Southworth, Inc. gives helping hand to the Lions Goodfellows

Several staff members of Southworth, Inc. in Manila were guests of the Lions Club Wednesday as they made a special presentation on behalf of the employees.

Shelly Barley, HR manager; Sheila Collier, assistant HR manager; Regina Meacham, Jean Croom, and Misty Martin represented Southworth in presenting $1,938 in toys and gifts to be distributed in the Goodfellow boxes.

"Our employees have had fundraisers including yard sales, popcorn sales, raffles, and more to raise money to purchase the toys for tots," Barley said.

Every Arkansas Southworth employee contributed some way in the fundraising project. Southworth employees started raising money for the project in the summer.

Southworth has 160 employees, the highest number of employment in Manila since it located there in 1979.

The shopping team was made up of Regina Meacham, Jean Croom, and her daughter, Abigail Croom, Misty Martin and her daughter, Melissa, and grandchild Jackson.

Jillian Meacham, 9, daughter of Regina Meacham, donated her dollhouse to the project. Tickets were sold for $1 and $272 was raised. The winner of the drawing was Levi Forehand.

When the corporate office heard what the employees were doing and about the Lion's Club Goodfellow baskets, they contributed $1,000 to the food baskets.

Barley presented the check to Lion President Wendell Poteet and Treasurer Tracey Reinhart.

The Manila Lions will distribute over 100 baskets of food and toys to area families early on Christmas Eve.

Lioness Ann Jaco serves as chair for the toys for tots distribution and she thanked Southworth for their help.

The Lions will not meet the week of Christmas but will resume their meetings the following Wednesday at noon at the Manila Depot.