Food, Fellowship, and Fund-Raising Go Together!

Let's fact it. We live in a relatively poor county where fund-raising by dedicated volunteers helps to generate many of the funds needed by many community organizations in order to serve our citizens. We are certainly blessed by the spirit of volunteerism and the let's-get it done attitude of citizens that pervades our county. In that regard, a healthy combination of food, fellowship, and fund-raising are a common weekend activity for Patrick County churches, clubs, civic, and community organizations. This past Saturday, for example, 3 Methodist churches in Patrick County conducted events of this sort, and "Richard on the Road," a hungry Baptist, attended all of them.

My first stop, shortly after 8 a.m., was at Providence United Methodist Church which serves breakfast to the public on the first Saturday each month to raise dollars for the church building fund. I was warmly greeted by Pastor David Westmoreland and members of the congregatoin, who served a mouth-watering home-cooked breakfast (complete with eggs, sausage, biscuits, 2 kinds of gravy-regular and Kevin Polachek's spicy "Northern" version, apples, blueberry bancakes, coffee, juice, jellies, and jams). The church does not charge but accepts donations from their patrons after they've enjoyed their meal. Why, if your put a $20 bill in the basket, it would still be a bargain for this breakfast along with all of the good fellowship that goes with it.

Pastor David pointed out that this event is part of the church's outreach ministry, noting that it had just hosted as special guests the Adam Willard family of 5 that lost its mobile home in a fire last week and is residing temporarily in the Penny House in Patrick Springs. I commend the "church with the big red doors," as I often call it, for its community-mindedness, hospitality, and an excellent breakfast.

After my breakfast wore off several hours later, I decided to have a lunch of hamburgers and hot dogs with my friends at Concord United Methodist Churchh, site of a Saturday morning yard and bake sale. Sure Concord is famous for its delicious homemade ice cream, but members of this little country church are as good on the grill as they are with the ice cream freezer. Unfortunately, by the time I arrived around midday, a heavy thunderstorm had abruptly forced curtailment of this fund-raiser. Although I didn't get lunch, I did get a news story! Senior member Jesse Mae Vernon and her grandson Keith Vernon told me that Saturday's fund-raiser had been planned to raise money for a new project in the church's outreach ministry. Members of the church are preparing packages that will be sent to our troops abroad (especially those from Patrick County) later this month. Jesse Mae and Keith said the church wants to let our soldiers know that they are loved and supported back at home. I commend Concord United Methodist Church for this wonderful effort to reach out to our troops on foreign battlefronts with loving kindness. Let's all keep America's soldiers and military personnel in our constant prayers! By the way, my Concord friends, I'll take a rain check on the lunch I missed! :O)

My third and final church visit of the day came Saturday evening when I attended the 14th annual Pig Pickin' and Gospel Singing, a summertime tradition at New Hope United Methodist Church. Member Henry Ayers said the event offers wholesome family entertainment and raises money for the church's Lord's Acre fund. Member Shirley Collins added that although the crowd was off a little this year, the event attracted a large number of hungry people. I'll say! Here's proof! By the time I got in line for a take-out about 2 1/2 hours after serving had begun, all of Burton Conner's barbecue...200 pounds of it...had been consumed by the ravenous crowd...every bit of it! Thus, for the second time that day, uncharacteristically, I had missed a meal! Fortunately, for me, however, I'd eaten earlier that afternoon at the annual volunteer appreciation banquet for Patrick Share and the Patrick County Community Food Bank (I commend the volunteers of these organizations). What a spread...barbecued chicken, regular barbecue, barbecue with mushroom sauce, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, roles, coleslaw, sweet tea, and coconut pie and pound cake for dessert.

Still I missed two out of the three church meals that I attended. Oh well, I'll have many more opportunities in months to come to indulge as Patrick County churches, clubs, civic, and community organizations offer food, fun, and fellowship to aid in their very worthy fund-raising efforts.

Until next time, you have all of my love and a prayer that God will bless you with a "great day"!

Your "Great Day in the Morning Show" host,
Richard