealSource Office Manager in Smithville.

The Circle of Love Foundation was founded by Alabama entrepreneur and philanthropist Doris Phillips, who is also the owner of the organization’s sponsoring company, RealSource Title Insurance and Real Estate Closings.

Through its members’ and many volunteers’ tireless work, and unparalleled passion for giving back to the future’s next great leaders, The Circle of Love has touched the lives of more than 5,500 children who would have otherwise gone without gifts on Christmas morning, or the most basic school supplies, like backpacks, pencils and paper, on the first day of school. Over the years, RealSource and Circle of Love has raised more than $825,000 in gifts and supplies in the states it serves.

“Ours is unique because our list comes from the teachers at our local schools,” said Loni Easterwood, RealSource Closing Specialist. “Once the teachers have identified the children in need we have a form that goes home with that child. The parent fills out the information and if they have siblings, they get gifts too. We are not just supplying the child on the list from the teacher we are also supplying their siblings as well because its not fair for one child to have new items for Christmas and the siblings not have that same luxury,” said Easterwood.

Once all the donations are in, the parents are contacted to come pick up the bags of gifts for their children. Older aged children are also provided with a care packet of hygiene items such as body wash, deodorant, tooth paste, tooth brushes, etc.

“Its really about making sure everybody has what they need and doing it for the whole family and we love doing it. I wish we could see the look on these kids’ faces when they get all these items,” added Easterwood.

If you would like to support the future donation collection efforts of RealSource and Circle of Love visit www.circleoflove.org

RealSource is a title insurance and real estate closing company serving Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Michigan, and Tennessee. The Smithville RealSource office opened in October 2020 in the heart of downtown at 404 W. Public Square.

December 15, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

Blood Assurance will host a special blood drive on Monday, December 19 asking donors to step up and give blood but also to help raise money for God’s Food Pantry in Smithville. With each unit of blood collected, a $10 donation will be made by Blood Assurance and matched by DeKalb County Clerk James L. “Jimmy” Poss.

The DeKalb County Neighbors Helping Neighbors “The Great Give Back” will be Monday, December 19 from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. in the DeKalb Community Complex parking lot on the mobile. Donors will receive a “Christmas Plaid Blanket”. To schedule an appointment, visit bloodassurance.org/GODSFOODPANTRY or contact Jimmy Poss at 615-464-7426 or jimposs72@yahoo.com. Please eat a good meal, drink additional water, avoid energy drinks, and bring your ID.

Trudy Cody, Blood Assurance donor recruiter/account manager said through this “Great Give Back” effort, Blood Assurance, with the help of County Clerk Poss, will be able to help further the pantry’s mission to feed the hungry and meet their other needs year-round.

“Blood Assurance supplies local hospitals with blood products, and we ask people every day to donate, and they are so good to come out and do that, but we also want to do a little something more for the community so each December we have a blood drive called the “Great Give Back” where we partner with a local charity or non-profit organization to help raise money for them. Jimmy (Poss), who partners with Blood Assurance for our Neighbors Helping Neighbors Blood Drives, suggested that for the December “Great Give Back” we raise money for God’s Food Pantry so for every donor, Blood Assurance will donate $10 and Jimmy will match. We were very proud to be able to help out,” said Cody.

“I have been working with Trudy for several years helping organize and promote the “Neighbors Helping Neighbors blood drives so when she called me it was an opportunity to participate with her on something special (Great Give Back). I told Trudy I would be glad to join and help and I would match whatever she collected to go to Gods Food Pantry to help them carry on their mission,” said County Clerk Poss.

“We are thankful for this donation,” said Zornow. “ We always need the cash to not only purchase food, but we pay for utilities and rent for those in need including the homeless. We use the money for other purposes too. Its not just for food. It’s the whole person approach. You can’t just give them food and let them live outside. There are so many needs out there and we don’t care what county they come from. We never ask. We just do whatever we need to do,” said Zornow.

God’s Food Pantry is located at 430 East Broad Street. Call 615-597-4540 to leave a message and someone will promptly return your call.

For more information about Blood Assurance visit https://www.bloodassurance.org/

December 15, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

Thefts and break-ins may increase during the holidays, since thieves often know that many families travel leaving their homes unattended or stocked with high-priced gifts.

Sheriff Patrick Ray urges you to guard against becoming a victim by following a few tips.

“We always want you to be on alert and keep an eye on your neighborhood especially this time of year because most thieves will travel about to see what cars or houses and garages are easy targets. If you should spot a strange vehicle in your neighborhood get a good description of it and a tag number and let us know. We’ll check it out,” said Sheriff Ray.

If you don’t already have one, Sheriff Ray suggests investing in a home alarm system and security cameras.

“If you have an alarm system make sure it is working properly. Its also good to have security cameras. Those serve a dual purpose. If your alarm goes off you can go back quickly and pull up an app on your phone to look in your house and see if someone is there. It also gives law enforcement something to go back and look at to see if we can identify the person or their vehicle. If you can’t afford a camera system in your home you can always get a game camera and hide them around your home but make sure they have an infrared flash on it and not a bright flash because if a thief sees that he will steal the camera. We have actually solved some cases where people have used game cameras and captured a picture of the suspect or a tag off their car so its very helpful to us to have something like that,” Sheriff Ray said.

Unoccupied houses can be potential targets for burglary, but hiding the signs of vacancy may fool thieves into thinking you’re still home. Leaving lights on, asking a neighbor to get your mail and setting automatic timers on holiday lights and decorations may give the appearance of being home. It may also be a good idea to do a home security check and consider making any necessary updates before you leave.

Keep your home safe by locking up. When leaving your home, keep in mind that thieves don’t always enter through the front door. Make sure all the doors, including back and patio doors, are locked. And finally, check your windows periodically to make sure the hardware is secure.

If a thief is able to break into your home, chances are they will be looking for guns, tools, jewelry and electronic devices. Sheriff Ray urges you to make sure you record serial numbers to your weapons, televisions, DVD players, laptops or desk computers, shop tools, etc and don’t leave money or jewelry out in the open. Mark wrenches and socket sets and other items because they are easy to steal. Keep your valuables secure.

“I just amazes me sometimes how many people don’t write their gun serial numbers down. Without the serial number it is almost impossible to solve the theft of a weapon. In time a stolen gun will probably be sold or traded to a gun dealer so make sure the serial numbers are recorded so they can be traced. Don’t leave weapons out in the open. Lock them in a secure gun safe that is bolted to the floor or a wall where someone can’t just pick it up and take it off. Some gun owners even hide their weapons and often forget where they are hidden which can cause confusion. They’ll forget where they hid them and think they are stolen. They will come to us to report a theft and then discover later the guns were hidden under a mattress or in a dresser drawer and they forgot. You need to know where your weapons are anyway in case you need them. We also give away gun locks,” Sheriff Ray continued.

Keep your walk in door to your garage shut and locked at all times. Also keep your garage doors down at all times and locked.

“Keep Christmas presents and packages, whether inside or outside your home, out of plain sight. Many people will buy presents and pile them under their Christmas tree which they place in front of a window to be seen. Remember if someone is wanting to break into your home they can go up to the window and see the tree and what is under it. If they see a lot of Christmas presents there it may entice them to break in,” said Sheriff Ray.

If you prefer to do your holiday shopping online, it might be a good idea to start customizing the delivery times and locations for your packages to help deter theft.. Most shipping carriers may allow you to have a package dropped off at your home by a back or side door instead of the front door. You can also choose to have your packages held at a carrier’s location so you can pick them up at a time convenient to your schedule

“If you are not at home when packages are delivered we encourage you to have them delivered to a neighbor or family member who is home during the day. A few years ago I drove by a house and noticed three or four boxes piled up next to the front door. It was obvious they had something delivered there. How easy would it be for a thief to pull up there and load up those boxes and drive off?” said Sheriff Ray.

Other tips to keep in mind:

*When leaving home for an extended time, have a neighbor or family member watch your house and pick up your newspapers and mail.

*Do not post on social media about being out of town.

YOUR VEHICLE

*Park your vehicle under a street light or under some kind of lighting.

*Avoid driving alone or at night

*If you must shop at night, park in a well-lighted area

*Avoid parking next to vans, trucks with camper shells, or cars with tinted windows

*Park as close as you can to your destination and take notice of where you parked

*Never leave your car unoccupied with the motor running or with children inside

*Keep all car doors locked and windows closed while out of your car. Make sure to set your car alarm

*Do not leave packages or valuables on the seat of your car. This creates a temptation for thieves. If you must leave something in the car, lock it in the trunk or put it out of sight.

*Be sure to locate your keys prior to going to your car

*Keep secure hold on your purse, handbag and parcels. Do not put them down or on top of the car in order to open the door.

*When approaching or leaving your vehicle, be aware of your surroundings

*Do not approach your car alone if there are suspicious people in the area. Ask a store security officer for an escort before leaving your shopping location.

ATM MACHINES

*If you must use an ATM, choose one that is located inside a mall, store, or a well-lit location. Withdraw only the amount of cash you need.

*Protect your PIN by shielding the ATM keypad from anyone who is standing near you.

*Do not throw your ATM receipt away at the ATM location

SHOPPING

*Shop during daylight hours whenever possible. If you must shop at night, go with a friend or family member.

*Avoid wearing expensive jewelry

*Do not carry a purse or wallet, if possible

*Always carry your Driver License or Identification Card along with necessary cash. Checks, and or a credit card you expect to use.

*Even though you are rushed and thinking about a thousand things, stay alert to your surroundings

*Avoid carrying large amounts of cash

*Pay for purchases with a check or credit card when possible.

*Keep cash in your front pocket

*Notify the credit card issuer immediately if your credit card is lost, stolen, or misused

*Keep a record of all of your credit card numbers in a safe place at home

*Be extra careful if you do carry a wallet or purse. They are the prime targets of criminals in crowded shopping

*Beware of strangers approaching you for any reason. At this time of year, “con-artists” may try various methods of distracting you with the intention of taking money or belongings.

CHILDREN

*If possible, leave small children at home with a trusted babysitter

*Teach your child to go to a store clerk and ask for help in case your child is separated from you

*Teach children to stay close to you at all times while shopping

*Never allow children to make unaccompanied trips to the restroom

*Children should never be allowed to go to the car alone and they should never be left alone in the car

*Teach children their full name, address and telephone number to give to law enforcement. Teach children to immediately inform you if a stranger is bothering them.

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