COLUMNS--FEATURE SPOT
 By  Kellie Singleton Published 
3:13 pm Saturday, August 6, 2011

Best part of the job? The people

In my job, I get to meet all kinds of people, and I always get excited when I meet outstanding people who are definitely an inspiration.

Tom and Ruth Ann Smith from Missouri are two of those people.

They immediately sprang into action after the deadly tornadoes tore through Alabama and found a way they could offer aid that someone else might not be able to offer and in turn, they were a major help to Phil Campbell Elementary School’s teachers.

The school supplies the Smiths donated will be used by teachers all over the school and will help so many kids receive that little extra something when they are learning this coming school year.

When I talked to them about their donation, they were just so humble about it.

They were simply glad to do their part and weren’t interested in making a big fuss about it.

But bringing a whole U-Haul full of school supplies all the way from Missouri to people you don’t even know is worthy of a big fuss, and the school officials who were there to unload the supplies made sure the Smiths knew how much it was appreciated.

Even though I don’t live in Phil Campbell and I don’t have an affiliation with Phil Campbell Elementary, I have been in the town non-stop since the tornadoes came through and have seen the countless number of people who have donated their time, money or supplies to help complete strangers.

When looking at all the bad news in the world today, you can sometimes feel like all the decent people in society have disappeared, but generosity shown by the Smiths and other people like them make you realize there are still good people willing to put others first and make a difference.

Also on Franklin County Times
Wife, 65, admits she shot, killed husband
Main, News, Russellville, ...
Kevin Taylor For the FCT 
May 13, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE – A 65-year-old woman is facing a murder charge after she admitted to shooting her husband Sunday evening inside their residence on Dunca...
3 firefighters receive Lifesaver Awards
Main, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
May 13, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — More than two months after city firefighters responded to a cardiac arrest call that left Steven Bledsoe without a pulse for 27 minutes...
FBLA students earn honors at state
News, Phil Campbell, Records
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
May 13, 2026
PHIL CAMPBELL — Members of the Phil Campbell High School Future Business Leaders of America chapter earned honors during the Alabama FBLA State Leader...
Obituaries
Obituaries
May 13, 2026
Ruth E. Spooner May 7, 2026   Ruth E. Spooner, 90, of Beloit, Wis., passed away on Thursday morning, May 7, at Cedar Crest, in Janesville, Wis. She wa...
The protection system you’ve never heard of
Columnists, Opinion
May 13, 2026
When you visit a doctor, you might notice the framed medical license on the wall. For most patients, that document is simply reassurance that their ph...
Retired educators hear state updates
Columnists, News, Opinion, ...
HERE AND NOW
May 13, 2026
Retired educators met at the Russellville First Methodist Church Ministry Center for the last meeting for the Franklin County Retired Educators Associ...
Students get life lessons with hatching classes
News, Phil Campbell
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
May 13, 2026
PHIL CAMPBELL — Students at Phil Campbell Elementary School and Phil Campbell High School recently got some handson lessons about animal life cycles a...
STEAM expo highlights student projects
News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
May 13, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE – Middle school students in sixth, seventh and eighth grade presented the findings of their STEAM Expo projects last week. From testing w...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *