What do you want?

By Fred

December 1, 2008 5:08 AM | Link to this | Report comment abuse

Thanksgiving in East Waco? I saw a skinny child in the Estella Maxie Project sitting on the curb and eating a old wrinkled bag of chips for breakfast. The child was wearing “flip-flops” and an old sweater. Happy Holidays from Slaughterhouse Waco.

By Early L. Doss

December 1, 2008 4:43 PM | Link to this | Report comment abuse

Fred, I hear your pain. Did you do anything to help that child? Perhaps, a sandwich from Mickey D or perhaps you could have brought a sandwich from your home. It is not enough for us to weep and moan for our children who are growing up without love and guidance. What can we do other than bemoan the conditions? Could we call Child Protective Service? It is sad and a shame that today, 2008, our children seem to have been left behind. Most of us had plenty to eat on Thanksgiving, probably too much but what could be do for a child sitting on the street, half clothed and eating potato chips for breakfast. What can we do?

I would like to make contact with a church in the community that I can contribute to that will act on behalf of our neglected children. Fred and Carol if you will respond to me with the information I will respond by sending a check for the purpose of helping where help is needed. I am not by any stretch of the imagination wealthy but I have been blessed. I can and will help if I can.

I saw some beautiful and properous looking people in the pictures of the Mae Jackson Memorial. Surely some of those persons can reach back to me as I am reaching out to you and to them. I would like to make that committment. Reach back and advise me. It is said that we have not because we ask not. I am not waiting to be asked.

Carol, what does it mean that no one has commented on your report on the education workshop. Are you being contacted privately?

By Carol Dugat

December 3, 2008 8:39 AM | Link to this | Report comment abuse

Early, my friend, you always hit the nail on the head - it is action that produces results - good thoughts feed no one.

Thank you for your interest in making a difference. There are three organizations I highly recommend that would make good use of any contribution you make: 1. Carver Park Baptist Church is near Estella Maxey. For info go to www.carverpark.org. 2. Restoration Haven is an organization that is actually in the Estella Maxey complex. The contact person is Shirley Langston. For more info go to www.restorationhaven.net 3. Mission Waco is another fine organization that addresses the needs of the underprivileged. For more info go to www.missionwaco.org.

As for the education summit, I’m also surprised that there has been no feedback, yet there is quite a bit of work going on behind the scenes that is not yet visible. Much will be seen and heard after the first of the year.

Thanks for all you are doing.

By Early L. Doss

December 3, 2008 9:07 AM | Link to this | Report comment abuse

Carol, Thank you for your response. I am going to make a contribution to Carver Park Baptist Church to start.

I heard this morning that a baby was just hours from death because his mother had added water to his formula to make it last longer. This mother is young but she is trying. She did not ask for help. It is a crime to allow our children to suffer in a land of plenty.

Additionally, I hear that I have a classmate, Rev. Freddie Debose, who ministers in Waco. I would love to hear from him, to see what he is doing. It is not my intention to put any pressure on any other person but I feel compelled to help.

By Don

December 3, 2008 8:16 PM | Link to this | Report comment abuse

I attended the business group breakout at the Education Summit Carol and the one thing that rung out loud and clear was that there are some very prominent businessmen in Waco ready to give a lot of their money to help reach our community’s education goals. The only condition they voiced was that they want to make sure a well thought out and viable plan is in place before give up their money. That to me makes sense. The individuals there committing to this, to name just a few, were David Lacy (the Lacy family descendent) and CEO of Community Bank, the CEO of L-3 Communication, Bill Nesbitt, the CEO of Central National Bank and his son Joe. Also there was Ken Hammonds of the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce. These gentlemen weren’t just issuing idle promises either. They truly understand the state of our community when it comes to where our young people stand competitively and are committed to finance whatever initiatives that have the greatest potential for success. They also made it clear that they do not want to be involved in the strategic planning, only loosening up the purse strings to help get it done. So for all the naysayers who will contribute something extremely negative to this entry, know in advance that you are only showing your ignorance by having anything negative to say about this initiative. It only shows how little you really know about how business works. This was one of the most productive and insightful summits I have ever attended that centered on a community need. The only negative aspect of the summit in my opinion was that there was very very little African-American representation and we needed to be there more than anyone.

By Carol Dugat

December 3, 2008 10:23 PM | Link to this | Report comment abuse

Early, you and Don do my heart good. You are so the best.

I do know Rev. Debose. He is the pastor at Community Baptist Church Waco, TX 76705 Contact Phone: (254) 799-5311

By Don

December 4, 2008 8:36 PM | Link to this | Report comment abuse

Thank you Carol. Also, I need to make a correction to my entry above…I mispelled the name of the gentleman who I mentioned from the chamber who helped coordinate the summit. His name is Ken Hampton, not Hammond. Sorry Mr. Hampton.

By Ken Hampton

December 5, 2008 9:47 AM | Link to this | Report comment abuse

Don, thank you for your comments. The Education Summit is only the beginning. We need to focus on education and childhood development to make sure that our children have the quality of life and very best opportunities available to them. Education will be the world’s greatest equalizer for that quality of life. I was recently at a business meeting and there was considerable discussion about business development. However, the number one priority with those business leaders was education. How about that!! To succeed, we’ll all need to value and support our children and their education. That’s not only money but the most importnat thing will be time. I want to see our children have the very best education and opportunities that our country has to offer. Only if we get involved in a supportive way can that happen, regards Ken Hampton

By Don

December 5, 2008 8:19 PM | Link to this | Report comment abuse

I wonder what type of response we would get from having an education “carnival” in that open field at the corner of Faulkners Lane and Dallas Street. This would involve securing that large open lot and hosting a neighborhood education summit complete with booths, activities for the children and education experts there to assist parents i n meeting their childs educational potential. The goal would be to share knowledge and educate the participants on the valuable resources available to them and their children. There could be booths set up by area educators and experts talking to parents and grandparents about the various resources available to enhance their childs learning and childhood development, and out of that “carnival” if you will, could come a strategy based on what needs assessment is taken from having had this event. I know this is an ambitious idea but one that would deliver a great and needed service. If the business community is true to their word, they should certainly want to get behind and resource a project such as this. This is certainly a geographical area where the need exist on a grand scale. There are some brilliant young minds in that area but with little hope and direction, that mind stands to get wasted and as we all know, a mind is certainly a terrible thing to waste. If not a mother, a grandmother is really praying for something good and positive to happen for their young family member. I personally would be proud to be involved in the strategic planning of something like this. Maybe there are a lot of others who would want to also.

By Fred

December 6, 2008 7:37 AM | Link to this | Report comment abuse

Yes….the open-air, outside East Waco Education Carnival is a great idea. Maybe for several days (next spring) Chief Brent Stroman and the Waco Police Department could get several big Buses and round-up all the Crack-Cocaine addicts (who walk Dallas and Faulkner streets like zombies) and lock them up in the Convention Center so they would not spoil the Carnival? We could hire sixty armed (off-duty) Waco Police Officers to form perimeter security detail (with barbed-wire fences) to keep out all the armed criminals of East Waco and to avoid a “drive-by” shooting. You know that a lot of those East Waco murders are still unsolved and the killers are still “loose” with their guns. We could also “keep out” those obnoxious, screaming parents of the kids from the “closed” GL Wiley School. We don’t want anymore “screaming fits” like the WISD Board meeting earlier this year. Carol……this is a wonderful idea for East Waco. We could make this happen with the protection of our very own Waco Police Department. Could you talk to Brent about it?

By Carol Dugat

December 7, 2008 3:34 PM | Link to this | Report comment abuse

I can see that sparks from the fire that was lit at the education summit are spreading and we are envisioning how we might participate - the key phrase being how ‘we can participate’ because each of us brings something very valuable to the table. We each have a wellspring of wisdom in different areas, yet it is only as we put feet to our words that anything happens. Don, since you said your idea sounds ambitious, would you consider smaller steps to prepare for the bigger ones, much like small, short runs before enrolling in the marathon? Fred, we hear your cries loud and clear for a safer environment in EW. You seem to see so much more than most - would you consider leading a neighborhood watch program working with the police department? I think you’d make an outstanding leader.

By Fred

December 11, 2008 6:34 AM | Link to this | Report comment abuse

Yesterday there were four armed robberies in Downtown Waco (the Waco Police have arrested no one….as usual). With all that violent crime in Downtown Waco; it makes East Waco seem like…..Disneyland. One has to laugh (a bit) if you think about it; all those Millions spent in exclusive Downtown Waco and all that violent crime. Four armed robberies in one day and last week another Downtown Waco Bank robbed…….ouch! Well, it makes sense; criminals are attracted to all that Baylor money like bees are attracted to flowers. A little “street justice” for East Wacoans……..so it goes.

By neil

December 19, 2008 6:34 PM | Link to this | Report comment abuse

nice to see the serious and sincere efforts…stay patience, stay focused…its not an overnight deal esp when youve been kept from opportunity for whatever reasons..but anything is possible with the right attitude, right effort and a little help.

2 fred: 4? wow, you get all your info from the small town billy news huh? then exaggerate it EVEN more..lol

By James Duarte

December 23, 2008 12:46 PM | Link to this | Report comment abuse

Ms.Dugat I commend you for your tenacity and willingness to place yourself in the line of fire so to speak.My suggestion is really all about concept and logistics.The way Waco community and economic developers should look at this part of our city. Each entry into our city needs to be looked at as means to promote the city’s development. I-35 can lead visitors through this part of Waco create a visitors Bureau and hsopitality area . Rename and highlight the areas history :example many cities have historical districts and areas they call “Old Town” . It’s time we stop using the term East Waco in a negative and promote the positive . After all all roads leandin into WACO ARE IMPORTANT NEW AND FUTURE BUSINESS. Perhaps you you may heard these ideas before .Maybe they are worht revisiting .

By Caitlin

February 16, 2009 4:31 PM | Link to this | Report comment abuse

Ms. Dugat, I am on of Mrs. Curtis’s servant leadership students. All the talk of promoting education excites me! I believe every child deserves to be educated, no matter their parents’ or family’s social or economic status. I like Don’s idea of having some sort of event where information could be given to parents about their child/children’s education opportunities. I applaud you on your efforts to change the current existence of the EW community.

By Lauren

February 16, 2009 10:02 PM | Link to this | Report comment abuse

Ms. Dugat, hello! i am also one of mrs. Curtis’s servant learship students. I cant wait to see EW start to improve. i believe it will take little steps to get to the bigger steps and then we will get an improved EW!i see education as one of those little steps and also the surrounding community, and local business stores.

By Patricia

February 17, 2009 11:12 PM | Link to this | Report comment abuse

Ms. Dugat: Listening to you last week was definitely inspirational, I know that my two classmates who have commented on this blog agree with me. My family does not come from a privileged background and I still made it to Baylor with a lot of effort and tears on the way. She always told me that education is the best gift one can receive. I applaud you for taking a stand for EW! I support Don’s idea of some sort of educational carnival, and yes it might take a lot of planning or hard work and conditions in EW might not be the optimum, but why not concentrate on the positive aspect of it, on how beneficial could this be! Education is definitely one of those steps in the ladder, one that if your foot is set up the right way and enough force is placed on it the climbing can be extremely fruitful (sorry if my analogy doesn’t make too much sense). I am wanting to get involved and help, I hope that I am on the right track…what can I do? where should I begin?

By Tutu

February 18, 2009 3:01 PM | Link to this | Report comment abuse

Ms. Dugat,

As many have previously mentioned, your lecture in Ramona Curtis’ class was truly inspirational. I think many Baylor students including myself are guilty of not seeing waco as a temporary home but rather as an “unfortunate” (for lack of a better word) area where our university resides. Your lecture helped me to realize this ought not to be the case. east waco at one point was a prosperous and growing city & this can be the case once again. my vision for east waco includes stores for waco residents as well as baylor students. i think there definitely needs to be a bridged gap between Baylor & waco residents. Being that many students from Baylor come from well-off homes, it would be great if there were stores in East Waco where Baylor students could spend money to help stimulate the economic growth of east waco. if baylor students&parents and waco residents spent money in these areas, i am sure it would be only a matter of time before change would occur.

By Carol Dugat

February 18, 2009 6:49 PM | Link to this | Report comment abuse

To Ramona’s class - Sorry I have not responsded to your comments. I just got back in to town and have not had access to a computer.

I’m so excited about your enthusiasm for EW. I’m off to a class at MCC. I’ll talk to you later. Thanks for caring. Education is everybody’s business.

By LM

February 22, 2009 12:37 PM | Link to this | Report comment abuse

Just to tell it like it is…on Baylor.

Waco is still running behind Baylor and chasing it… while Baylor only turns to Waco to purchase their game tickets.

Stop waiting on Baylor and anyone else for that matter…(nothing against Baylor but just saying in general) do what you can do when you are ready and do it to your best ability in a positive and well rounded manner. Too much emphasis on limiting ourselves…there’s better alternatives, trust in it.

This is also coming from a Baylor undergrad (UNT MBA/UT Austin PhD grad)

By Carol Dugat

February 23, 2009 3:37 PM | Link to this | Report comment abuse

LM, ouch! Thanks for your viewpoint. Yet, I’m not waiting on Baylor to do something and I don’t think anyone else in EW is either. However, I personally would not turn down offers from anyone that would like to participate in the vision of an extreme make-over for EW.

Now tell me, what do you want for EW?