Published: July 26, 2008 11:56 pm         

North Garland Church of Christ’s day of activities geared toward helping kids

Forgive the cliché, but the North Garland Church of Christ garage sale Saturday literally was for the children.

The sale was organized to raise money to purchase supplies and, in some cases, clothing for children in need who are going back to Enid and area schools.

The church raised nearly $5,000 Saturday to assist in funding its seventh annual school supply drive and, in so doing, honored the spirit of a longtime church member and elder Ozzie Crawford, one of forces behind the first school supply drive seven years ago.

“Ozzie and his wife were just givers. They cared. They were just really good people. They inspired a lot of people. That’s why this thing is a big deal. Ozzie had a real big heart,” garage sale organizer Shawn Tuohy said. Tuohy and his family are members of the church.

Ozzie, a general manager of Enid’s Wal-Mart store died a few years ago from cancer while in his 50s, Tuohy said. Tuohy choked up with emotion several times recalling the caring, giving spirit of his friend.

Though Crawford’s Christian example of charity and caring provide some of the inspiration for Tuohy and 60 other volunteer’s hard work on Saturday, Tuohy noted Ozzie would not want any credit for the continuing tradition of the North Garland Church of Christ school supply drive.

“That’s the way Ozzie would want it. He wouldn’t want to be the central focus of this deal,” Touhy said.

“When it first started, the few people who organized it asked, ‘What can we do to really help the community?’ They got excited about the school supply drive,” Tuohy said.

Tuohy noted there are several school teachers in the North Garland congregation who were initially and have been continually supportive of the school supply drive.

“The people in the public school system have always told us kids continue to show up literally with no supplies. It’s just one niche of something that we do,” Tuohy said.

The 60 volunteer workers also came from Garriott Road Church of Christ and from the Enid community at large, Tuohy said.

This is the first year the church used a garage sale as part of its charity revenue stream for the school supply drive. There also was a bake sale, which raised $300; face painting; a classic car show; a barbecue luncheon; and a Channel 9 charity softball game against the North Garland co-ed team.

Everyone was getting in on the act of giving, it seemed.

Louise M. Watson, an author, sold and signed copies of her book, “Grandpa Was a Rounder: Tales of the Trails,” and donated proceeds of $140 to the drive. Watson’s son attends North Garland Church of Christ.

“This is the first year we combined all these events all in one day and all toward the school supply drive,” Tuohy said.

School supplies can be donated at the North Garland Church of Christ until Aug. 10, and checks to “North Garland Church of Christ Attn: School Supply Drive” will be taken, as well.

Saturday was an extremely hot day for church volunteers to be moving furniture and garage sale items around. No one complained. There were copious amounts of cold, bottled water on hand in coolers.

“There was a thermometer on a sale table that registered 101 degrees in the shade,” Tuoy said with a laugh. “I don’t know if it was accurate. I don’t know if it sold.”

The real fun will be the “big packaging party later,” Tuohy said.

Volunteers will package up the donated school supplies and deliver them to Enid schools using an “assembly line”process in August.