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Regular City Council Meeting <br />September 8, 2003 <br />Page 5 <br />that she is a new Board Member of the Lamar County Human Resource Council, <br />but she has come to understand and realize that the programs that are offered are <br />some of the things that people do not think about every day, but it is important <br />to touch the lives of the elderly. She asked that the City Council consider their <br />request. <br />Vickie Bonham, Director of the Lamar County Human Resource Council, was <br />present and said as Mr. O' Connor pointed out, they did receive their entire packet <br />and were requesting $10,000.00 of funding again this year. Ms. Bonham said it <br />is not only important this year for their 10% match money that they have to <br />provide for their contract services, but it is also important because this past year <br />they received a grant to eliminate their waiting list for their Meals on Wheels <br />program. They were able to do that, which feeds an additiona130 people per day <br />with home delivered meals. Ms. Bonham advised that this funding runs out this <br />September and it is extremely important that they do not have to stop providing <br />services to those additional people that they could continue those services in the <br />up coming year. Ms. Bonham advised that they were also providing services for <br />children and their parents and that is with Paris Junior College in the Even Start <br />Program, which is a family literacy program. She said this gives low income <br />children and their parents an educational opportunity as well as parenting skills <br />and family life skills. Ms. Bonham told the City Council that they also received <br />funding for the Kids Cafe, so they will be able to provide evening meals to low <br />income children who receive free and reduced lunches in the school systems. <br />Brad Perry, 120 Footed Hill, Powderly, Texas, President of the Breakfast <br />Optimist Club of Paris, was present telling the City Council that for the past 28 <br />years the City of Paris has provided financial support with the electricity for <br />Woodall Fields, but what is most important, for the thousands of children from <br />this community. Mr. Perry said their club serves between 800 and 850 kids <br />annually, not only through a baseball program, but through other youth- oriented <br />programs. They also provide scholarships to graduating seniors in Lamar County <br />each year. He said their program provides these services through volunteer <br />hours, which were approximately 12,700 volunteer hours last year. He said this <br />program has grown from utilizing one field, which was at Culbertson Park, to <br />