(photos by Maggie Beamguard)
BY MAGGIE BEAMGUARD, Insider Editor
Children in the Wednesday after-school program at West End Presbyterian Church — W.O.W. — participate in several service projects during the year in addition to their regular recreation, craft, music and storytime activities. The elementary-aged group recently hauled 284 pounds of goods they collected in a food drive to the West End United Methodist Church Food Pantry.
Laden with bags of peanut butter and flats of macaroni and cheese, the students excitedly weighed their collection and proudly reported the number to Mark Saulsbury, member of WEUMC and food pantry volunteer.
Saulsbury works with Barry Guthrie and Frank Feggeler to coordinate the pantry logistics. The pantry receives donations of nonperishable food items from groups like W.O.W., including churches, schools, civic groups, and social clubs. A core group of 18 volunteers from WEUMC and the community distributes boxes to around 130 families from 8 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. every other Wednesday.
Food Lion and the North Carolina Food Bank supplement the boxes of goods. Clients of the Food Pantry fill out a simple application to receive the donations. WEUMC anticipates the return soon of a companion ministry, the Shepherd’s Table, which provides breakfast for those stopping by the food pantry.
W.O.W. fifth graders Addie Scott, Mary Sheldon Holmes and Everett Thomson agreed that the food pantry provides an important community service in West End.
“There are always people in need,” said Scott, “ and if you have two cans of something — you may need one of them, but you can give the other one away.”
Holmes observed that treating others well works like “a ripple effect” to improve the lives of all. “It felt good to help out,” said Thomson who was proud of his church for participating in the food drive.
If your group is interested in holding a food drive for the WEUMC Food Pantry, contact the West End United Methodist Church at (910) 673-1317.
Contact Maggie Beamguard at maggie@thepilot.com.
