County children’s shelter renovated

The children’s shelter in Van Zandt County held an open house after six weeks of work repairing, refurbishing and repainting the property.

“More than 40 people attended the Oct. 10 open house,” according to Kerry Cartier, president of the shelter’s board of directors. “People told us, with fresh paint in every room and newly stained trim, the inside of the shelter looks like new.”

The children’s shelter provides the physical facility for temporary placement of children with nowhere else to go. The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services contracts with Azleway Inc. of Tyler to place children in the shelter.  Azleway contracts for house parents to provide care for the children.

A team of Azleway employees and shelter board members spent six weeks getting the shelter ready for the open house. The team included Cartier, J. W. and Leta Parker, Matthew Patton, Dawn Richmond, Brandon and Mandy Russell and Frank Tillman Jr.

Neighbors and friends who assisted were Lee Barrett, Fred Covington, Jim Garrett and Tommy Garrett.

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