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LOCAL
NEWS
"Angel" with "Big Brown" brought Christmas to many families in Cleburne County
Wayne Ruple
01-09-2009
A lot of Cleburne County families, particularly children, are calling “Big Brown’s” local driver Allie Hauk an “angel” after her delivery of 275 gifts to the needy throughout the area.
Hauk said she sees a lot of needy families and children in Cleburne County as she makes rounds for United Parcel Service.
“I see a lot of people hurting and I wanted families to have a good holiday,” Hauk explained.
Before Christmas she decided she would help bring some cheer to those in need and announced she would be collecting money, toys, clothes and gifts as she made her rounds.
Businesses and residents began assisting her effort, giving her toys along with food and clothes for some elderly and with the help of her son Josh and husband John, the Hauks wrapped 275 packages from donations Allie received on her route.
“There is not a soul on my list that didn’t get something,” Hauk said.
Heflin Police Chief Ty Payne donated a bicycle he found while cleaning out a garage.
During the week of Christmas Hauk made her deliveries and found “the kids were so excited.”
One of her most memorable moments was when she met a couple at Spears Salvage in Heflin who had just moved into the area.
“The family was out of money because they had just moved and the father said he had 10 cents left in his pocket. The couple had two little kids. I asked the man about the bicycle and he said one of his children had requested one for Christmas. I gave the child the bicycle I got from the police chief and gave the other child a gift. The parents, they all cried and later I was told that there was talk on XM Radio about an angel in a brown truck,” Hauk said.
Hauk said another Cleburne County family was helped with gifts, clothes and several restaurants in Calhoun County helped supply food and gift cards for meals.
She credits her ability to help people due to the support she gets from her employer, UPS whom she has worked for the past seven years.
“I am fortunate enough to have a company let me do this. Actually, they encouraged it. I love working with people. But I couldn’t do it without their help. My family is also very fortunate that we can help those who are unfortunate,” she added.Along with the help of her husband and son, other UPS employees also assisted her and even now she is already having customers giving her packages for this (2009) year’s Christmas.
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About Wayne Ruple
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Cleburne News editor Wayne Ruple is a native of Ashville. Before coming to Heflin, he worked for three years as a computer systems manager in Birmingham. Ruple has worked for The Sand Mountain Reporter in Albertville, and was the editor of The Independent in Robertsdale. He has also worked for the Shades Valley Sun, the St. Clair News-Aegis and The Daily Home in Talladega.
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Contact Wayne Ruple
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