"A few days after Easter Sunday, Angel's House at last made the transition from a stack of well-worn drawings and hard-earned permits to our long awaited children's shelter. This refuge for children in crisis is a dream come true for all of us who together have rallied, planned, organized or even contributed from afar."

Construction should be completed this fall.

Parks then asked Denise Jackson to speak and she began by saying that she felt a bit like "the cheerleader getting up and speaking for the winning team." When she left home, Alan asked her if she was going to speak, "I said 'no, I'm not going to say anything' and he just laughed," she said.

Jackson said of her work with Angel's House, "It's been an incredible experience." When she first heard that the board was trying to raise a million dollars for an emergency shelter, she admitted she was flabbergasted. "I thought to myself; a million dollars is a lot of money," she said. But everyone came through, and the goal is almost reached.

She continued by saying it reminded her of how nothing is impossible with God. "I think this is his plan," Jackson said. "I think everybody involved with it will continue to be blessed." And, "every one of you have made it happen."

A number of the Jackson family members were on hand for the ground breaking, including Alan Jackson's mother, Ruth.
Lamar Wright, Jackson's brother-in-law sang, "God Bless America and the trio, Chordially Yours, featuring Jackson's sisters, Cathy Wright and Carol Glover, along with Merry Todd, sang at the ceremony.

The ground breaking celebration was held under the pecan trees at the home of Scott and Debra Shefelton. The actual ground breaking was held earlier on the wooded site of Angel's House.

Afterwards Parks said, "I thought it just all went great." Construction should start soon, she said.

Please check back for updates and photos as the building progresses.