Nearly 100 volunteers stood ready on the Windham Township grounds Saturday morning as the vehicles started rolling through. Some handed out meats. At another station, volunteers gave produce. At a third station, there was even food for pets, if needed.
In all, around $8,000 worth of goods was on hand to benefit Windham residents and those from surrounding communities who are facing financial challenges due to the state’s COVID-19 closures, which should start being phased out for the region on May 8.
“This is phenomenal,” said Windham Township Supervisor Gale Bowen, who began organizing the event with the Rev. Jeff Bisher of the Windham Center Community Church and the Rev. Scott Ross with the Windham Summit Bible Church a couple of weeks ago.
Volunteer Becky Crain walks items to the trunk of a car visiting Saturday’s drive-thru food giveaway in Windham Township. Photo credit: Matt Hicks, editor, The Daily & Sunday Review.
Ross called the outpouring of support for the drive-thru food giveaway humbling.
“The businesses and the community has just given us more than we can imagine,” Ross said.
A sign was made recognizing the many sponsors, which included the Dandy Mini Mart, Hurley’s Fresh Market, Cargill, Rome Veterinary Clinic / Endless Mountains Veterinary Center, Camptown Dairy, Mac’s Excavating, Sunset Ridge Creamery, The Panther Pantry, Shores Sisters Farm Market, Home Depot, Lewis Heating and Cooling, and Kuhl Kows Farm. Shoresbrook Auction Service, Bradford County Diary Promotion, Nichols Baptist Church, Orwell Bible Church, and North Rome Wesleyan Church also supported the effort.
On short notice, the Chapter 1338 Sons of Thunder Christian Motorcyclists Association also stepped in to help however they could, which included praying with those who had spiritual needs.
Christian Motorcyclists Association members John Reynolds, Jeff Bisher, Diane Effinger, and Dan Earl stand at their prayer tent, where they stood ready to help those who needed spiritual support. Photo credit: Matt Hicks, editor, The Daily & Sunday Review.
“Food is good, but salvation is forever,” said CMA Vice President John Reynolds.
Bisher, also a CMA member who helped coordinate their involvement, credited Bowen with bringing the giveaway together, just like he did following the 2017 flooding.
“We’re always happy to help. We love the community,” said Bisher. “And I’m glad that Gale has the wherewithal – even though he’ll tell you he doesn’t know how to do any of this stuff – he takes a lot of input, and we all work together.”
Bowen said its just part of the job as an elected official, and hoped more elected officials would do the same.
“The people have just been fantastic as far as donations and support, and volunteering and helping,” said Bowen. “It’s funny what three guys sitting down on a Tuesday night for a half-hour can come up with, and then have this much food available for those who need it. Our whole goal is to help those people who have been out of work, with no income, and our senior citizens.”
Before the start of Saturday’s drive-thru food giveaway, volunteers delivered boxes of goods to 45 shut-in elderly people they knew about around the community. Any leftovers were also going to be delivered to those in need.
“To me, that’s what we’re all about,” he said.
So proud of our little town.