When they say it takes a village, it really does. Last Tuesday, St. John’s United Methodist Church was once again the designated pick-up site for the packaged food boxes provided by Mountaire.
Members of Girl Scout troops 1321 and 768 and representatives from the local churches patiently wait to bring the food boxes over to be loaded into the truck during Thanksgiving for Thousands last Tuesday at St. John’s United Methodist Church in Seaford. Photo by Michelle Elzey
The volunteers worked like a well-orchestrated choir. They were stationed at each entrance and each and everyone of them knew their roles to help keep things moving. The volunteers varied from church members, pastors from the other churches, Girl Scout troops 1321 and 768, Seaford Pop Warner football players and cheerleaders, and Delaware 4H Sussex County members. Boy Scout Troop 249 had an important part by setting up the night before. They came back later that night after the event to take everything back down.
The thrift shop provided items at no charge to the community. The Department of Health and Social Services was on hand to provide COVID and flu vaccines to any individuals that were interested. This was staffed by the United States Army and Air force members.
When asked why this event is a good fit for the church Carlyle Windley said, “St.John’s has always been involved with the neighborhood around our campus on Pine Street. There is a lot of need and so we look for ways to service that need and to outreach in Christian spirit. We all get a lot of joy out of starting off the holiday season this way.”
“We have been doing this for at least 10 years now,” said Reverend Dr. Kyung Hee Sa. She, along with other members of the church congregation, were found helping at the event.
“If you truly call yourself a Christian, then you need to help wherever it is needed,” Windley said of why he takes part in the event each year. “It gives me an opportunity to do that and to organize this so it’s effective and reaches a lot of people. I just enjoy providing that help to the community. Mountaire had several pickup sites throughout Sussex County today.”
The Mountaire creed is: “To be good stewards of all the assets God has entrusted to us.”
