PORT ARTHUR — By Amy Moore
The News staff writer
If “only what you have done for Christ will be counted in the end,” the tally of what Fabiola Small has done will be a high number.
The lyric, sung by Dwight Wagner, was only one of the inspired comments made in honor of Small’s dedicated service to the community.
The 65-year-old Port Arthur woman was honored Thursday for her work on last year’s Make A Difference Day and the plethora of volunteer duties she performs throughout the city each day.
“Only God takes the least and gives the best. There’s no other way I could have come through,” Small told the crowded sanctuary at Seventh Street Baptist Church. “Remember, do not neglect to do good. God remembers the sacrifices we make.”
Small, a petite woman who volunteers her time to several organizations, including Woodmen of the World, Port Arthur Weed and Seed and her own nonprofit group, received one of 10 $10,000 checks from USA Weekend Magazine and Newman’s Own Foundation for her efforts on Make A Difference Day. Small organized dozens of volunteers to deliver meals to the elderly, give free immunizations to those in need, handout informational pamphlets on HIV/AIDS and domestic violence and clean up streets in Port Arthur.
“This award is not just for me, it’s for all of us,” Small said. “Everyone in this room has a uniqueness in them. God has put some awesome people in my life.”
Four of those awesome people are Small’s own children, The Rev. Joshua Como, Michelle Isinovea Guy, Jacqueline Marie Fontenot and Whitney Como III, who presented their mother with roses and a plaque for her unconditional love for the people around her.
“Mom always told us to give thanks and we want to give her these flowers now, not when she’s gone to heaven,” Guy said through tears. “We don’t mind sharing our mother (with the community) because there is so much love in her heart to give.”
Small’s volunteer work began over 30 years ago when a friend encouraged her to get out and do good for someone else. She took the advice and has changed many lives in the past three decades.
Now she will change the lives of young football players. Small chose to donate her $10,00 check to the Port Arthur Jr. Bees, a Pop Warner Football League.
“You have done what no one in the community has done for this organization,” Jr. Bees League President Brad Coleman said. “We have struggled for years and this is going to help us. This is awesome. It took one person to show the love to give to this organization.”
The only request Small had from the football players was this:
“I want to see some action Jackson,” she said enthusiastically.
Mayor Deloris “Bobbie” Prince said Port Arthur was a better place because of Small and the entire city owes her so much.
“Not just in this community, though — Ms. Fab is nationwide,” Prince said pointing to the cover of USA Weekend Magazine featuring a photo of Small. “Some people have waited 200 years to be a pin-up girl and there’s Fab right there with no exercise or nothing.”
In addition to the recognition from USA Weekend, Small was presented with a flag from Rep. Joe Deshotel that was flown over the state capital in her honor.
“It does not take an education through a college to do good for God’s people. You don’t have to have your verbs and your nouns all together,” she said. “You have to have the desire to bring the love out of you that Christ has in us. There is so much hatred in the world among people because they are forgetting what we’re here to do. We are here to serve. The Lord blesses you to bless somebody else. God says he’s going to take care of you and he will.”
The USA Weekend Magazine featuring Small will be available in Sunday’s edition of The News.
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April 26, 2008
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