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Members of the Sassy Sista’s recently gathered at a Como residence for their annual Christmas party. Pictured from left are (back row) Holly Ingram, Sharon Condarco and Nora Roberts; (middle row) Vicky Gillispie, Coral Ware, Suzanne Tanksley, Christine Henderson and Diane Wilson; and (front row) Shirley Zaeske and Cooper Ross Gillispie. Submitted photo
New to this community and settling in for a lifetime of memories relived in his childhood home, Jerry and Vicky Gillispie purchased the family farm. They have been remodeling and mending fences and putting their special touches on their property.
On Saturday, Dec. 2, Vicky invited the Grandmothers “Sassy Sista’s” Club to the family farm for the first of many Christmas celebrations. They enjoyed potato soup and beef stew with regular cornbread and banana pepper cornbread too. The group also did a cookie exchange and clothes swap, and genuinely enjoyed being with one another.
If the walls could talk, visitors to the Gillispie home would hear about parties, successes, and hardships through the years. This year has been full of sickness and heartbreak for many of the Grandmothers’ group members, but they chose to step out in faith and to thank God for their healing.
One surprise the group had for the Gillispies was a time capsule. They thought it would be fun to put items in the capsule and share the many memories made from 2023 with their dear friends.
“Sulphur Springs is a very special location, and I’m sure that Vicky and Jerry will get around to meeting many new friends. We thank God for this family and for the Christmas wish of living on their family farm becoming their reality,” said Diane Wilson The package with the time capsule also contained the following poem, written by member Diane Wilson:
Time Capsule 2023
Did you ever wish you could make time stand still To relish a moment or cherish the love that you feel?
Well, a time capsule is filled with the events that happened during the year, Items that bring much joy but may also bring tears.
The idea is to put mementos in a capsule that is filled with these dated pleasures.
Bury the time capsule and set a time to view these treasures.
This is a unique way to recall events and share items with our loved ones too.
Each item enclosed was placed in the capsule just for you!
Enjoy the journey as you sift through each memory of the previous year and remember those highlights were created for you.
God has blessed us richly, so we have much to do.
The time capsule is a reminder to remember those special times and friends.
We thank God for His everlasting love that never ends.
—DianeWilson,12-15-2023 The Grandmothers Sassy Sista’s club was formerly affiliated with the National Federation of Grandmothers’ Clubs of America. That organization has shut down, but according to Wilson, the Sassy Sista’s are still going.
They hold a variety of fundraising activities, including antique booths at various locations in Northeast Texas; online sales via eBay and Facebook Marketplace, an annual Bunco game, partnering with and volunteering at the Arms of Hope Boles Home in Quinlan and more. All proceeds from their activities benefit C.U.R.E Childhood Cancer (https://curechildhoodcancer. org ). On a local level, they partner with the Arms of Hope Boles Home in Quinlan, Texas (https:// armsofhope.org).
At Arms of Hope, the Sassy Sisters help by donating clothing and household goods and volunteering to help with various projects. Some members work in the clothing room, and they have planted flowers by the chapel and the Hospitality House to help beautify their surroundings.
Recently, the Sassy Sista’s prepared a meal for the Arms of Hope residents, which was a huge blessing for everyone.
“It is so rewarding to know your time and talents are so beneficial to these very deserving residents. Being God’s hands and feet is empowering and it gives us even more motivation to find multiple ways to help others,” Wilson said.
Wilson and her husband also founded the Jake Wilson Memorial Foundation in 2018, to honor their son’s life and his legacy. For the last three years, the Foundation has awarded scholarships to high school seniors and worked to support local fishing teams. The Foundation will sponsor a team fishing tournament at Lake Fork in April 2024.
For more information about Sassy Sista’s, a 501(c)3 organization, and the charities they support, visit https:// sassysistascwc.com.