Staff Reporters
Corsicana Daily Sun

Corsicana — VOICE, Inc. honored eight area student who participated in the VOICE TOOL (Training Our Own Leaders) program.

Recognized were Erika Castaneda (Kerens HS Senior), Sheldon Steward (Corsicana HS Senior), Tauren Kitchen (Corsicana HS Senior), Buster Paul (Kerens HS Senior), Jacob Stacy (Corsicana HS Freshman), Houston McCaghren (Corsicana HS Sophomore), Damien Melton (Kerens HS Junior), and Makenzie Fitzgerald (Frost Sophomore).

All eight of these students have completed all requirements of the VOICE TOOL Program, including community volunteer hours. They will all receive a $500 scholarship to the college of their choice.

Story Courtesy of: Corsicana Daily Sun

May 6th, VOICE had a La Voz para la Familia Banquet to honor our particpants in the program. There were several awards given out:

VOICE provides family fun for ‘El dia de los ninos’

Staff Reporters
Corsicana Daily Sun

Corsicana - Echoes of celebration were heard throughout Fullerton Garitty Park as VOICE celebrated El dia de los ninos/El dia de los libros. The event celebrating family and children took place April 30.

This day recognizes children, pays homage to their importance in society, and endorses their well being. Since 1925 Dia del ninos — the Day of the Child — has grown as an annual celebration in Mexico.

The celebration of El dia de los Ninos started in early spring at VOICE. Throughout the last few months, VOICE has donated the children’s book by Pat Mora — Book Fiesta — to area schools, libraries, day cares, and organizations while also encouraging more celebration.

El dia de los ninos/El dia de los libros began in Texas in 1997. El dia de los ninos/El dia de los libros is traditionally observed and celebrated on April 30. With the celebration also comes a daily commitment of:

• Honoring children and childhood
• Promoting literacy and the importance of linking all children to books, languages, and cultures
• Honoring home languages and cultures, and thus promoting bilingual and multilingual literacy in this multicultural nation, and a global understanding through reading
• Involving parents as valued members of the literacy team
• Promoting library collection development that reflects our plurality

Families who participate in the VOICE Program La Voz para la Familia (The voice of the family) brought the celebration to Corsicana two years ago. La Voz para la Familia has been a very successful program started by VOICE five years ago. La Voz para la Familia began as an effort to empower Hispanic families and children by broadening their English skills, improving their school performance, and instilling strong family support and healthy choices.

The VOICE celebration of El dia de los ninos/ El dia de los libros included games for the children, festive foods, bounce houses, and the reading of Book Fiesta by VOICE staff. A very special part of the day was the drawings for 4 new bicycles with helmets and one scooter also with a helmet.

“The families who are involved in La Voz para la Familia enjoy this yearly celebration and work very hard at bringing the event together,” said Maybeth Mendez, VOICE Prevention Specialist and La Voz para la Familia Facilitator.

Next year’s El dia de los ninos will be on Saturday, April 30, 2011. Families already have plans to include the annual Derrick Days festivities with their celebration.

Story Courtesy of: Corsicana Daily Sun

Swanson a hit VOICE Luncheon

Staff Reporters
Corsicana Daily Sun

Corsicana — Hilarious comedian and public speaker Kelly Swanson was the main attraction at the annual VOICE Inc. luncheon, held Thursday at The Cook Center.

Viable Options In Community Endeavors (VOICE) is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping children and giving families the tools to achieve healthy relationships. Founder Lois Jean Hart, who passed away in September 2009, was honored by chief executive officer Lynda Sloan.

“I count myself fortunate that I was able to sit at her feet and learn what service to children is all about,” Sloan said.

Following a silent auction with many items which were donated by area individuals and businesses, a “haystack salad” prepared by Affordable Affairs Catering was served to the crowd of men and women alike. Sloan thanked the board, luncheon committee, and Brad Haynie and the Derrick Days committee for allowing VOICE Inc. to be a part of the Derrick Days celebration again this year.

The Gioia Keeney Service to Children award was presented by Dr. Kent Rogers, longtime head of the Corsicana-Navarro County Public Health District. This year’s recipient of the award was Ida Pearl Reynolds, a nurse practitioner for many years at the PEDIA (Planning Early Developmental Interagency Action) Clinic, located at the health department.

“If we ever had a Hall of Fame, Pearl, if she ever put her stethoscope down, would be a member,” Rogers said.

Reynolds has served at the health department for the last 35 years. Rogers said that her work ethic and “unyielding dedication” served her well when she was training to become a registered nurse, then again to become a nurse practitioner.

“It was a difficult step in the era that she did it,” he said. “It took a lot of moxy, self-confidence and work.”

Kelly Swanson, comedian and motivational speaker, as well as the author of “Who Hijacked My Fairytale?” took the stage and kept the room in stitches. The Georgia native now resides in North Carolina, and her accent contributes to her Southern charm.

“I asked Wilbur, my 5-year-old son, what he was going to be when he grew up,” Swanson said. “He looked me in the eye and said without hesitation, ‘Cinderella.’”

Swanson said even though it was not one of her gifts, she was going to sing, and entertained the audience with personalized versions of “One Day My Prince Will Come” and “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” among others.

“Every one of you is going to find yourself in your fairy tale where a page has been ripped out,” she said. “If it’s not you, count your blessings. If it is you, it is going to be all right. This too shall pass.”

She said her gifts are comedy, her “characters,” and her personality, and she uses them to “come alongside people when things aren’t going right” and encourage them.

“When I speak outside the South, they say we’re so nice,” she said. “I tell them we know a secret ... You can say anything about anybody if you start off, ‘Well, I don’t mean to be ugly ...’ and end it with a ‘Bless their heart.’”

Swanson said she had a foot in two different worlds — one foot in the world of “expectations” and another in her writing and development of characters. She claimed to be the shy kid on the bus who got picked on, and only wanted to get on stage and make people laugh.

“I took a deep breath, closed my eyes and jumped,” she said. “And I never looked back. Well, I do look back once in a while to think what would have happened if I’d never jumped at all.”

A story of a young girl who only wanted to dance, and practiced for two weeks in her carport prior to cheerleaders tryouts took a painful turn when Swanson exhibited her original dance — only to be met with thunderous laughter.

“If I had known then what I know now, I would have danced anyway, and not let the world define me,” she said. “That was also the first day I discovered I could make people laugh.”

“Life doesn’t promise a ‘Happily Ever After,’ but maybe it does, if you know where to look. We each have the power to make a difference.”

Swanson described a woman she knew growing up, who marched to a very different drummer. The woman had a silver butterfly on a clip she wore in her hair, and the name “Earl” on her shirt. That woman, who many overlooked, told Swanson once she was “special,” and had a “light” about her. That meant a lot to Swanson, and she has held that memory dear for many years. She took the opportunity to thank the members of the audience for their contributions.

“Thank you for the paths you chose, and what you do,” she said. “You walked a path that may not be covered in fame or glory, but you were called to take a path — and you answered.

“Have faith. Dust yourself off and keep going. Life does promise ‘happily ever afters,’ you just have to know where to look.”

Story Courtesy of: Corsicana Daily Sun

VOICE, Inc. fund-raiser winners picked

Our Raffle Winners were Don Gibson-MacBook Pro (First Prize) and Hilda Castillo-Apple iPhone (Second Prize)

VOICE, Inc. fund-raiser supports local programs of agency

Deanna Brown
Corsicana Daily Sun

Corsicana — For over 20 years, VOICE Inc. has empowered children and families, with training and knowledge to live better, more productive lives.

You, too, can be a part of making a difference through VOICE Inc., by purchasing a raffle ticket to win either a MacBook Pro, or Apple iPhone 3G. The tickets are $20, and this fund-raiser, which began Tuesday, will run through Feb. 16, with the drawing to be held Feb. 18. Winners will be notified by telephone.

“The money raised will be used to support local programs in Navarro County by VOICE Inc.,” said board member Dr. Toni Brown. “VOICE Inc. affected 15,000 individuals last year, and I firmly believe for the most part, the programs offered are life-changing for the children and the families.”

Brown said the raffle is being held in lieu of the men’s luncheon VOICE normally hosts each year.

“It is an opportunity for more people in the community to participate, because anyone can buy a ticket,” she said. “The luncheon may leave out people who can’t get away from work, or who work out of town.”

Brown is the raffle chairman, but to purchase tickets, or get more information, contact Gina Dieterichs at the VOICE Inc. office by calling (903) 872-0180, or e-mail her at gdieterichs@voiceinc.org. The office is located at the Bank of America Building, 100 N. Main St., Suite 308.

VOICE Inc. was founded in 1989 by the late Lois Jean Hart, in an attempt to prevent tobacco, alcohol and drug use. Programs of VOICE Inc. include school-based drug prevention, school-based teen pregnancy prevention education, family summer programs, spring break programs, healthy family programs and leadership development programs.

Children and families served in 2009 numbered over 15,000, and live in Navarro, Freestone, Limestone, Henderson and Hill counties. Of those served, 10,291 youth participated in school-based drug prevention; 237 adults attended multi-session classes for the purpose of strengthening and building parenting skills; and over 300 children and families participated in summer enrichment activities provided by VOICE.

Over 350 Spanish speaking children and adults participated in the La Voz para la Familia program; and 240 children and adults were involved in a program over spring break which promoted healthy lifestyles.

VOICE Inc. will host a spring luncheon for women on April 22 to kick off the Derrick Days festivities.

“On the evening of April 22, we will partner with the Navarro Council of the Arts for Mystery in Tuckertown,” Dieterichs said. “And we do a summer fund-raiser in Kerens.”

Money raised from the raffle will go toward furthering the programs offered by VOICE, such as “Too Good for Drugs,” “Worth the Wait,” a school-based abstinence program, Corsicana Summer Freedom School, La Voz para la Familia, “Training Our Own Leaders” (or TOOL), and other programs.

“VOICE is very responsible with the funding they receive,” Brown said. “The community benefits very much from the programming offered by VOICE."

Story Courtesy of: Corsicana Daily Sun

Remembered by the community as an educator and community activist, Lois Jean Hart, founder of VOICE, passed away on September 26 at the age of 88.

Lois Jean Hart was the eldest daughter of Beatrice and McKinley Johnson. She was born in Corsicana and influenced by a family tradition of strong, educated women. She graduated in 1938 as salutatorian from G.W. Jackson High School years before desegregation. Following high school, she went to Tillotson College where she studied secondary education.

Throughout the years Ms. Hart worked for G.W. Jackson High School, Corsicana High School, the Education Service Center, and the Texas Education Agency in Austin. She retired from TEA in 1980 and returned to Corsicana.

In the late 1980’s Ms. Hart began utilizing the MLK Center for children to have a place to come. Then in 1989 Ms. Hart formed a formal drug and alcohol prevention program P.R.I.D.E., Practicing Reasoning in Drug Education was formed in 1989 targeting primarily African American children. VOICE, Viable Options in Community Endeavors, was formed in 1992 as an umbrella group to other youth-oriented programs. “P.R.I.D.E. was based on particular needs. She saw children on the east side at higher risk of drug and alcoholism and struggling with dropping out of school. As other needs arose, she formed VOICE as an agency to meet those occurring needs.” Lynda Sloan, VOICE, CEO.

VOICE since its inception has grown with changing times and needs. Several years ago all Navarro County schools were added to the drug prevention programs. Last year Freestone, Limestone, Hill, and Henderson counties were also added. VOICE offers programs supporting healthy communities, healthy families, and leadership development.

In addition to being the founder of VOICE, she worked for 28 years as an educator, founded several other community organizations, was a school board member for three terms, worked on the city’s Main Street board and worked on the Palace Theatre revitalization project. In Ms. Hart’s later years, she laid the foundation for the G.W. Jackson Multicultural Society. Lois Jean Hart’s work in founding VOICE will always be remembered and appreciated by the board, staff, and supporters of VOICE.

Linda Mooneyhan, Bank of America President, presents a check to Lynda Sloan, VOICE CEO, to help support Corsicana Summer Freedom School.

The Winner of the Nintendo Wii at the VOICE Fall Festival was Aliyah Neason. There were games, prizes, bounce houses, a clown, magic, drawings for prize giveaways, hair painting, face painting and hot dogs.

Click to see more Pictures from the Festival