Hailey Waldo
Reporter@greenepublishing
The grand opening of the Silver Angel Shed opened with a heartfelt group prayer, setting the tone for a celebration rooted in faith and community. Marlies Jones, founder and president of Earth Angels of Madison County, stepped forward to share the story behind the organization’s remarkable journey.
Although originally from Delray Beach, Jones came to Madison, where she found her calling. Jones explained that witnessing the community’s unity during hurricane recovery efforts deepened her love for Madison County. “I was already in love with Madison County but after the hurricanes, I was even more,” she said.
“My first thought was, where do I go to volunteer?” Jones told the crowd. “So, I went to the church, Madison Church of God, and I saw what Madison County does when you have a hurricane or any natural disaster. I was blown away with how many people came together in such a short amount of time. I mean, we couldn’t even drive down our road and, already, everyone was assembled at the church.”
However, with a full-time job, Jones found it difficult to commit to volunteering on a regular weekly schedule. That challenge became the spark that ignited Earth Angels.
“So I asked God, ‘What can I do? I need to do something’,” she said. “And it hit me, there’s a lot of other people in this community that feel the same way. They need structure and organization. They want to volunteer, but they can’t necessarily do it every Saturday. That’s how Earth Angels was born.”
What began with no funding and no formal structure quickly transformed into something far greater than Jones imagined.
“I had no idea it would take off so fast,” Jones added. “This is what happens when God says ‘yes’. When God says ‘yes’, this is what happens. No money, no grants, no resources, no volunteers when I started, and this is what happened. It wasn’t me. It was you. It was the community. But, most importantly, it was God.”
Over time, the organization evolved. Initially focused on helping individuals one-on-one, Earth Angels soon realized they could make a greater impact by shifting their efforts to large-scale initiatives.
“We realized we’re too small to help individually and we don’t have enough resources,” Jones explained. “So we morphed to help people on a grander scale so we can have fewer volunteers and make a bigger impact.”
One of those initiatives is the newly opened Silver Angel Shed, a free community resource created to provide essential items to individuals and families in need throughout Madison County. The shed includes everyday essentials, ranging from clothing to shoes, while having toys, decorations and more, something for everyone to enjoy. Giving people the option to get whatever they need, even just one painting they typically couldn’t afford, can leave a tremendous positive impact on their lives.
The grand opening was held Thursday, Feb. 20, at the Senior Citizens Council of Madison County, located at 1161 SW Harvey Greene Dr, in Madison. The event welcomed staff members, local leaders, members of Madison County Chamber of Commerce and community members.
The Silver Angel Shed is a collaboration with the Senior Citizens Center and supports the dedication of Earth Angel’s volunteers.
“Betty and Bill Collins put the shed together with help and volunteers, but they put their blood, sweat and tears into the shed,” Jones said. “I couldn’t have done it without them.”
After Jone’s presentation concluded, the Earth Angels gathered together for a ribbon-cutting ceremony in front of the shed, marking the official opening of the new resource for the community.
The Silver Angel Shed is just one of several outreach programs Earth Angels now operates. The Silver Angel Tree, started this year by Jone’s daughter, provides gifts to seniors during Christmas time. The Community Table is a quarterly farm-to-table event held at Four Freedoms Park, where residents are fed free meals while also learning where their locally sourced food comes from.
“People can see what it looks like for a carrot that comes out of the ground and goes to the table. It gets washed, chopped and cooked,” Jones said. “People need to see what that looks like.”
Fitness initiatives are also expanding. Ruby Lamoureux is currently leading three weekly fitness classes at the Madison and Lee libraries and two at the Madison County Senior Citizens Center. Attendance continues to steadily grow as the word spreads around the county.
“The responses have been so good,” Lamoureux said. “People are feeling better. What we’re doing is gentle, but they’re building their strength.”
Along with the heartfelt anecdotes, guests at the grand opening enjoyed catering by Cornerstone Cafe, which served pulled pork sandwiches, chicken salad sandwiches, chips, pickles, sweet tea and lemonade. Guests gathered around the tables, enjoying their meals in a warm and welcoming atmosphere, sharing their love for the community.
Earth Angels continues to demonstrate the power of faith and community, proving, as Jones passionately declared, “When God says ‘yes’, this is what happens.”
For more information, volunteer opportunities or to request assistance from the Earth Angels of Madison County, contact them at (850) 601-2523, or message them via Facebook at facebook.com/earthangelsofmc.
