i am also another niece from ky and i feel that alot of rude comments are being said about the two greatest people that im proud to call family. my father was davids oldest brother and he passed away when i was only 2, wwe grew up not knowing our taunton roots because our mother moved us away. without knowing me or my family that well, david and abigail never hesitated to loan me the money to fly up to alaska when my brother passed away. how many people can you say that you know that would do that? no question, they are two of the best people ever and i i can only say that i love you both and thank you for everything you do! call me when you want to rebuild and me and my family will be there. god bless!

Let me tell about the kind of people Abby and David Taunton are! I’m their niece and I live in Kentucky.  We have recently had a large ice storm and are now considered a Major Natural Disaster Zone. When I called a few days ago to check on the family the first thing Abby asked was if we needed anything and told me to let her know if they could help us in any way. She wasn’t concerned about themselves she was concerned about us. That’s the kind of people they are! And as far as the home in Tn. We’re not talking a huge fancy cabin in the mountains, this is a modest FAMILY homethat has been made available many times to many people at NO cost. Including my son-in-law’s Sunday School Young Adult class. This class was able to go to a Christian Conference because of the money they didn’t have to spend on expensive hotels, thanks to David and Abby. Did you pay attention to the fact that the insurance cost 15,000 and only covered 280,000. You people have a lot of nerve!!

Does my name really matter? “mini-vacation”, is that what you kids are calling it these days?
lol :) Thanks for the invite but I have no time, gotta work and pay the bills. Please re-post the Bank Acct# so I can send my $20.00

Well Mr. 216, and by the way my father always taught us to not say anything you wouldn’t put your name to.  I am done debating with you.  No one has said the trip to TN was not a mini vacation for the Taunton Family, a well deserved one at that, and no one is saying you shouldn’t have insurance and yes they have been doing everything they can to stay afloat.  Sure they have several irons in the pot trying to make a living and furnish jobs for the community and family members.  I think as James stated, if you are that interested in the going ons in the Taunton Family take a ride out and see for yourself what the Taunton Children’s home and the Family’s business is all about.  Have a wonderful year and God Bless You, Miriam

Do I keep insurance on my most valuable asset or go on a family vacation? humm… let me think… I say insurance. Taking a peek at the county web site I see they own a TON of property and a development company. Kudos. Miram. I know my posts appear to be sharp but I state the obvious. They are good people, they did receive assistance and they will get assistance in the future. Simply put, if I was faced with the possibility of having to drop insurance on my home I think I would sell off some assets. AND YES, I think everyone would agree that a home in the Tn. Mountains is a vacation. IT’S THE TN MOUNTAINS FOR GOD’S SAKE

Sorry, to clarify the property according to the property appraiser’s office is residential were the home was locate.  The insurance classification is what change .

My invite is open to anyone

OK, now you are really being a jerk, adult responsibility.  This family has spent their entire adult life with more responsibility than most of us could handle for just a short period of time.  They have been responsible for over 300 children having a shot at a normal life.  I don’t think you can get more responsible than that.  They have always done the right thing, paid their way and that includes having insurance on everything until recently.  The cost just got too great for them.  The commercial rezoning to my understanding was to take on Yet another responsibility, sand mining to help raise additional funds for the children’s home.  There are plenty of battles out there to fight please find one that doesn’t effect so many at such a hurtful time.

as for car, liability and medical insurance they have and are covered. even on that car. and medical is better that they would get in a foster system.  The land rezoning would be a question for the government and not us.

But, I would challenge you to come and visit this home see the children and there backgrounds to get the full aspect of what is taking place here.

What they do is commendable (within reason). BUT the thought process here is a bit “messed-up” for lack of a better word. So if the Taunton’s had never been in a car accident I will guess they don’t have car insurance either. I’m sure that vehicle you mentioned with 255,000 miles is paid for so what the heck. Why make the insurance company rich? Do they feel the same about medical insurance too? YOU PEOPLE CAN’T SHUN ADULT RESPONSIBILITIES. But you bring up a interesting comment. WHY DID THE PROPERTY GET REZONED FROM FAMILY TO COMMERCIAL?
and thanks to WMBB for not altering my screen name this week to “I’m a jerk”  The media doing censoring… what a trip

I have too many words. First thanks to the HOME and my parents for taking me in and making me who I am today.  I am now a father myself and realize just how special my parents are, to take in so many children and treat them as there own. WOW! I have been given more opportunities then most kids dream about.  These people are the reason I am the person I am today. Some decisions are tough and to look back as if you would change them would be a waist of VALUABLE time.  My father is the most optimistic person I know and is always moving forward.  So, I will be one of the first in line to help my father’s dream of making his father’s dream a reality again. THANK YOU MOM AND DAD FOR GIVING ME AND MAKING ME THE FATHER I AM TODAY.

LOVE
JAMES TAUNTON

I would invite anyone to visit the home that has never been to get the full effect of what this place is about.Also in hard time we should tighten our belt but, imagine after paying your homeoff(the home built to better the community and children in need) The insurance went from a residential listing to a commercial and cost about $15,000 per year AND ONLY COVERED ABOUT $280,000 OF A HOME THAT WOULD COST A MILLION $+ TO REPLACE!! As far as a vacation, they went on a vehicle that has over 225,000 miles stayed in an older home that is the only personal home they own and as Miriam said ate in. These people sacrificed everything over the years for children. Also, on their vacation they took kids, they had taken in to experience a part of the country that they might not ever get too.  These people would NEVER ask you to sacrifice something for them or the kids because that isn’t what they’re about.So, should they make the insurance company richer at the expense of helping a child. NO!!

I am Abigail’s sister and I guess vacation means a lot of different things to different people.  When the Taunton family, not unlike our family growing up, go on vacation it usually consist of a camp out, staying in a friends home or family owned home in the mountains, cooking all your own meals, playing in the yard, playing table games, hiking and various other extravagant things.  Raising as many children as they do, and work two or three jobs on the side trying to make ends meet you have to have some kind of outlet.  It has nothing to do with big or small markets, it has to do with people who have given their whole lives to the betterment of children.  The people who have donated and continue to support the children’s home are people who know what the real story is and who know that Abigail and David have done more with their lives in the way of helping others than anyone I know with the resources they have had.  They have never taken state funds so no one has been forced to give!

I’ll have to agree with 216. My family doesn’t take as many vacations as we used to because of high insurance costs and other RESPONSIBILITIES that come with raising a family. Pay your bills first, then if theres anything left, feel blessed. In these hard economic times, one must buckle down on unnessasary spending and pay their bills instead of depending on others to bail them out.

Well lets see…. I forgot to ask permission but I dont have to since I have kids that are probably around the same age as you. Maybe the question should be “Do your parents know you’re online?”

Your logic shows your ignorance. ESPECIALLY living in Northwest Florida, the Catcher’s mitt of hurricanes. Do your parents know your on the internet heatherg?

The comment you made makes me realize how narrow minded people can be.  I have know the Taunton’s all of my life and you could not find anyone with a heart like David Taunton.  I personally have been very close to them for the past several years and not one time do I ever remember them asking the communtiy for help.  They have been blessed to have friends like the Corvette Club and numerous other that willing donate to the children’s home.  And as for the comment about their TN home vacation, just because the kids are living in a childrens home does not mean they can’t go on vacation.  These kids are treated just like any other kid in a family that loves them and spends time with them.  And as far as irresponsible about the insurance, well lets see do we buy clothes and food for 20+ kids or do we pay $15,000 for insurance when when theres a 99% chance we wont us it?  Everyone has been suffering because of the down turn in the economy, so I think they made the best decision they could.

God the reporters at this station make me realize I live in a very small market. No insurance on a home is irresponsible on the Taunton’s part. If they have money to vacation in the mountains of Tn. during the holidays then I would guess they could afford insurance. Now they will once again hit up the community for financial help. Maybe they should sell their home in the mountains BEFORE asking the community to pay for their lifestyle. If I would have canceled my homeowners policy I could have taken my entire family on a 7 day cruise during the holidays. Come on WMBB…