Dyersburg State Gazette: Local News: Chimes still needing more children sponsored

Tansil Phillips (left) and T.J. Jones (right) bring new meaning to the words flower children during Thursday evening's broadcast of Chimes for Charity. The dandy duo served as the special guest announcers at the event as bids buzzed around them. Sez Sew and Curry's Funeral Home sponsored the evening's broadcast. Chimes for Charity will air on Channel 4, WTRO AM 1450 and Eagle 97.3 from 7-9:30 p.m. Friday through Saturday and will start at 2 p.m. on Sunday. Call 286-0833 to donate items, bid or sponsor a child. Call often and bid high!

Thursday evening's total for Chimes for Charity reached $3,677 with 42 Children sponsored. That brings this week's total to $15,171 toward the goal of $35,000 and 279 total children have been sponsored out of the 900. Chimes for Charity Co-Chair Kim Hill said they still need more people to sponsor children in order to help the 900 in need. The cost to sponsor a child is $25, and that covers clothes, a book, toy and a meal for them.

"So far we are having a good year," said Chimes for Charity Co-Chair Rachel Cartwright. "However, we'd love to have more child sponsorships; that helps a lot."

One person that was working hard on Thursday night was Bill Valentine. He was in the Jaycees for six years and met his wife, Robyn, while they were in the organization and working on Chimes for Charity.

"Once you go to Chimes, you can't get it out of your blood," said Valentine.

The hot item of Thursday night was again the pickled pigs lips. People were discussing what a unique item this is and how difficult it is to find in stores. Somebody called in to bid for Jones to eat one, but he said the price was not high enough.

Another unique item of the evening was an Ed Wright baseball card that went for $375. Wright was a professional baseball player from Dyersburg who was born in 1919. He started in the Kitty League in Paducah, Ky. in 1940. He was then with teams in Memphis, Greenville, Jackson, Atlanta, Norfolk and Indianapolis before he joined the Braves in 1945. He was sent to Milwaukee in 1948 and pitched for Toronto in 1949, Minneapolis in 1950, Ottawa in 1951 and the Philadelphia Athletics in 1952.

One other item that is way below its actual value is the Bad Bob's Bar-B-Que Team membership during next year's Memphis in May Bar-B-Que Festival from May 12-16. The current winning bid is only at $650. This package is a chance for some lucky person to compete with the team in a world championship barbecue cooking contest. The winning bidder will also get to enter into one of the food categories by themselves. That person will get to prepare one of three sides for judging: beef, chicken or fish.

The team will give them suggestions and show them how to present the meat, but the new member will do all of the cooking. How many people can say they entered a dish into a world championship competition?

Apart from spending five days and learning world-class barbecue techniques the package also includes accommodations, which are difficult to find during the festival.

Hill also said they had some big furniture items, a baby stroller, antique rugs and an uncirculated 1969 Indian head penny that will be coming up. Also, Firestone will be donating a basket of golfing items. And Sunday, Santa Claus will be making a pre-Christmas appearance.

Friday's sponsor of Chimes for Charity will be Firestone, Saturday's is First Citizens and Sunday will be Security Bank.

Chimes for Charity will air on Channel 4, WTRO AM 1450 and Eagle 97.3 from 7-9:30 p.m. Friday through Saturday and will start at 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Call 286-0833 to donate items, bid or sponsor a child. Call often and bid high!

Also you can also donate at www.chimes4charity.com .