12/11/2025
STORY TIME!! See this woman? Yeah, the one who looks like she's posing for her mug shot??? (Yes, I did pick the most unflattering picture I could find......) She is the owner of Cleveland General Store and Chili Willie's and probably the most God-fearing and giving woman you could ever want to meet. She's been through some hardships in her life that have only made her stronger, one of which is the loss of one of her precious sons, Cody Ridings. Cody was a 32 year old man who had special needs. You might have seen him driving his old tractor each year in the Ag Fest parade or working at a local car wash, but if you ever met him you couldn't forget him. Unexpectedly, on Christmas day just last year (2024), Cody had a massive seizure and passed away. Debra was devastated. But she pressed on through the building renovations in order to make her dream come true--a business that was a way for her to give back to the community. Debra does not take any profit from this business. Anything in excess of her overhead is put right back into the Cleveland/White County community. TRUE STORY!! She puts that profit anywhere she feels led. Also, she built this business as a ministry to those who need prayer. If you've been inside, you'll notice her "Prayer Room". On each table there is a bucket with tags and pens. You just write your prayer request on the tag and go hang it on one of the nails in the Prayer Room. Debra and the staff pray over those requests each and every day. NO KIDDING!! There are so many people in need and she's made it her mission to stand alongside those people in any way she can. Soooooo, if you find yourself in need of prayer or just someone to listen to you when you need to unburden, come on in!! We're here for you!
As a final footnote, we opened the store on December 4 of this year--not because we were actually ready to open, but because that was Cody's 33rd birthday and it meant the world to Debra to honor him in that way. If you were there--you know. We were a crazy group of Keystone Cops running around trying to make everyone's experience pleasant. We may not have met everyone's hopes and expectations but we know we met one of them--to make Debra's Grand Opening happen on such a special day. Thank you all for making it just that much more incredible for her!!!
