I have to say, looking around the table in a sunlit room of a Mrs. Betty Booth’s house at all the smiling faces of the members of the Wingo Circle was lovely way to start my week.

I was invited by Wini Yunker to attend the meeting of the women responsible for raising over $90,000 in the past two years for charities local and abroad alike.

I found it very uplifting to be around such a group of women with the wisdom and the drive to raise that much money to help others.

At the meeting, I learned about the Wingo Circle’s main charities that they donate to:

• Lottie Moon Christmas offering, an international Baptist mission

• Annie Armstrong Easter offering, a North America Baptist mission

• Julia Woodward summer offering, which consists of Bluegrass Baptist missions

• Eliza Broaddus fall and late summer offering, which is for Kentucky State Baptist missions

• Jessamine County Food Pantry and the Jessamine County Homeless Coalition

The group meets for lunch, a missions program and a prayer on the fourth Monday of each month in the unique setting of a porch that was converted into a sunroom.

Those ladies sure know how to make a person feel at home,  and there are several other groups like theirs around the community dedicated to helping others. I’m so glad there are still people in this world, and close to home, who take the time to lend a helping hand to their fellow community members.

***

Just as this week began on a bright note, last week ended on a colorful one.

Though I was working feverishly to finish my final article for the upcoming issue of Jessamine Life on Thursday, I managed to slip away from the office for about an hour to join many other community members who were painting banners.

It’s not very often I get to sneak out from the behind the lens of my camera and participate in the fun events I’m capturing, but on Thursday I got to do just that.

Among 136 community members unleashing their creativity on the 30 inches by 77 inches banners, I expressed my own with purple, blue and white paint. By the time I left the blue building at City/County Park, I was speckled with each color. I am challenging readers to find my banner when they are hung on the poles lining Main Street closer to fall. 

I finally finished my article for our upcoming magazine, now the ball is in my co-worker Nick Hon’s hands. We are both looking forward to its release next month. Don’t forget to keep an eye out for it!