The Department of Human Resources honored its foster parents with an appreciation banquet on Thursday, May 27.

Lynn Barnes, DHR director, opened the banquet with her welcome of the foster parents.

“We just appreciate so much these foster parents and the work that they do,” Barnes said. “The jobs they do with these children and the love they give them can’t be measured. Some of them have fostered several children and some of them have even adopted. We have a couple here tonight that just finished their 10-week training program and they carried home three boys just today.”

The keynote speaker was Vicki Fussell, director of Hope Place Family Resource Center. In addition to the foster parents, their sponsors were there to present gifts to each parent.

Foster parents honored were Jeremy and Mary Beth Pate, Glenn and Jackie Davis, Larry and Teresa Watson, Lillian Nettles, Voncile Monroe, Mason and Gwen Minchew, Steve and Connie Lewis, Daniel and Tracy Weaver, Sandra Floyd, Nakiea and Monica Fountain, Gaylan and Angie Shelly and Betty Queen.

Prospective foster parents were Robert and Franchon Baldwin, Philip and Canie Brown, Delinda Hurry, Jean Walker, Sonia Watson and Cristi Guthrie.