St. Mark Church hosts giveaway
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on November 19, 2016 11:04 PM
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Volunteer Wilbert Barrett loads bags into a car Saturday at St. Mark Church during a food giveaway to help people affected by Hurricane Matthew.
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Dorothy Grady, center, collects an information card for one of the families receiving the food, water and cleaning supplies being given away Saturday at St. Mark Church. The supplies were donated by the N.C. Food Bank of Eastern North Carolina and Unleash Aggression, a motorcycle group from Raleigh.
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Alexia Williams carries canned food to a car during the St. Mark Church food giveaway Saturday. Each car received five bags of supplies.
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Church members and volunteers pass out bags of food, water and cleaning supplies at St. Mark Church Saturday to provide for people who were affected by Hurricane Matthew. Giveaway items were donated by the N.C. Food Bank of Eastern North Carolina and Unleash Aggression, a motorcycle group out of Raleigh.
When Hurricane Matthew blew through Goldsboro last month, flood waters threatened St. Mark Church of Christ at the foot of Ash Street near U.S. 117.
A yellow line around the large brick church now serves as a reminder of how close those waters came.
"It was four inches from going into the building," says member Gwyn Matthews. "Not one drop went into the building."
"A lot of people came by and looked at it and prayed for us," said Junius Shealy, chairman of the deacons.
The church has been blessed, he said,
So when St. Mark's received a large donation earlier this week, efforts were made to share the blessings with those in the community.
Mother Stephene Cox, mission ministry chairperson, said the church was notified by the N.C Food Bank of Eastern North Carolina in Raleigh.
"We had cleaning products, bleach, water, paper goods, cereals, canned goods," Shealy said. "I think we received something like 10 pallets."
The church already has a food bank program, which operates on alternate weeks, so is knowledgeable about setting up a distribution plan.
Saturday's "mass disaster food giveaway" drew a steady stream of grateful residents, Mrs. Matthews said.
"Everybody's been so receptive and appreciative," she said. "We're in a central location where a lot of the flooding was on all sides of us.
"There were probably 20 cars here when we showed up (before 8). And we have had people walk up. There were probably 30 people who actually walked here because they don't have transportation."
A large trailer was also donated by Eugene Trucking Company in Faison to work out of during the distribution day. Mrs. Matthews' husband, Napoleon Matthews of Matthews Trucking, delivered the trailer to the site.
"We started out Thursday sorting things out, packing it up and putting it in the trailer," said James Lane, whose only title, he said, is church member. "I don't need a title to work for the Lord."
Fellow member Elizabeth Dawson also pitched in behind the scenes.
"I started from the beginning Thursday and I have been here Thursday, Friday and Saturday and it's been a great experience in meeting and greeting the people and being able to give things away," she said.
A corps of volunteers, both church members and non-church members alike, rolled up their sleeves to be part of the effort.
"We even had some victims of the flood come here and help sort (things) because they knew we had a lot of stuff, we needed volunteers," Mrs. Matthews said.
Support came from as far away as Raleigh, in the form of a motorcycle group, Unleash Aggression, which has about 17 members.
One of them, John Rhodes, said he learned of the giveaway through friends at the church.
"We knew about the flooding. We felt like it was needed," he said, showing up to help wherever needed, directing traffic, handing out food and donating their time.
Youth and children from the church also followed the example of their elders.
"I wanted to participate because it's my church and I wanted to help the people around us," said 14-year-old Aniya Williams, there with her younger sister, Akeelah Avery, 7.
Brothers Nehemiah McNair, 9, and Jeremiah McNair, 10, were excited about volunteering.
"I'm out here to help people, Hurricane Matthew victims, and to spend time with my church family and my mom," Jeremiah said.
"I'm out here because I want to spend time with my church family and help the victims that have been washed out," Nehemiah said. "It's just a great day to be here."
Joan Clough lives "right next door" to the church, she said.
Her home was among those flooded and she said a lot of her food was destroyed during the extended power outage.
"We actually come over here on Fridays," she said, gesturing to her neighbor, John Potter, in the driver's seat as the couple waited their turn for bags of food and provisions.
"The Salvation Army came out with hot meals," she said. "These (church) people helped out a lot."
Potter said he was also grateful for the Saturday giveaway.
"It means we're going to have something to eat for Thanksgiving," he said.