Reeds to serve as Grand Marshals for Saturday’s Chautauqua parade

Karen was born and raised in Daviess County. Bill was born in Newton, Kan., and moved to Jamesport in 1948. He graduated from Jamesport High School in 1951 and then joined the Air Force in 1952. He went to Japan, came back in 1954, and met Karen while working at the Courter Theatre. They were married on May 21, 1955, in the Christian Church by Pastor Tipton. They’ve been together for 53 years. Karen and Bill joined the Seventh-day Adventist church in 1964 and are genuinely concerned about the needs of others and interested in bettering their community.
Bill spent 22 years in the Air Force and retired in 1973. They have lived in Panama City, Fla., San Antonio, Texas, Chateauroux, France, Fayette- ville, N.C., and the Panama Canal Zone.
While in North Carolina on Pope Air Force Base, Karen took a cake decorating class at the base recreation center taught by another Air Force wife. That was the beginning of her career as a cake decorator. When the instructor was transferred, Karen took over teaching the classes.
While living in the Panama Canal Zone she was kept busy teaching classes and decorating cakes for military and Panamanian customers. She had an average of 20 to 25 cakes each week. Those American “sweet” cakes were very popular with the Panamanians.
When Bill retired from the Air Force, the family took a six week trip back to the U.S. by way of the Pan American Highway, and arrived in San Antonio for his final discharge from the Air Force. From there they came back to Gallatin and settled here and started the Kake Kastle.
Karen’s Kake Kastle did well with all those sweets and decorated cakes, but the hours were not good for family life, so after several years, they got out of the business. People still ask for the “Eclair” and the “Supremes.” During that time Karen went to Chicago and attended the Wilton School of Cake Decorating. She won first prize with her four tier wedding cake. You can still see her picture in some of the old Wilton Catalogs.
The Reeds have four children. Kathy and her husband David live in California. They have two sons, Jonathan and Joshua. Jonathan is an officer in the Army, stationed in Hawaii. And Joshua is still at home and going to college.
Dennis and his wife Stephanie and their two children, Rachel and Michael, live in Colorado. Rachel, is married and Michael, is a chef.
Robert and wife Kate and her two daughters, Kendra and Shelby, live in California also.
The youngest is Patricia. She and her husband, Charlie, and three daughters, Baylie, Han- nah, and Katie, live in Indiana. Charlie is the Indiana Conference of SDA Youth Minister.
Volunteers for years
In the early 80’s the Adventist Church started a little Community Service Center on West Mill Street in the old Beulah Oaks house, which is not longer there. There were wonderful volunteers then, too, the Jeffersons, the Andersons, the Johnsons, and the Gibsons. Maxine Gibson was the director then. When she retired, Karen was elected and has been director ever since.
After a few years there, they were advised to relocate and get into a better facility. At that time, they had only a few volunteers, only about three of the ladies were from the church. Then in 1993 and the flood, they were asked to take care of all the donated goods at the old Gallatin High School gym, organize them for flood victims to come restock their clothing. Through that effort, they got acquainted with the other ladies from other churches in Gallatin. When everything settled down, Nina Clevenger, Frances Wynne, Hazel Tomlinson, Pat Jefferson and Shirley Bushnell were helping at the old center.
In 1979, the church built the 40 by 110 foot building that you see today. At first, they thought that it was too big, but it filled up fast.
The Service Center has grown quickly. Soon the thrift shop was taking up three rooms in the church, rooms for the commodity program for Daviess County and the free items given away each week. So this year, they added a 30×60 two-story “green building” with energy efficient equipment, optimizing the heating and cooling systems. It is also a storm shelter for the south end of town. The upstairs is used for the commodity program and the free clothing area. Prices will stay the same, nothing much over $5 and most items are 50 cents to $1.
Community Service
Almost all 7th Day Adventist Churches have some form of community services, either as a center or some other service. Under the direction of the Red Cross, Adventist’s designated assignment during disasters is to supply drinking water and clothing to those folks in that area.
Each year in the Fall, the churches solicit funds for Disaster-Famine Relief to meet local needs or for overseas disbursement. Very little of the funds raised goes toward administrative costs. The Gallatin center receives one half of all funds collected from our area, the remainder is used elsewhere in the state, nation, overseas for disasters.
Two volunteers meet on Mondays to work and get ready for Wednesday when they are open for business. On Wednesdays lunch is served, and before they eat they speak of their joys, sorrows, praises, and worries. They pray for each other’s families and always thank the Heavenly Father for the food provided.
‘Dumb Waiter’ wanted
Construction on the new building is almost complete, except they need a ‘dumb waiter.’ The small elevator used for freight only. If you know of one of these mini elevators, even an old manual one like they used to have in restaurants and hotels, let the church know. You’ll help them save a lot of time and backs transporting goods up and down the stairs!
“The Lord has sent us over 30 wonderful volunteers without us even asking,” the Reeds said. “We would not be able to run the program without them. Each is precious to us and we praise the Lord for their faithfulness. This past summer the center had two high school students, Jessica Bogges and Sarah Cornett who cashiered.
“We are like a big family,” the Reeds said. “Many denominations, many different beliefs, but all working together with the same mission: ‘Christ’s Mission, Our Priority.’”
The center helps an average of 207 families each month. That equates to an average of 714 persons. Over 79,658 articles of clothing were given away last year. That translates to over a million articles of clothing since the center began.
“Not only do we appreciate the volunteers, but also the community donating articles and funds for the thrift store,” the Reeds said.”They have been a tremendous help.”
Shared honor
So when they were honored as the Grand Marshal for the parade, they knew it wouldn’t be right without their great crew of volunteers also sharing the honor with them.