Bikers for Foster Kids

This Saturday is the BIG day!  I'm real excited that a group such as the Bikers 4 Foster Kids has decided to make this a personal mission and to help raise an awareness and money for the White County Foster Parents Association.  This began as someone's dream.  Someone I don't know, someone I may never meet.  But someone got the idea that even thought they weren't able to foster children, there was still a way they could help. 

A few months ago, I was asked by a fellow foster parent to attend a meeting of a chirstian motorcycle organization.  This was a group of men that were willing to think outside the box and help a group of kids some people would rather pretend didn't exist.  Maybe in that respect, bikers and foster kids are a lot alike.  We know they're there, but we hear a lot of negative things about them, so it's just easier to bury your head in the sand.  Act like its not your problem.  Act like they're not really people you associate with. The problem is, is thats stinkin' thinkin' to quote Zig Ziglar!!  Foster kids are all our problem!!  And the Bikers show the true spirit of Christ!

I sat down and had supper with these guys.  Folks dressed in leather and had long hair and rode loud bikes.  Men that had names like Blue Dog and King; but men that teared up when told about some of the situations these kids come from.  Sexual abuse at 3 years old.  Physical abuse at 16 months old.  Neglect at 8 years old.  10 year olds that are heads of households.  These men turned out to be some of the most complassionate people I have ever met.  They not only shared tears, but they started a movement in Searcy.  A movement to make a difference in the lives of children that may never have really had a family before. Not anyone present.  Not anyone that would help them. 

Bikers 4 Foster Kids are going to raise money this weekend that will benefit the White County Foster Parents Association.  We are a non-profit organization that offers continuing education classes for foster parents in and around our county.  We are made up of foster parents, supported by DHS and other local churches in the community.  The money raised is used to purchase Christmas gifts and other needed items, like diapers, sports equipment, birthday presents, etc....Sometimes we get foster parents that are brand new and have no idea what to expect.  These funds let us provide for the unexpected.  Maybe the new foster parents have a bedroom set up with a twin bed, but get a call for a 2 year old.  The Foster Parents Association is able to go out and purchase a new toddler bed and bedding. This is win-win, because the child gets a safe home and the foster parents don't have to say to no to a child they can help. The list goes on and on, but the funds raised for the Foster Parents Association go directly to the foster kids.  The money helps parents help these kids. 

At Christmas time, I get a small group together and we use the money to purchase Christmas gifts for these kids.  Last year we had about 90 kids, maybe 6 volunteers for shopping and maybe 15 from the First Baptist Church that helped in sorting and delivering of these presents.  When we shop, DHS has a list made out from the kids that include clothing sizes and needs and a wish list.  We try to get each kid a complete outfit including a shirt and jeans.  Also, a pair of shoes and if the foster parent indicates a need, we also purchase socks, underwear, pajama's, and sometimes a new winter coat.  The fun stuff is the toys!! X Box's, PS2's, Barbies, doll babies, board games, and the like. Last year though, we had 2 or 3 kids that just said they wanted to go home. I can't help them there.  Only Mom and Dad can make the decision to get help.  To stop the abuse. Get set up in drug rehab.  Alcohol rehab.  Anger Management.  Whatever it is; sometimes Mom just chooses the newest Honey and the kids are pushed aside.  My Mom works in the county jail and she says sometimes while the parents are in jail, they brag about their kids being in foster care.  About how they get visits, but they don't have to work or worry about their kids.  They're taken care of.  And its not uncommon, that while Mom is "free" of kids, she'll get pregnant again!  But thats a different story! (and a different tangent!)  My point is, we can't bring Mom and Dad home.  But we do try for the best Christmas ever! I hope you will come out and visit us at our booth this Saturday!  The White County Foster Parents Association with the Bikers 4 Foster Kids!

Thanks for reading
Lola Philpott
President of the White County Foster Parents Association

A Little Bit of This and a Whole Lotta That!

This last week has been like a rollar coaster, full of highs and lows.  

We are still in the "process" of moving. Last week we packed our whole house up, except for beds, dressers and clothes and moved everything to our Philpott Builders warehouse space just outside of town. This was supposed to make it easier to finish "flipping" our house and to get it ready for the buyer. The agenda includes finishing up this weekend, pressure washing the outside (brick, it's a David thing...)the garage and making sure that if we can go to closing early, next week possibly we will be close to turning over an awesome house worth every last penny.

Since we have been living in a sparlsey furnished house, with no tv's and no satellite (except in our room, afterall David does still live here) I started reading the kids the Jack London classic, White Fang!! They love it, even 4 year old Addy!

And this week, Philpott Builders purchased a lot in the brand new, west Searcy subdivision, Ridgewood. The houses in that neighborhood will be moderatly priced, geared towards first time homebuyers and young families. The prices should run around the 140's, so they are very affordable priced. We will be building a 1400 sq ft spec house, with the same features we make standard in more expensive homes. Features like 10 foot ceilings, hand scraped hard wood floors and granite countertops will be available in these homes! I'm real excited; I think Searcy needs a neighborhood like this. http://ridgewoodsearcy.com/

Also, beginning next week, Philpott Builders will begin taking steps to become certified "green" builders. I'm not keen on this. I think this whole "green" crap is just that-crap. Now hold on, let me explain. It's not that I disagree, it's just that now all of a sudden it's considered "cool" and "hip." When really, most our grandparents were "green" only during the depression it was called being "frugal!" Now I'm all about not wasting, and saving and making better and decreasing waste, and all that...I just think this whole green business goes a little overboard. But it's all good and I think we can become better builders by keeping others in mind first.

Also last week, I am sad to say, but feel that since so many of you follow this that are interested in foster care, you should know, we experienced one of the lows so far for us. Saturday, our foster son left us and it was not a happy occassion. It was not something we wanted for sure and I'm willing to bet he really didn't either. We miss him and are still concerned for him and will continue to lift him up in prayer. However, and I'll say this again, as foster parents, you absolutly have to keep your own children's well-being at front and center. If that is compromised, either in fact or threat, you got to go. Period. And then to quote Forrest: "That's all I got to say about tha-at." Well, and I'll also say no one was hurt in anyway...but by gosh, my kids ain't gonna be either.

Monday we started our fall session of "foster parenting continuing education" classes held at the First Baptist Church in Searcy. As President, I word as a liason between DHS and the foster parents of White County. But I feel one of my primary responsibilities is to find interesting and educational speakeds for our classes. We receive 2 hours ce credit and I just wanna do a good job. So I invited Carol Rangle from the Little Rock DHS office to come speak on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. She had lectured at our area wide conference in April and was magnificant!! She does this little demonstration that proves that no amount of alcohol is safe for a fetus. She takes a regular egg, right out the carton, and breaks it open in 2 ounces of alcohol. Just 2 ounces! And you know what?? Instantly, the egg begins to cook!!! And by the end of the lecture, the egg is as rubbery as a kids egg you might find in your daughters play refridgerator! It's amazing! Did you know, FASD is the ONLY birth defect that is 100% preventable and 100% irreversable!! And it's biblical: Judges 13:7, "Behold, thou shalt conceive and bear a son; and now drink no wine or strong drink." I asked John to come witness the demonstration, since someday he'll get married and have a wife and children and I wanted him to see just the effect, his future wife, drinking alcohol could have on the unborn child. He was impressed for sure. I did not however let Presley since she's only 10, but I really should have. She was ticked that I left her out and she's really interested in the subject. I was too concerned about her age and not her maturity, and that violates one of my own rules. I should not base any decision on age alone-I should totally consider maturity. But she did take my notes, lol, and said she wants to do a report on in next month when they start doing reports at school! I think she preached it to the whole 5th grade class!

Since this blog is already all over the place (heck, thats how our week has been!) I'm gonna jump back to foster parenting. Next weekend, the White County Bikers are sponsoring an event to raise awareness of the need of more foster parents in White County. There are only about 24 foster homes in White County and yet, at any given time we have about 90-100 kids. You can do the math...and these leftover kids are farmed out to other counties, sometimes clear across the state. This makes parental visits difficult as well as many other problems that arise from being "out of county." So much has changed in their lives; they've lost their parents, sometimes their siblings, they have to change schools, churches, anything familiar....it can be too much on a small child. We NEED to keep White County kids IN White County. Also, the Bikers are raising funds to help us with Christmas for our kids, school clothes, sports equipment, etc....anything our kids need!! We thank the White County Bikers for Foster Kids!!

The White County Foster Parents Association will have a booth set up as will Philpott Builders, who are a major sponsor of the event. Cool 104 will be doing a live remote broadcast for PB at the event also, to raise an awareness that reaches throughout central Arkansas. This is a great event to attend if you've ever considered fostering, adopting from foster care or ever supported a foster/adoptive family. We will be on hand to answer any questions you may have! I hope to see you there!!

Thanks for reading,
Lola Philpott