North Birmingham Times

During this Holiday season it has been a desire of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, personnel, and numerous local businesses to be a help to the community in various ways.  With many of our personnel taking up the task to do just that, we would like to make the public aware of these efforts to spread kindness, generosity, and charity. Notifying the public about some positive outreach actions in many ways can be more encouraging than much of the negative news we receive these days. 

     We would like to start by saying it has been possible to prepare and give presents of both wants and needs to numerous children throughout Franklin County this year.  This particularly was in no small part due to the many hours of charity, love, and kindness that our Sheriff’s late wife, Tange Oliver had given herself to through so many hours by gathering toys, clothing items and other donations for area children.  She was always looking for ways to help children or families.  She was engaged in being charitable in these ways and others prior to her passing in 2021.   She loved people and children of Franklin County and surrounding areas.  When she saw a need, or was made aware of one, she would often do all she could to go an extra mile for them and then some. 

     During her efforts to gather items that were to be given to children for Christmas, she amassed a large amount of donations that ranged from toys, appropriate to many age groups, to clothing and school supply items.  It has been an honor and a privilege to continue what she had started, by gathering additional donations of money, clothing and toys that have been distributed to children this year in various ways.  It is this compassion and love for our community that Tange Oliver and those donors have shown that we also want to exhibit, imitate, and radiate as often as we can within Franklin County.  

    Donations were collected from the Deputies who collectively wanted to have a No-Shave November, adding that all those that grew a beard could donate as well, to go along with growing their beards.  The Deputies were very happy to give those donations with some donating even without growing a beard.  Those donations were added to other donations that then were used to buy numerous gifts for area children. 

    On Thursday December 9, 2022, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office was able to distribute gifts that included toys, clothing, and other needs to children in Vina, Phil Campbell, Russellville, and other areas of Franklin County.  Additionally, we were able to provide the same for several children made aware to us by DHR of Franklin County.  There were lists that were given to us by 4 schools in the County for a total of more than twenty specific children that we were honored to be able to help as well.  The businesses and people of Franklin County were so generous to this effort that there were more donations than we knew what to do with.  We were able to take and gift items to the 1st graders of East Franklin Junior High School, 1st graders of Vina High School and give coloring supplies to Vina kindergarten.  

    Still, after this there were a great deal of remaining gifts to be distributed.  With Parades in Red Bay and Phil Campbell both taking place on this date Deputies took gifts to both parades to be handed out to children.  At the Red Bay Christmas Parade, Deputies; Chase White, Colt Montgomery, Richie Michael, Jonathan Frederick, and Taylor Weclowski along with wives of several deputies all came volunteering their time to hand out gifts of various kinds to children standing on the sidewalks.  

    It was such a humble privilege to give children gifts and fist bumps while, watching them smile, giggle and be joyful.  Phil Campbell Christmas Parade was done the same way with Deputy Billy Burks guiding the efforts there assisted by Deputy reserve Matthew Waldrep and Matthew Darracott, handing out gifts to children on the sidewalks and witnessing the same reactions of joy from faces of many children. 

   In a career that causes us to see so many negative scenarios it has been a very great blessing to all of us of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office to help and give to children this year.  We hope to be able within the next year and each year thereafter to establish these efforts and continue the joy of giving to others during the Holiday season. 

    Being a help to the community and the citizens is what enriches our local society here and is a tradition that we believe is vitally crucial to surrounding area families. It has been uplifting and encouraging to see so many freely give this year, even though our economy has been tough, we appreciate and thank all the people and businesses who have been very generous and kind in donating, while believing in the purpose of helping others here within our home of Franklin County.  

    With this having been said, no one asked to be recognized but we want to recognize them and tell them THANK YOU for caring about others and spreading these qualities that we want to emphasize in our area this Holiday Season.  Within the following week we will give a very special shout out to every donor that we can who has contributed to these Holiday efforts.

                    We Wish you all a very   MERRY CHRISTMAS

                           From Our SHERIFF SHANNON OLIVER          and all of us at the FRANKLIN COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

Here are some photos from some of the parades and gift deliveries for you to see and we hope you get as much enjoyment from the children in some of these as we did. A big thank you to the Phil Campbell FTA for their donations as well.

Original source can be found here.