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Single mom still finds time to volunteer
Kim has been raising her five children alone since her husband, Brad, was killed in an automobile accident in May 1999. "My children have kept me going. God gave me all these kids for a reason," she smiled. Now that all her children, Melodye, 21, Mandy, 19, Kyle, 15, Paul, 14 and Allen, 10, are either working or in school, Kim has time to schedule her jobs, her classes and her volunteer work, as well as a few hobbies. "I am trying to get my associates degree in business at Alabama Southern. I try to schedule my classes so I can take the kids to school and then pick them up. I tried night classes, but it's so hard to find reliable baby-sitters and my oldest daughter tried baby-sitting for a while, but it was just too much stress on her. Sometimes I have to stay out for a quarter, but when I get to go back I can pick up where I left off," she said. Kim is a substitute teacher at Grove Hill Elementary School. She also cleans houses and sits with the elderly. "I get to know some wonderful people and through them I come in contact with others and it's all just such a blessing." Kim is an active member of Ulcanush Baptist Church. She teaches a children's Sunday school class, sings in the choir and sometimes performs solos. She and another woman in the church take turns cleaning it. She picks up trash along the mile of highway that the church adopted as well as the road in front of her house, Bethel Cutoff Road. She works at Coffeeville High School and Grove Hill Elementary helping teachers with any assignments they need to complete. She also volunteered with the Meet Me At the Pole program at Coffeeville High. "I help with the Tombigbee Maids program we have in Coffeeville. Both my daughters have been Tombigbee Maids. I also like to help with the beautification committee when I can and I enjoy helping with the community clean-ups we have. "Sometimes I have to say no because it takes me away from my kids. I don't like to say no. I want to say yes to everyone and help out." What does Kim do for fun? "My fun revolves around my kids. I love reading my Bible, I like to hunt and play football with the kids. I'm learning to play the piano again and I like to work out and stay in shape.
"And some days when the kids are in school and I don't have something to do I enjoy visiting family and friends and seeing if there's something I can do to make their day better."
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