Story and Photo By Joel Spears

CHURCH HILL — Nancy Lawson of Church Hill received a special gift on 
Wednesday from WMCH AM 1260 station manager Randall Seaver and fellow 
radio personality Bettye Russell.
    On behalf of the Church Hill Christian radio station’s listeners and 
in cooperation with the Global Dove “Used Shoe Campaign,” Seaver and 
Russell presented Lawson’s Encourager Bear Ministry with $551.
    Lawson said her ministry, in the eight years since it began, has 
delivered more than 30,000 Beanie bears.  Each comes in a bag that 
also contains a tiny blanket and messages of encouragement to cancer 
survivors as well as those who continue to struggle with the illness.
    “God is so good,” Lawson said proudly.  “I’d like to thank everyone 
who took part in this and brought shoes to the radio station.”
    As a cancer survivor, Lawson values her role in the ministry and 
understands its importance.  She is not only “The Encourager,” but 
also finds encourgement in her work.  Earlier this year, after 
ministering to others for so many years, Nancy was diagnosed with 
terminal cancer, but that has never stopped her from working.  She 
continues looking to God for inspiration just as her ministry 
continues to inspire thousands.
    “With help like this, the Bear Ministry can continue with my son as 
overseer, after the Lord has called me home,” she said smiling.
    “The money from WMCH and Global Dove will all be used to encourage 
many more people who need the encouragement of God in their lives.”
    WMCH worked with Global Dove, an organization that encourages 
fundraising through used shoe recycling at no cost to those who 
participate.
    Russell sad Global Dove paid 20 cents per pound for shoes delivered 
to the radio station and a total of 2,758.3 pounds of shoes were 
donated by listeners in Hawkins, Sullivan and Hancock counties.
    “I want to emphasize that WMCH listeners did this and that just 
shows what listeners can do,” Seaver said.
    For more information about Global Dove’s Used Show Campaign visit 
http://www.globaldove.com or to learn more about Lawson’s Bear Ministry go 
to http://theencourager.com