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The TowneLaker - July 2008
Pathfinder of the Month- Lori Shackleford
All of us have gifts that can benefit others and make a difference in someone’s life. For Lori Shackleford, they are her gifts of organization and compassion. She has her own business, Consider It Done…Your Personal Assistant, which allows her to make a living at what she does best. However, her gifts have given her a greater purpose: to provide assistance to families with terminally ill family members. Lori was instrumental in developing the ministry at First Baptist Church of Woodstock, Agape Love Servants (ALS), a small team of individuals who do the things that often go by the wayside when a family is dealing with terminal illness such as yard work, grocery shopping, errands, etc. This ministry has expanded into other churches but also has given rise to Lyla’s House, a Christian Hospice to be located in Cherokee County. Dawn Hood, who has worked with Lori in ALS and now Lyla’s House, nominated Lori for Pathfinder of the Month, for the difference she is making in so many lives.
The Shackleford Family. Clockwise from top left: Zach, Nich, Lori, Meghan and Charlie.
Lori is not one to sit on the sidelines; she gets involved with her children’s sporting teams (Dugout Mom for SCRA baseball, Board member for Woodstock High School (WHS) Baseball Booster Club and concession stand volunteer) and children’s schools (Co-Director of WHS Queen of Diamonds Pageant). She also gets involved at her church, which takes us to ALS and the divine intervention that started it all.
After hearing fellow church member Tony Kobolt’s testimony about the time his young son was hospitalized for three months, Lori had an epiphany. “Tony had said, ‘Everything stops but the bills,’ and that really made me think. At that moment, God spoke to me and said, ‘You should offer your services to the church,’” recalled Lori. Shortly thereafter, Lori was put in touch with Lyla and Al Stone; Al had very recently been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. Lori coordinated with the church Deacons, Sunday School class and church staff to take care of “everything but the bills” for Lyla, allowing her to spend her time with her husband. When Al finally lost his battle, Lori knew this type of ministry had to continue, and ALS was born, which is named after and in memory of Albert Lee Stone. Of that time, Lyla said, “For six months, we had meals delivered to us every day. All the jobs of keeping my home, my life and my family’s lives were taken care of by Lori or someone she had volunteer. Words cannot express the love and care Lori and her family showed our family.”
One year to the day that Lori heard God speak to her about using her talents, ALS was given its second family and soon thereafter came the third and fourth families, and most recently, a church in Long Island, NY has seen the ALS ministry and plans to implement it. ALS is truly a gift to those who need it and to date, the ministry has cared for 27 families, and they have a volunteer base of more than 50. By working with ALS for a while, Lori and her volunteers realized something was missing in our community, a Christian Hospice in Cherokee County. Lyla’s House was born. Dawn stated that Lori has been the driving force behind the vision for Lyla’s House. “It is her passion to see Lyla’s House become a reality,” Dawn said.
The goal of Lyla’s House (named after Lyla Stone) is to provide Christian hospice care at no cost to its patients. “People look at us like we’re crazy for providing this service for free,” said Lori. “But, you see, it’s not about the money; it’s about the care and compassion a patient and his/her family receives that is driven by the love of Jesus Christ,” she continued. Lori currently acts as Chairman of the Board on a board of 10.
Because Lyla’s House will offer free care, the facility will rely on gifts from churches, civic groups, corporations, foundations, businesses and individuals who share the vision. Lyla’s house will occur in two phases: in home care which hopefully will launch soon followed by the building of an in-patient facility in Cherokee County.
Lori is married to her best friend, soul mate and high school sweetheart, Charlie for 24 years. She has three children Zach (and soon to be daughter-in-law Jenna), Nich and Meghan and a four legged child/dog, Ace. Thank you Lori for making a difference in our community!
The TowneLaker
1025 Rose Creek Drive
Suite 340
Woodstock, GA 30189
