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After winding through the Sulphur Springs High School parking lot, a single vehicle line goes through the food distribution area. Staff photo by Enola Gay Mathews -
The lines of vehicles snaked along and slowly kept moving across the Sulphur Springs High School parking lot. Staff photos by Enola Gay Mathews -
Frozen turkeys were brought out a dozen at a time in small wagons. Each vehicle received one turkey and a large box of non-perishables loaded by volunteer crews made up of all ages. -
David Watson helped to direct vehicles as they lined up in a winding fashion on the Sulphur Springs High School parking lot before reaching the food distribution site. Staff photos by Enola Gay Mathews -
Hopkins County Ministerial Alliance Treasurer Jason Dietze directs traffic into the parking lot at Sulphur Springs High School for the Be The Service food giveaway.
|Hopkins County Christian Alliance
Long lines spanned the Sulphur Springs High School parking lot, back toward the highway at least a block down the street during Saturday’s Be the Service food giveaway.
The line to receive the food donation formed at the Houston Street entrance to the Sulphur Springs High School student parking lot, and by 10:30 a.m. the line stretched west to State Highway 19. Vehicles slowly progressed across the school parking lot, some waiting patiently for up to two hours to receive the donation of a frozen turkey and a generous box of non-perishables.
Enough supplies to feed 1,000 families was packaged in boxes in the distribution area, outside Barbara Bush Primary. By 1 p.m. Nov. 18, all food boxes had been given out.
Hopkins County Ministerial Alliance annually prepares to feed a thousand families, but in past years, there have been some left over. In those years, it would be donated back into the community to local charitable feeding programs like Meal A Day and the Dinner Bell.
“This was the greatest turnout for the Thanksgiving giveaway in the history of Be the Service,” stated HCMA President Joel Tiemeyer. “We served a thousand families. The massive giveaway is a testament of giving by our community, and each November it is funded by donations from churches and individuals, as well as assistance from the Hopkins County United Way.'
Twenty local churches are members of the HCMA, which also helps to support the Hopkins County Community Cupboard.
HCMA 2023 officers are President Joel Tiemeyer, Vice President Harold Nash, Secretary Rusty Posey and Treasurer Jason Deitze.