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It’s not hard to be kind. That’s the message coming from Kindness Corner every Friday in Hedley as one family provides treats and love to school kids and employees.

“We just want to be generous with what God has given us and pour it back into these kids,” Melissa Barlow said.

Barlow and her husband, Kerry, live with their granddaughter, 11-year-old Ava, between Hedley and Quail and have gotten involved with the Hedley community over the last seven years through the Methodist Church there.

“We were working Vacation Bible School last summer, and we realized that there’s nothing for these kids in Hedley,” Barlow said. “They don’t even have a place to go buy a candy bar.”

So, in August 2022, the Barlows purchased a snow cone machine, set up behind the Hedley Methodist Church to have access to electricity, and started giving away free snow cones after school on Fridays. Soon the Martindale family offered the use of their property and electricity across from the school and under some big shade trees.

Kindness Corner was born, and Barlow says the name just morphed into existence.

“It’s just all about acts of kindness and how easy it can be to be kind,” she said.

About 50 kids would enjoy the snow cones each week. As the semester progressed and the days became colder, Kindness Corner switched from snow cones to hot chocolate and homemade cookies. When windy weather came with the spring, they introduced canned drinks and pre-packaged snacks. Then they moved back to snow cones as the school year drew to an end in May.

The Barlows shut down for the summer and then brought the Kindness Corner back for the new school year last week. They are thinking about ways they could continue the practice during the summer months next year.
Barlow said the free treats are for anyone at the school from pre-kindergarten all the way through seniors and are also available for school employees.

“We’ll even take someone a snow cone if we see them out working hard in their yard, or we’ll bring them a drink,” she said. “It’s just about being kind, and we just want to share the love.”

It’s not a fancy operation, just a table and a sign that says, “snow cones,” but people get used to it and by the time the season changes, they already know they are there without the sign.

The Barlows don’t ask for donations or help, but they have accepted it. Most donations come in the form of people helping at the stand or making homemade cookies, and one person donated snow cone syrup. Sharon Alexander, Kari Lindsey, Kay Manuel, and Bonnie Brown are among those who have helped, and some members of the Methodist church have also made cookies. Lois Marie Stevens is the daughter of Hedley’s coach and has been helping while waiting on her visa to go be a missionary in Mozambique.

The family mission has turned into a blessing, Barlow said, and she notes that there are more kids coming to the Kindness Corner this year than last.

“It’s been really fun,” she said. “They know us, and we know many of them by name. Kari Lindsey helps us get to know the kids.
The only kids who can’t enjoy the Kindness Corner are the students who have to ride the bus to Clarendon or Memphis. They don’t have time to go to the snow cone stand and wouldn’t be able to take the treats on the bus anyway.

“That’s been hard. We don’t really want to exclude anyone,” Barlow said, “but kids in Memphis or Clarendon have a choice of other things. These kids in Hedley don’t have anything.”

A Donley County Salary Grievance Committee more than tripled the salary of Precinct 3&4 Constable Randy Bond when it met last Thursday, August 10, rejecting the $1,236 figure set by the Commissioners’ Court and calling for a new annual salary of $3,804.

The unanimous decision of the nine-member committee is binding on the commissioners’ court. A less than unanimous decision would have meant the commissioners only had to “consider” the committee’s decision.

Bond ran unopposed for the vacant constable’s office as a Republican in March of 2022, had no opponent in last year’s general election in November, and took office in January.

County Judge John Howard stated during the committee meeting that the constable’s salary had been reduced in fiscal year 2022 following former constable Doug Wright’s resignation in February of 2021. Howard said Bond knew what the salary was when he ran for the office.

Bond filed legal action against the Donley County Commissioners’ Court seeking a “reasonable salary” for his office in March 2023 but dropped his action in April.

Bond told the committee last week that he was seeking a reasonable salary.

“All I need is a salary that’s reasonable to run this office,” he said.

In a letter to the county, Bond sought a salary of $45,000, which is the same as a Donley County Sheriff’s Deputy.
County Clerk Vickie Tunnell asked Bond during the meeting why he needed a full deputy’s salary when the constable only covers half the county.

“I deserve a deputy’s salary,” Bond said. “How am I expected to do my job?”

During the meeting, Howard asked Bond why he had quit as the county’s chief deputy if he wanted a deputy’s salary. Bond replied that he had stepped away from law enforcement after working a double murder in Howardwick.

During the course of the committee meeting, it was discussed that while Bond’s salary is only $1,236 per year, he still receives health insurance through the county as a county official. However, county employees have to pay about $200 per month of the insurance premium, effectively wiping out his salary and resulting in Bond having to write a check back to the county to cover the insurance.

After consulting with County Treasurer Wanda Smith, the committee unanimously approved a motion by County Tax Assessor Kristy Christopher to set Bond’s salary at $3,804 plus related taxes and retirement costs.

Members of the committee were Judge John Howard, Sheriff Butch Blackburn, County Attorney Landon Lambert, County Clerk Vickie Tunnell, County Treasurer Wanda Smith, County Tax Assessor Kristy Christopher, and members of the public Natrona Barton, Pauline McAfee, Jimmy Hampton, and Melissa Hatley.