Annual Bramlett fundraiser feeds community, spirit
Plates piled high with beans and cornbread were going fast Thursday at the Southwest Center in Texarkana, Texas.
‘This is staple food. My mother would buy 50-pound bags of beans to feed us seven kids, and we always had plenty to eat,” said Texarkana resident Fred Downs as he enjoyed the annual Bramlett’s Beans and Cornbread lunch.
For the past 17 years, former Texarkana, Texas, Mayor James Bramlett and other city leaders meet up early in December to serve beans and cornbread to those who want to give back to the community.
The cost is $5 or six nonperishable items—canned food or dry packaged food. The proceeds from the event help provide Christmas baskets for at least 100 families in the area each year.
“Our goal is 100 families minimum. It took us a few years to reach 100, but now we are there and over,” Bramlett said as he served the hot food to community members.
Bramlett started the event when he was mayor and has continued to be involved since leaving office.
“It’s phenomenal how well it has been supported by the community. But that’s what has made it work,” he said.
The Christmas basket program is made possible through a partnership with employees from the cities of Texarkana, Texas and Ark., and Texarkana Water Utilities.
Cans were starting to overflow the large donation box near the front of the Southwest Center.
“A lot of people have given more than they had to. One gentleman came in with a huge box of cans,” said Pam White, administrative coordinator for TWU.
A new element of this year’s event was the silent auction of ceramic bowls created by Texas High School students.
Students from Rebecca Hill’s ceramic classes created bowls that were displayed during the event. People bid on the bowls during the silent auction. This year’s total amount raised is not yet available, but Hill said the students bowls raised $1,020 to contribute to the Christmas baskets.
“I thought we might raise like $300. I had no idea we would raise more than a $1,000,” Hill said. “The bowl on the front page (of Thursday’s Gazette) went for about $50.”
Debbie Nicholas, department chair of the fine arts department at Texas High, said the idea for students making the ceramic bowls came from the Empty Bowls Project, which has raised money and awareness in the fight to end hunger since the early 1990s.
“They are fantastic. They really do a great job,” Nicholas said of the ceramics students.
Thursday’s meal included beans provided by Big Jake’s BarB-Que, cornbread provided by Texarkana Independent School District, soft drinks provided by Coca-Cola and tea, coffee and desserts from Starbucks.
“We couldn’t do it without everyone’s support,” Bramlett said.