Local churches give out free Thanksgiving meals

Published 3:54 pm Friday, November 29, 2019

On Thursday morning, Plant City Baptist Church in Lanett and Fairview Baptist Church in Valley each continued a local holiday tradition that began 10 years ago.

Each church had a team of dedicated volunteers working together to provide a free Thanksgiving meal to anyone who asked for one. Approximately 25 volunteers at Plant City Baptist prepared an estimated 150 plates that were distributed throughout Lanett, West Point and Valley.

Most of the plates went to the elderly, to low- and moderate-income people and some went to local first responders who worked on Thanksgiving Day.

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“We look forward to this every year,” said the Rev. Brad Reed, pastor of Plant City Baptist. “It gives us an opportunity to reach out into the community to touch families and to touch individual lives. It’s also fun for us. We enjoy being together and doing this every Thanksgiving.”

Each plate provided someone with a traditional Thanksgiving meal with turkey and dressing, green beans, sweet potato souffle and a roll.

More than 125 plates that went out from Fairview Baptist, located on River Road in Valley, had a similar meal along with cranberry sauce, a slice of pound cake and bottled water. Thanks to these two churches, close to 300 people in the Valley got a healthy, hearty, delicious meal on Thanksgiving they otherwise may not have gotten.

“This is a ministry to our community,” said the Rev. Tim Bass, Fairview’s pastor. “We want them to know that we care about them and want them to have a good day on Thanksgiving. We enjoy doing this. We like getting together on Thanksgiving morning, preparing these meals and getting them out to the surrounding community.”

SPREADING THANKS ON THANKSGIVING — Lots of volunteers worked together Thursday morning at Plant City Baptist Church to prepare an estimated 150 Thanksgiving dinners to deliver throughout Lanett, Valley and West Point. It’s a ministry they have continued for 10 years now. “It gives us the chance to touch families and to touch individuals lives,” said the Rev. Brad Reed, pastor of Planet City Baptist

FAIRVIEW COMES THROUGH AGAIN — For a tenth straight year, Fairview Baptist Church on Thursday sent out more than 100 plates on Thanksgiving morning. “It’s a ministry to our community to let them know we care,” said the Rev. Tim Bass. In front, from left, are Taylor Estep, Clint Williams, Misty Smith, Marquetta Madden, Annette Doleman, Traci Martin, Bricen Turner, Brantley Turner, Lauren Martin with 15-month-old Travis Martin and Billy Farmer. In back, l-r, are Irven Doleman, Denisa Bell, Caleb Willams, Winnie Farmer, Gary Smith, Ricky Turner, Kim Williams with four-year-old Jace Martin, the Rev. Tim Bass, Kenny Bell, Ryan Turner and Jere Copeland.