February 12, 2001
Longview couple gives home for youth
___LONGVIEW--For decades, members of First Baptist Church of Longview have known Tom and Margaret Stone's house as a place for young people to call home. In a recent agreement made with Buckner Children and Family Services, it always will remain one.
___The Stones transferred ownership of their home to Buckner, which will use the property in an agreement between the 122-year-old children's ministry, the Stones and area neighbors as a foster group home for children.
___Buckner President Ken Hall, a former pastor of First Baptist Church, said the gift will continue a "legacy of love" for the property, known by many church members by its address, No. 33.
___"Tom and Margaret Ann have spent their lives serving young people and young adults at First Baptist Church as directors at different times of the youth and young married Sunday School departments," explained Hall, adding that the Stones maintained an "open door policy for their home, making it available to these young people and the church whenever they needed it."
___Hall said that No. 33 became part of the First Baptist culture. "It became an extension of the church facilities for First Baptist. From the viewpoint of young adults, when the church didn't have an adequate fellowship hall, No. 33 was it."
___The Stones made the gift after they bought another, smaller home "with less yard," said Tom Stone, an accountant and a member of the Buckner board of trustees. The result was the agreement for the Tom and Margaret Ann Stone Family Foster Group Home, as the residence now will be called.
___Stone said the name reflects the entire Stone family's wish that the house where they lived for 35 years be used for ministry.
___"When you make a substantial gift to a charity, it must be a decision involving your children, because it's going to come out of their inheritance," he said. "When I called my son, Tom III, and daughter, Karoletha, to ask their opinion, she asked, 'Dad, will this put any financial pressure on you and mom?'"
___"I said no," Stone answered. "'In that case,' she said, 'Let's let it be used for children who have not had the privileges we've had of a place to grow up in peace and love.'"
___Kelly Quinn, administrator for Buckner in Northeast Texas, said Buckner hopes to open the facility as a group home in the first half of this year.
___"The effect on Longview will be a single-family dwelling, a loving family environment in a safe neighborhood where children will live with foster parents in a traditional home setting," Quinn said.
___Stone said the house always has been used as a ministry, and he is pleased to see its ministry legacy continue.
___"Margaret Ann had wanted to move for a couple of years, but I never wanted to move," he said. "This had been our home for 35 years. We used it for youth parties and young adult diaper showers--one year we had 36 showers--and I was despondent that we would be leaving.
___"But when Ken Hall told us of this possibility, it was amazing," he said. "Within 10 minutes of his call, I had a peace about the move. I had always considered this house a ministry point and was thrilled that it would continue to be one."
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