COUNTY LIFE
Evergreen Life Services opens in Bowie to fill void of services for individuals with disabilities
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
Evergreen Life Services’ mantra is “Everyone matters,” and this week the non-profit that serves individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities opened in Bowie.
An open house was hosted at the new location at 100 W. Wichita Street as a large crowd attended to get a look at the renovated former Bowie school administration building.
The property was damaged in the 2021 tornado and sold to a local developer, Kenson Vance, who made a pitch to Evergreen to consider setting up shop in Bowie.
Karen Towery, executive director for Evergreen Life Service North Central Texas, said Vance approached them about the need for these services and things began to take shape.
“This community is in desperate need of these services, as well as the surrounding communities. There are no programs for this group of people to go to every day. There is a small program in Decatur, but not like what we offer,” explained Towery.
Vance told The Bowie News in an October interview the needs of those with disabilities are close to his heart. He had a daughter, Katie with special needs who died on Sept. 23, 2015, so he has personal experience with what a family may need.
Who is Evergreen?
ELS began in 1959 as an arm of the Presbyterian church in northwest Louisiana. According to the website, prior to that time, people with severe intellectual and developmental disabilities were usually sent to state institutions. The company started with 11 men who were served and went out into the community. It has since expanded into eight states and now serves more than 1,300 people with disabilities.
Adults ages 18 and up are served in a variety of programs.
Read the full story in your mid-week Bowie News.
In recognition of National Adoption Awareness Month this November, Texas Community Counseling and the Heart Gallery of Northwest Texas are partnering to bring resources to Montague County families.
The two organizations will host an adoption, foster care and kinship care resource fair on Nov. 14 at the United Presbyterian Church of Montague County Fellowship Hall, located at 300 W. Nelson St. in Bowie.
The resource fair will run from 10 a.m. to noon, bringing together local agencies and service providers to answer questions and share information about support available within the county.
Read the full story in the Thursday Bowie News.
Members of the Montague County Historical Commission invite the community to join them on Nov. 14 for a Rolling Bus Tour.
This tour will cover the cemeteries in the south west corner of Montague County. You will have the opportunity to stroll through some of the cemeteries, others the bus will stop and Commission member Calvin Durham will tell the history of the cemetery.
The bus tour will meet at the Old Jail in Montague at 9 a.m. and return at approximately 3 p.m. The tour will include a sack lunch, a brochure of each cemetery visited and a book “This Soil will Grow Grapes” written by Melvin Fenoglio.
The cost of the tour is $20 for adults. There is no charge for children under 12. The commission members strive to preserve the history of the county and to share as much of it as possible with our citizens. You can RSVP by calling 940-841-2674 or 940-872-1007. Please leave a message with your name if there is no answer.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System at 1:20 p.m. on Nov. 17.
FEMA’s emergency alert system is a national public warning system made up of thousands of radio, TV, cable and satellite and wireline video providers. Through the EAS, the President can address the American people or share life-saving information with the public during a national emergency.
FEMA is required by law to conduct a nationwide test of the public alert and warning system at least once every three years. These tests allow FEMA to identify technical or operational issues before the system is needed during an actual emergency.
FEMA and the FCC are sharing the test date in advance because it is important the public understands what to expect on the day of the test.
At approximately 1:20 p.m. (Central time), on Nov. 17, all the electronics providers will interrupt normal programming to relay a test message.
This message will state: This is a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, issued by the Federal Emergency management Agency, covering the United States from 1:20 to 1:50 p.m. This is only a test. No action is required by the public.”
When the test is concluded, normal programming will resume.
FEMA and the FCC are coordinating with stakeholders, including participating communications providers as well as federal, state, tribal and territorial agencies to prepare for and conduct the test.
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