The Martha John and Bill Allison Family
Retired U.S. Army Colonel Bill Allison is a qualified parachutist, ranger and jungle warfare expert who has served deployments in Korea, Vietnam and Syria. His wife, Martha John Allison, brought their first daughter, Alisa, into the world during one of these deployments. But it is not the family’s Army life which garnered the notice of Barbara Duke, who nominated the Allisons for Family of the Year. Duke points to two significant accomplishments, the first of which is Martha John’s position as volunteer chairman for the capital campaign which has raised $427,000 for the Wesley Gardens Life Enrichment Center, benefiting current and future senior residents. This achievement has been a natural outgrowth of her heart for seniors, as she has been the director for Older Adult Ministry at Frazer Memorial UMC for more than 25 years.

“I also wanted Bill to be recognized for his efforts on behalf of the Salvation Army in securing the ‘Ding-a-Lings’ who ring the bells and fill the kettles at Christmas time to benefit homeless and suffering citizens of our city,” Duke added. “To date, they have raised more than $50,000 a year that goes directly back into our community.”

The Allisons’ daughters, Alisa, 47, and Yancey, 41, have both inherited their parents’ strong moral and work ethics. Alisa received undergraduate and graduate degrees in theatre and is currently employed on the Theatre Arts staff at Auburn University. Yancey graduated from Millsaps University and received her Master’s degree in photography from Memphis University. She is now a freelance photographer in the Atlanta area.

The Carolyn Bell Family
The last ten years have been particularly challenging for Carolyn Bell, who became widowed when her husband, Joseph, died from complications related to diabetes and hypertension. Left with five children ranging in age from 2 to 10 years old, Carolyn was suddenly a single parent unqualified for government assistance because her teaching salary made her overqualified. She learned to rely on her faith and personal relationship with God, and taught her children to make priorities that would sometimes mean they could not have or do what many of their friends could.

Now Carolyn is a teacher at Pine Level Elementary, while oldest daughter Eboni, now 20, is a student at Spelman College in Atlanta, and younger children, Essence, 17; twins Jayla and Joseph, 13; and Eyanna, 12, are high school and middle school students. The children have learned through mission work to count their blessings: Eboni helped a mission group establish a medical facility for AIDS victims in Haiti; Essence took a trip to the Ukraine and was humbled by the people her age who wished they had a room to share with a sibling. The four younger Bell children went with Frazer’s Worship Arts Group to perform and host “block parties” in the New York City Projects. Carolyn volunteers with Frazer’s Youth Missions BBQ, Youth Worship Arts and is a substitute Sunday School teacher. Despite her own family’s needs, she helped another family receive assistance at Christmas due to a house fire and regularly requests prayers for troubled students and their parents.

This selflessness has been observed by many, including nominators Kathy Gunter and Debbie Dahl. In 2009, the Bell family was named as one of the five finalists for “Extreme Home Makeover,” but when another family was ultimately chosen, Carolyn was surprised by her Sunday School class at Frazer Memorial, who banded together with several community organizations to “make over” her home and landscape her yard.

The Brett and Leanne Crawford Family
In 2010, with four biological children of their own, Brett and Leanne Crawford adopted 18-month-old Lilly from an orphanage in China. She has been such a blessing to their family that the Crawfords have decided to adopt another daughter from China and should have her within the year. To aid in this process, the Crawford family works as a team, with each of the children performing chores, and the older three helping by driving or babysitting. As often as possible, the family eats dinner together on school nights.
As the children have grown up, Brett has coached many of their sports teams, taught Sunday School at First United Methodist Church, and serves or has served on the boards of various non-profit organizations. He and younger daughter Abby recently returned from their second youth mission trip to Peru. Leanne is a teacher at First Methodist’s First School, serves as a Sunday School teacher, and assists others in their adoption processes while working on her own. Oldest daughter Britney, now 23, is in her final semester of graduate school; Will, 19, is an Auburn student who has run track and played football and varsity basketball; Abby, 16, is active in the HEART club at her school and is very artistic; 13-year-old Cole runs track and cross-country for school and is a Boy Scout pursuing Eagle rank.

“The Crawfords are indeed a family that reflects solid family values,” said nominator Lawson Bryan, senior minister of First United Methodist Church. “Both Brett and Leanne have instilled a sense of concern for others as well as age-appropriate contributions to family duties.”

The Michael and Bonnie Eaves Family
Nominated by Michael’s cousin, Dot Robinson, and Kathy Welch of the Easter Seals of Central Alabama, the Eaves family consists of Michael and wife Bonnie; 15-year-old biological daughter Anna, an honors student at Eastwood Christian School; adopted son and daughter, Cecil and Sarah Janice, ages 8 and 7; and foster children Maddie, 18 months; and Devon, 4 months. The Eaveses are active at Taylor Road Baptist Church, with Bonnie teaching the two-year-old Sunday School class, as well as volunteering in Vacation Bible School. Mike, Bonnie and Anna all help with the extended care for young children during worship services on a regular basis. Anna is active in the youth group and supports a child through Compassion International, even raising her own money to do so. Cecil and Sarah Janice participate in the children’s choir.

As a heating and air conditioning technician, Mike teaches an HVAC apprenticeship program two nights a week in addition to his regular work week. With a degree in finance, Bonnie stays home and is able to volunteer at the older children’s schools. Anna helps with the younger children, and even Cecil and Sarah Janice enjoy helping with chores and caring for the babies. But perhaps the family’s greatest challenge was when Bonnie was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and underwent iodine radiation therapy in isolation. With Anna’s help, Michael cared for all five children and even transported Cecil and Sarah Janice to their speech therapy appointments twice weekly without complaint.

“Bonnie and Michael sacrifice in order for their children to reach their greatest potential,” Welch said. “The family has grown as they adopted Sarah Janice and Cecil after they were in their home as foster children for several years. The family did not only grow in number but grew as they learned to accept other children who were in great need into their family as if they had always been there.”

The Ken and Celeste Tilley Family
Wetumpka residents Ken and Celeste Tilley, along with their four children, have been nominated by Elmore County Schools Superintendent Jeff Langham. Though the two oldest children, John Stuart, 21, and Melinda, 19, are now students at the University of Alabama, the family’s strong ties continue. “Mom and Dad set an example of excellent work habits, Christian faith, community service and ¬– most importantly ¬– family commitment and loyalty,” Langham explained.

Even Ginny, 11, and Owen, 10, do their part to help their mother care for their grandmother who is in a local nursing facility. From December 2007 until May 2008, Celeste’s mother endured several hospitalizations, and the entire family kept the household running until her health improved. Ken’s job as a historian/archivist for the U.S. Air Force has also called for eight deployments in the past ten years, and he was away during the April tornadoes which devastated Tuscaloosa – while the two older children were there – and passed within a mile of the family home while Celeste and the two younger children were in it. “Whatever the challenges the family encounters, from deployment to serious illness to destructive weather, they function as a close-knit and caring unit, each one showing love and concern for the others,” Langham said.

Celeste’s job as a curriculum specialist, and now as leader of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction with the Elmore County School System, has impacted students who might have otherwise dropped out of school without the programs she has implemented. Ken is active in Cub Scout Pack 50 at First Baptist Church of Wetumpka, the Tilleys’ home church. He is also a deacon, Sunday School teacher and AWANA leader there. John Stuart and Melinda were both valedictorians at Wetumpka High School and remain academically successful in college. Ginny and Owen were the top accelerated readers for their classes last year.

The Tom and Jean Tribble Family
The parents of three sons, Zach, 25; Jacob, 23; and Lucas, 17, Tom and Jean Tribble have set a fine example for their family through their cheerful attitudes, strong family ties and community involvement. From the time they were born, the three boys shared a common bond besides their parents. All three have Jean’s maiden name, Sawyer, as their middle name. The bond strengthened when Jacob was born with Down Syndrome and various health problems, including a serious heart defect, caused him to be hospitalized for most of his first year. As he grew, Tom and Jean became Jacob’s advocate to ensure that his educational and social needs were met.

Zach and Lucas attended Forest Avenue, Baldwin and LAMP magnet schools, and everyone at those schools came to know Jacob and accept him as “Zach’s little brother” or “Lucas’s big brother.” Now Zach lives and works as an engineer in Atlanta, but he and Jacob talk on the phone daily. Outgoing Jacob participates with his family in such events as the Annual Goodwill Bowl-a-Thon, Montgomery Area Down Syndrome Outreach “Buddy Walk,” and his younger brother’s basketball and baseball games. He even works part time at Chappy’s Deli in Peppertree and part time for the Montgomery Biscuits. He enjoys the work and is encouraged by his parents to develop a good work ethic.

Involvement at Aldersgate United Methodist Church has also allowed the family to participate in youth mission trips to such places as Kentucky and Jamaica. When Jacob “graduated” from the youth group, he joined the adult worship choir. “I have witnessed church members and especially youth gain a new perspective on life and to be more open to others with disabilities,” said nominator and friend Janice Charlesworth. “I know Jacob, Zach and Lucas have truly enriched my life. Jacob is a young man who sees a glass as half-full and always has a kind word.”

The Tom and Joy Woodfin Family
Nominated by Huey and Ruby Crowe, the Woodfin family is comprised of parents Tom and Joy, children Bobby, 22; Bethany, 19; Riley, 18; Joseph and Joshua, 13; Laura Grace, 12; Ben, 10; and Mary Claire, 6. Tom is a chaplain with the Alabama Department of Corrections and pastor of Tri-City Baptist Church in Millbrook. Joy home-schools the five youngest children, while Bobby and Bethany are currently in college and Riley is working to save money for college next year.

The Woodfins are very active in church ministries and helping others. They visit nursing homes and help people who are sick or need help with such things as grass-cutting. The oldest three children have worked as counselors at The Wilds, a Christian camp for children, for several years. Riley has led the church youth group in Bible studies. The family also visits and invites people to come to their church, or any church of their choice. The Woodfins are involved with young people from other churches and support their special events.

“When you see them (any one of them), you just seem to feel good knowing that there are families and people in the world that try to make living a joy,” said Ruby Crowe. “They are good listeners and sincere in their interest and caring.”