By Brynna Williamson
A “Big Top” of hope. It wasn’t clowns. It wasn’t elephants. It wasn’t a ringmaster. But it was about kids, and it did do a lot of good.
Wood County Child Protection and Welfare Board
Last month saw more than 200 people pack the inside of Winnsboro, Texas’ Civic Center for this “Big Top of Hope.” Were they there for a show, a fancy dinner, or some other kind of paid entertainment? Well, yes and no.
These citizens, who ranged from private individuals to local mayors, school superintendents, judges, and more, to organizations such as local police departments and even a local funeral home, did come with money in mind. But they came to give it, not to get it.
The event is called Tips for Tots, and it’s associated with the Wood County Child Protection and Welfare Board (we’ll write WCCPWB. It’s shorter, but, we admit, not by a lot).
It’s a long name, but it has a worthy mission. Basically, the WCCPWB takes care of foster kids here in Wood County, Texas. These kids have nothing, say WCCPWB board members. They are often taken from their homes with literally only the shirts on their back, which can bring trauma, distress, and, most obviously, a great level of need. The board aims to change that.
“If a child is being taken out of their parents’ custody, and there are methamphetamines involved, that child doesn’t get to bring anything with them,” said Denea Hudman, the previous vice president for the WCCPWB. “What is a beautiful thing that comes from this (event), and so many members of our community (is that now we) have every single thing they need. And we have beautiful case workers that give them love.”
Not only does the WCCPWB provide foster kids with items they need in the present, they also work to give these vulnerable children as normal of a childhood as they possibly can. This is brought to fruition through events like a Christmas party, which is complete with unique gifts chosen for each child, and a back-to-school party; gifts like monthly allowances, money sent to each child on their birthday, special assistance for things like summer camps, prom, senior rings, etc.; and generous stipends for things like clothing.
The WCCPWB mission is one that hundreds of citizens across Wood County, Texas support with their appreciation, finances, time, and even donations of items.
The Big Top of Hope
This need on the part of our Wood County children is why the WCCPWB hosts Tips for Tots every year. The event is a giant auction/raffle/catered dinner, where anyone is invited to attend. Don’t want to spend money on auction items? No problem; just come. The $25 cover charge still counts as a donation to these kids and their annual needs.
Here’s the way it works. Organizations, businesses, and individuals donate services or items to the event, which are then laid out for attendees to see during the evening. Some businesses, organizations, and individuals also purchase sponsorships, which both help pay for the evening and help kids get what they need, too. People come from miles around to attend the event, and they pay the small fee to attend. When attendees get there, they’re given a free catered dinner from some beloved local restaurant (in 2024 and 2025, it was Seth’s Lake Fork Creek). They sit down, and their dinner is served by a coalition of local pastors, who wait on attendees while “competing” to see who can raise the most tips for the kids. All of the tip money is given to Tips for Tots; not one dollar is kept by the volunteer pastors.
Then, the auction is completed by the generous donors and enthusiastic community members of our beloved Wood County, Texas. See how utterly community-based this is? It’s a great thing to see happen.
In 2025, the Tips for Tots event was themed, as you may have guessed from the article opening, “A Big Top of Hope.” Big was, indeed, the word to describe the event, which was attended by more than 200 people and featured nearly 45 items donated to sell; so many items, in fact, that organizers had to add a silent auction to the normal auction and raffle.
The auction itself was a fun, community-building, hilarious event, too, with auctioneer Kelly Connolly helping to bring a certain humor and camaraderie to the evening. Take this moment, for example, when Connolly said the following at a high-speed, rhythmic, auctioneer’s pace:
“125, 150, sir, say yes, say yes, everyone’s looking at you, don’t be a one and done (bidder)!”
Community fun aside, the event was meaningful for what it did. You’re not going to believe this, but in 2025, the citizens of Wood County selflessly donated $53,000 to the foster kids of Wood County at the Tips for Tots event! Sold items ranged from cakes to a home cleaning service to a golf package for 4 to a picnic kit, business boost kit, cycling adventure, and even a getaway in Branson, Missouri.
The featured auction item of the evening, however, was a hand-signed guitar from famous musician Koe Wetzel himself. A black autographed Epiphone guitar with Wetzel’s initials and the name of one of his studio albums painted on the front, the instrument alone sold for $2,000. It didn’t start out at that price, but Wood County citizens are that generous.
“I thank you! Like, when I say ‘thank you,’ I really mean thank you,” said Hudman, who was tearing up. “Because you do fulfill needs by your $100 car washes, nail salon (auction items), coolers, etc. We really, really, really appreciate your help.”
The Nest
But providing for kids financially isn’t everything, as the WCCPWB Board knows very well. These foster kids also need healing, and—in a best-case scenario, where children are able to reunite with their parents—reconciliation. Unfortunately, says Shelly Griffin, the assistant secretary for the WCCPWB, these child/parent reunions often take place in fast food restaurants, outdoor parks, or even libraries.
“These are places that lack privacy, consistency, and, in many cases, safety,” said Griffin. So, as Griffin says, “(The board) kept thinking, ‘What can we do?’” Well, the WCCPWB Board now has an answer.
“After a lot of planning, a lot of budgeting, and a whole lot of praying, I am very excited to share with you that we are moving forward with the creation of a new family visitation facility in Quitman, Texas,” said Griffin.
The facility, which the board is “working very, very hard” to open by November 1 of 2025, is called “The Nest.” The descriptions of the facility do indeed seem like a quaint little nest: from a big living room area with books and toys to a private kitchen where visiting parents can store or even cook food for their children, the purpose of The Nest is to give parents and kids a “normal” space to connect, reunite, and heal.
The Nest will also feature three separate room areas for children and parents to connect. Each room, says Griffin, is planned for a different age group but could be used for any group. The first is modeled for babies/toddlers, the second is for “tweens” (or those between 9-12 years old), and the third room is designed for older teenagers. Each room will also feature a non-intrusive “monitoring room” next door to make sure that kids are safe and treated well by the visiting parents.
The Nest will also have a dining room area for families to eat together, an outside fenced play area with patio furniture, kids’ playhouses, a sand pit, and more.
“These safe and welcoming rooms will give children a chance to spend meaningful time with their parents in a warm, supportive, safe environment,” said Griffin. “Because family bonds matter, and every child deserves to feel connected and cared for through this journey that—remember—they didn’t choose.”
Griffin says that donations are still needed to make The Nest a reality. To donate, visit The Nest’s Amazon registry, or for general donations, go to the Wood County Child Welfare and Protection Board website. All this being said, the bottom line for our Wood County organization and its Tips for Tots event, is this: “Caring for children is not somebody else’s responsibility, it’s ours,” said Danielle Neal, the president of the WCCPWB Board. “Children can’t wait. They can’t wait for someone else to step in, they can’t wait until it’s ‘convenient.’ They need us now. That’s our ‘why.’ And as long as there are children in Wood County who need us, we will continue to show up with courage, compassion, and commitment. We will continue the call upon our community, and the members of Wood County, to help.”