Lafreda Winston, of Sheffield, is a no-nonsense woman.

“I don’t see white or black, old or young. I just see people, and I love them all, especially children,” she said.

“I inherited my love for children from my mother,” said Winston, who was born and reared in Sheffield. “She loved children, and our home was always filled with them. My mother organized ‘Mothers’ Circle,’ which helped put swings and slides on the school yard in Sheffield.

“I was the youngest of 12 children and when one of us did something wrong, everyone got spanked by ‘Big Mama.’ And how well I remember those ‘Tacky Parties’ my mother used to have. The child that was dressed the ‘tackiest’ won a prize.”

Winston has been a member of Our Lady of the Shoals Catholic Church in Tuscumbia for 59 years. She is called “Granny Winston” by the parishioners’ children and is famous for giving each of those in the youth group a crisp, new $2 bill on special occasions. She also gives multiples of these bills as gifts for weddings, birthdays and Christmas.

Winston has reared a daughter, Sharon Loraine, now deceased, an adopted daughter, Dorothy Burgess, and an adopted nephew, Charles V. Alexander.

In 2008, Winston donated money to pave the parking lot of the Knights of Columbus, and there is a plaque attached to the side of the building commemorating the event. She also donated an organ to the church.

Although afflicted with knee, back, eye and heart trouble, Winston danced at the W.C. Handy Festival in 2007, as well as at the Sheffield School reunion in 2008.

Winston has lived in a beautiful home on a rolling hill of Sterling Street since 1947.

“A Mr. Archer, president of the Sheffield Land Co., showed me this land and at that time it was covered with blackberry vines and pear trees,” she said.

Winston has been involved in many community activities. She is the longest-standing member of the NAACP in the Shoals. “My children knew Dr. Martin Luther King and Jessie Jackson when they were young,” she said.

Winston has been presented with many NAACP leadership awards as well as the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Alabama State Conference of the NAACP. In 2006, she served on the executive committee of the NAACP of the Tri-County branch.

Winston was the founder of the Freedom Awards. She won the award in 1992 for issuing a call to recognize community contributions of Shoals residents. “But now it’s time to pass the torch to a younger member,” she said.

The Bible classes Winston has attended and taught are dearest to her heart. Some of her most enjoyable moments come from reading scripture and spiritual poetry.

“Love truly changes all things and fosters positive change,” she said. Winston’s motto is “may the work I’ve done speak for me.”