Christmas in the Country

From the Famous SNL 'More Cowbell' Skit, to Iconic Bell in "It's a Wonderful Life,' The Magic of Bell-Making

Tue, 24 Dec 2024 15:37:27 GMT

Cici Bevin enjoys working in her family-owned business, which dates back to 1832 when her ancestors began what is Bevin Bells today.

“At one point in East Hampton, [Conn.,] we had over 20 bell manufacturers. Luckily, today we are the last one remaining,” Bevin says.

Of course, the use of bells back when the company began is much different than today.

Today, a cowbell might be a gift or a musical instrument, but back then, it was an essential part of raising livestock.

“There was a tremendous amount of safety use for bells, so sleigh bells were massive for us. We had catalogs, 20 pages long, of different cut styles and configurations of sleigh bells,” Bevin says.

Bells are still used today, though you probably never give much thought to who makes them.

“We make all of the bells for the Salvation Army across the country. Any time you see someone at a kettle ringing a bell asking for money that’s a Bevin Bell,” Bevin says.

Remember the sound that used to end stock trading in New York ? Or signal another round at a Muhammad Ali boxing match ? Those sounds are from Bevin Bells.

Of course there’s the famous bell from “Saturday Night Live,” which was a boost for business.

However, the most famous Bevin Bell is tied to “It’s a Wonderful Life,” a Christmas movie from 1946.

“The bell that rings on the tree when Clarence says, ‘Every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings,’ that’s a Bevin Bell. Exactly how that bell ended up in the movie, we’re not entirely sure,” Bevin says.

They’re sure glad the classic Christmas movie featured a bell from their factory. To this day, the movie and the sound of bells ringing signal the Christmas season is here.

The Wonderful Life bells are just one of the many holiday bells made at Bevin Bells. In fact, the company does about 60% of its business in the fourth quarter.

While many people like the jingle of bells around the holidays, one has to wonder if working in a bell factory could get a bit annoying.

“I absolutely love hearing the bells ring and I honestly never get tired of it,” Bevin says. “I have bells in my car all the time because I might be making a delivery, and I jingle everywhere I go, which brings a real smile on my face.”

From sleigh bells to the bell from “It’s a Wonderful Life,” much Christmas cheer begins at Bevin Bells in East Hampton, Conn.

An 11-Year Old's Idea Sparked An Idea That's Grown Into an Annual Toy Drive Giving Out 13,000 Toys Each Year

Tue, 24 Dec 2024 15:02:29 GMT

The season of giving for Reed Marcum doesn’t just happen during Christmas. For this 19-year, the season of giving is year-round.

“I came up with the idea back in 2016 when I realized that I wanted to help put another toy under someone’s tree that year,” says Marcum, who’s now a Pittsburg County, Oklahoma 4-H Ambassador.

At just 11 years-old, this 4-H member had an idea: Collect toys and give them out to children in his local community.

“He came home one day, he talked to me and his stepfather, and he said, ‘Mom, I want to help some kiddos in my class for Christmas,” remembers Angie Miller, Reed’s mother. “I said, ‘OK, what can we do?’ I told him he could do a little work, and he was like, ‘No, I want to give out toys.”

Reed Marcum at 11-Years-Old

(Angie Miller)

Started Out As a Small Idea
That first year, Reed’s small idea turned into a huge success, giving out around 5,000 toys at his stepfather’s law office. Little did this family know that was just the start of something grand.

“It was something we didn’t expect to do, especially have that much success and community reaction. They really loved it. We did not expect that,” Reed says.

J Michael Miller Toy Drive
What’s called the J Michael Miller Toy Drive has grown each year, even during COVID.

“What happened was COVID hit, and we had told Reed that it just can’t happen that year. And he said, ‘It can happen, Mom,’” Angie says.

And it did. With the help of the community, Reed moved the toy drive to Ragan’s Auto, a decision that helped this drive grow even more.

“He spoke with Mr. Ragan, and he told Reed we can do this. They moved all their cars out by noon that day. We moved in around 1:00, and we would set up all night long, and then we open the doors, they would start driving through,” Angie says.

The annual J. Michael Miller Toy Drive gave out 13,000 toys this year.

(SUNUP)

Within a couple years, they even outgrew that space. Last year, Reed moved his toy drive again, this time, to the McAlester Expo Center.

“We are orchestrating with the local Expo Center here in McAlester for people to come, and it’s just an amazing venue for what we’re doing here. And it’s an amazing process that we have to set up and do,” Reed says.

Biggest Toy Giveaway Yet
On Dec. 7,2024, Reed had his biggest giveaway yet.

“We collected a ton, but we were able to give out around 13,000 this year, that day,” Reed says.

What started as one small idea has brought generosity through toys that touched 13,000 lives this year alone.

“It’s a year-long process,” Angie says. “The entire year we’re looking for toys, collecting them and getting donations from people. But when the day gets near and close, it really starts to ramp up.”

Cars line up 3 to 4 miles long for the annual toy drive.

(Bryan Fuller)

Recipients Come From Surrounding States
Since 2016, this toy drive has given away more than 64,000 toys, an annual event that people wait in line for hours to receive. And as the event grows each year, lines of cars that now stretch three to four miles long, all with kids eager to receive toys that year.

“I was working the line this year, and we did see license plates from Texas and Arkansas. That’s normal,” says Greg Owen, Pittsburg County, Oklahoma 4-H educator. “I would ask the people in the line, ‘What was the experience like?’ And this year, I heard the comment ‘It was literally perfect.’”

Vital Volunteers
But for Reed, this wouldn’t be possible without volunteers, all 100 of them.

“They can help us move the toys from point A to point B when we’re holding them or in help, give the toys, help, walk the line, be dressed up in costumes to help entertain the kids, give out small items that go through the lines. The kids aren’t just sitting there bored,” Reed says.

Loss Turned Into Love
Reed’s toy drive has become a beloved experience attracting thousands of people from miles away. But this kid who has brought so much joy to others has also seen heartache along the way.

“He had the most difficult year of his life his junior year,” Angie says. “We were moving to Ragan’s that year, and on July 28, he lost his grandmother that he was extremely close to.”

Reed’s brother, Sergeant Miles Tarron

(SUNUP)

Not even four months later, Reed suffered another devastating loss, just weeks away from his toy drive in 2021.

“We were notified by soldiers that Reed’s brother had passed in the military,” Angie says. “I talked with Reed and I told him I didn’t think we can do the toy giveaway. And he said, ‘Mom, brother would want us to do the toy giveaway, so we’re going to do the toy giveaway.’”

And he did, with an entire community rallying around Reed as a way to give back to one of their own who had done so much.

“They helped us get it over to Ragan’s. We got it all set up. And then they just helped us all the way through it,” Angie says. “After that, Reed had already created the Hudson Strong Foundation for a little boy that had cancer. And they provided some help with the costs of the storage buildings. Then after his brother passed, Reed created the Sergeant Miles Tarron Foundation, and that supports his toy giveaway, his backpack giveaway and his silent auction. His brother always had a hand in supporting him and sending money. So, now the Sergeant Miles Tarron Foundation and the Hudson Strong Foundation support those storage buildings.”

Reed has nine storage buildings, all bursting with donated toys each year. But this success is also because of one lady Reed deeply admired: his 4-H leader, Miss Donna Curry.

“After he lost his brother, June 28, 2022, he lost Miss Donna Curry, who was like a second mother to him, who got him into 4-H, and she supported this project thoroughly,” Angie says.

Today, Reed doesn’t just give away toys. Miss Donna had another idea two years before she died: to give out pajamas, socks and undergarments to those in need.

“We named it Miss Donna’s Closet. And when they drive through the toy giveaway, they get the pajamas, they get socks, they get undergarments all through the toy line. They get snacks. And so when we lost Miss Donna, Reed promised at that point that he would carry her tradition on.”

Reed is Now Inspiring Others
Reed’s heart of service is always on display, and it’s now inspiring others.

“It’s literally the goal that we try to set for our 4-H members. We hope that they’ll develop a level of mastery in their project work, and for Reed, his project has been civic engagement,” Greg says. “And when they get to that point, we’ll hope we hope that they’ll utilize that to teach and impact others to follow in their footsteps, which is exactly what Reed has done.”

“That’s the best thing with 4-H; they always want you to strive to be the best version of yourself. And that’s something this project really does every year,” Reed says. “It’s not just staying the same or leveling out each year. It’s getting bigger and better than the last.”

True Gift of Giving
Reed’s one idea in 2016 continues to spread joy year-round, as it showcases the true gift of giving.

“Little 11-year-old Reed could never see such a thing happening, especially when I was so young and couldn’t even talk to a group of ten people, let alone do something like this. I never thought it would reach this,” Reed says.

“I always share this. That came from the idea of an 11-year-old child. That shows the impact of the 4-H program. That shows the impact of a student that wants to give, that wants to make a difference and wants to make a positive impact on their community,” Greg says.

Reed Accepts Donations Year-Round
In order to make the annual toy drive possible, Reed accepts donations year-round. If you’d like to contribute to the annual toy drive or Reed’s other service projects, you can donate here .

Your Next Reads:
The Ultimate Gift: Dairy Farmer Becomes Lifesaving Hero by Donating Both His Liver and Kidney

Iconic Holiday Road Trip Stop Returns to Its Georgia Pecan Farm Roots

From Raising Cattle to Now Reindeer, How One Family is Sharing the Magic Of Christmas On Their Farm

The Ultimate Gift: Dairy Farmer Becomes Lifesaving Hero by Donating Both His Liver and Kidney

Tue, 24 Dec 2024 15:08:10 GMT

When one thinks of a dairy farmer, the image often conjured is that of a hardworking individual, dedicated to the care of their cattle and land. Brian Forrest, who leads with a kind-hearted and giving spirit at his family farm, Maple Ridge Dairy near Stratford, Wisconsin, epitomizes this image and so much more.

Forrest works tirelessly alongside his wife, Elaine, and their five children, tending to roughly 2,000 cows and farming 4,000 acres. Although farming is undeniably a demanding job, Forrest thrives on the mixture of hard work and familial teamwork it entails.

Leadership Beyond Farming
Away from the hustle and bustle of farming, Forrest dedicates his time in boardrooms and volunteering on various committees and organizations. His contributions as a leader have not gone unnoticed as he was awarded the Dean Strauss Leadership Award at the Professional Dairy Producers (PDP) Annual Meeting earlier this year.

“Ask anyone who knows Brian and they’ll tell you he’d give you the shirt off his back without blinking, as his track record clearly shows,” Shelly Mayer, Executive Director of PDP, shares. “I’ve had the opportunity to work directly with Brian for several years and I can say firsthand that he is one of the most thoughtful, compassionate people one could ever hope to work with.”

Maple Ridge has earned recognition on state and national levels, including Focus on Energy’s 2022 Energy Efficiency Excellence Award and platinum-level recognition in 2020 from the National Mastitis Council for the dairy’s consistently low Somatic Cell Count. Forrest was also named a 2021 Wisconsin Agriculturist Master Agriculturist. Forrest serves as Board Chair of Dairy’s Foundation and also served on the PDP board of directors for six years, acting as treasurer for three years. He’s an FFA alumnus and regularly supports the FFA.

A Selfless Donor
Forrest’s generosity extends beyond his time and expertise. In July 2019, he served as a living liver donor for his cousin Richard Gillette, who was battling end-stage liver disease.

“Richard is one of five brothers who I had always looked up to when I was a kid,” Forrest fondly recalls. “When they were young, all five of them came up from Illinois during the summer to help out on my dad’s farm in Stratford.”

Two of the five brothers died in their 50s - and Forrest didn’t want to see a third Gillette brother die before his time. And, as sick as Richard was in the spring of 2019, he was unlikely to receive a new liver from a deceased donor in time to save his life. Too many patients were ahead of him on the transplant list - and most of them were even sicker. Forrest offered to see if he could be a match.

“I thought maybe I could be a donor. I’m older, but I have O-negative blood.” After discussing it with his wife and giving it careful thought, he decided to go through with the donation.

A football fan at heart, Forrest knows that when it’s game day, rivalries don’t matter. Or least this was the case for the fourth-generation dairy farmer.

“He’s a Bears fan. I’m a Packer fan. But we were united the morning that we both met with our incredible surgeons,” Forrest remembers back to the day of live transplant at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Medical Hospital. We joked together right before the surgery that after he gets part of my liver, he very well may come out a Packers fan! He beamingly shares that his cousin recovered well. “It was a tough road for a while, but it was all worthwhile.”

Four years later, Forrest donated a kidney to an anonymous recipient, demonstrating his willingness to help those in need yet again.

The kidney he donated went to a person in Virginia. The surgeon showed Forrest a picture of his kidney functioning perfectly inside the recipient the evening after his surgery.

“It was pink inside the recipient and doing its job,” Forrest shared emotionally. “It is all so remarkable.”

Both surgeries required others to pick up the ‘slack’ from Forrest back at the dairy. He proudly shares that he is lucky to have such a great village that could help out while he took 6-8 weeks to fully recover from both surgeries.

“I would do this again in a heartbeat,” he shares. “There is no price tag for giving someone life and the whole experience brought my family closer together.”

A Farmer’s Faith
Forrest says the feeling of helping someone else is hard to describe but incredibly fulfilling.

“I know God is driving the way,” he says. “I’m not sure what direction we are heading, but I know he is in the driver’s seat and I’m in the backseat.”

When it comes to farming, Forrest—like most farmers—believes in a better tomorrow. Before his surgeries, Forrest had to undergo a mental health evaluation, ensuring he was prepared for all eventualities, even the possibility of the surgery not resulting in success.

“I go back to the highs and lows of farming. With milk prices and Mother Nature, you must be okay with not being in control,” he says.

Forrest’s mindset of focusing on what can go right instead of what could go wrong is just his natural way of thinking. This positive attitude has helped foster a healthy and positive culture at Maple Ridge Dairy, where 34 full-time employees work in harmony.

“Our mission and values are communicated, and we all work towards the same goal,” he shares.

In an industry full of challenges and unpredictability, this Wisconsin dairy farmer stands out not just for his farming practices but for his exemplary character and unwavering optimism. Whether on the farm, in the operating room, or during acts of heroism, Forrest truly embodies a spirit of selflessness and resilience.

“I try to make more deposits than withdrawals,” he says. “There are good days and bad days, but we really need to focus on the good. My hopes are that others who hear my story also consider organ donation. UW Madison is an incredible resource and I’d be happy to talk to anyone whose heart has tugged on them regarding organ donation. I have no regrets.”

From Raising Cattle to Now Reindeer, How One Family is Sharing the Magic Of Christmas On Their Farm

Fri, 23 Dec 2022 20:30:01 GMT

“Rudolph the Red-nose Reindeer” is a song that captured kids’ hearts when it first topped the charts in 1949. It then became a television special hit 15 years later, and it’s still a Christmas-hit today.

Unlike the fictional characters in the movie and songs, reindeer at Prescott Family Reindeer Farm are actually real.

“We obviously have our real reindeer, Noel and Tinsel,” says Sara Prescott, owner of Prescott Family Reindeer Farm.

She says the fact reindeer do exist is one of the biggest misconceptions of reindeer today.

“We have people that come up all the time and say, okay, but what are these, and we tell them they are real reindeer,” she says.

Rooted in Family and a Desire to Spread Christmas Cheer

Prescott will tell you the story behind their reindeer farm is magical, but it all starts with family.

“Being on a family farm means a lot of different things,” she says. “To us, it means tradition, it means building something together as a family.”

That’s exactly what the Prescotts do each year as their farm of 240 acres in Vanzandt, Mo. is rooted in a deep desire to give everyone a full Christmas experience.

“They’re very stout, hearty animals,” says Prescott “So, we wanted it not to just be a petting zoo, but we wanted you to be able to fall in love with our animals, just the way that we do.”

The Journey South

It all started three years ago when the Prescotts moved to southern Missouri from central Illinois.

“While we were in central Illinois, we did a ton of educational opportunities for people to come out to the farm and share our story, visit with the animals,” she says. “And when we moved here, we wanted to expand on that.”

The Prescotts were well equipped for raising beef cattle. Afterall, that’s what their family had always done, but when they moved, they decided to venture into something new.

“We didn’t want to impose on other businesses here in our local area. So we really tried to find a different niche market. And honestly, reindeer were perfect,” she says.

The Prescotts love their reindeer. That passion for raising reindeer was a gift during a visit to another farm in Illinois.

“Our reindeer process actually started five years ago in Canton, Illinois when we visited our first reindeer farm, and that was the Snowman’s Reindeer Farm , and they are amazing people and they actually helped us to fall in love with reindeer just on our visit there.”

From Cattle to Reindeer

When the Prescotts moved to Missouri, Sara started researching how to raise reindeer, and she quickly discovered it was a natural fit for their family farm.

“We raise the reindeer very much like we raise the cattle,” she says. “I would say the biggest difference between cows and reindeer are the cattle don’t love it when it’s zero degrees. But the reindeer, that’s their happiest time.”

Cattle and reindeer are both ruminant animals, but reindeer just prefer to eat different treats.

“Our reindeer actually are not on grass. Reindeer actually don’t eat much grass,” she says. “Their main diet out in nature would be a lot more leaves and sticks, that kind of stuff that they’re looking for.”

Her Pampered Pets

Sara calls them her pampered pets, with big fans and pools to play in during the heat of the summer, but as you can imagine, it’s in the winter months that these reindeer really shine.

“We’re super excited that Santa and Mrs. Claus join us each weekend from the North Pole. They come down obviously to visit with the reindeer. We hope that Noel and Tinsel will make the flight team this year and be able to be flying around for Christmas Eve.”

Magical Christmas Experience on the Farm

With both Santa and Mrs. Claus on the farm, plus photo props and other fun activities around the farm, the Prescotts work each winter to bring others an enchanting experience.

“We also have crafts, a gift shop, you can write letters to Santa, hot cocoa, games; basically, all the things that you need to check off your Christmas tradition list,” she says.

This experience isn’t created overnight. The Prescotts and their three kids start decorating for Christmas in July, all in hopes of sharing their passion for raising reindeer and help others make memories in the most magical way.