Flat Rock community groups providing food to needy

Abby Hill, an eighth grader at Wagar Middle School, got an unexpected floral gift delivered to her at school Friday.

Pastor Ryan Nissley from Grace Church in Flat Rock gave her a bouquet of a dozen red roses for raising $1,300 this fall and using it to bake cookies and buy toys for needy children in Flat Rock. Abby is the daughter of Steve and Kristi (Painter) Hill of Carleton.

“She was so surprised,” Kristi said Saturday. “She said 'Mom, the roses are so pretty.'”

The toys and cookies will be included in boxes earmarked for 150 children that will be given out Wednesday by the Helping Hands Ministry at Community Lutheran Church in Flat Rock. Judith Watkins, coordinator of the food and clothing ministry, said she was amazed at what Abby did with her talents.

“She was so gracious to do this on her own,” Watkins told the Flat Rock Community Service Organization Thursday. “I have so many to thank… there are so many wonderful churches and schools in this city who donate to our ministry. We all work together.”

Amy Treibwasser, pastor of the Flat Rock United Methodist Church, said her church also donated coloring books, makeup kits and other toys to the drive. She the community was fortunate to have the ministry and Watkins and her team of volunteers working on a weekly basis to provide for the less fortunate.

“Thank you for coordinating it and allowing us to be part of it,” she told Watkins.

About 60 families will be helped during the distribution that will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday. Also contributing to the drive were students at Bobcean Elementary School, which gathered candy, and St. Roch Catholic Church, which donated Christmas stocking stuffers filled with candy.

Last week, the ministry handed out 50 food boxes to senior citizens and single moms in 22-degree weather, Watkins said. The boxes included food vouchers to buy turkeys.

“I’m hoarse,” she said. “The calls are still coming.”

Nissley, Jeremiah North, Al Shelton and other volunteers were instrumental in a similar community food distribution for the homeless and needy at Thanksgiving. Organizers provided about 225 boxes of food just before the holiday. About 35 area businesses, police officers, firefighters and school students and workers assisted with the drive, Nissley said.

“I’m so thankful for this group and what you do to make this city great and better,” he said. “We’re all on the same team.”

The boxes also contained hams, canned goods, yams, pies and soft drinks.

North said 31 varsity and junior varsity football players packed and delivered the boxes and Costco donated 100 turkeys for the families.

On Monday, members of the St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Roch’s will deliver bags of personal hygiene items, soap and other staples to seniors at the Flat Rock Co-Op senior high rise, said Heather Beitler, a member of St. Roch’s.

“As you know, there is a giant need to fill,” Beitler said.

Paul Scheel, a past co-chairman for the CSO, commended the various community efforts to make the holidays more meaningful for low-income families.

“You’re all doing so much for this community,” Scheel said. “You’re doing what most communities (wish) they had. You’re all heroes.”

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Flat Rock community groups providing food to needy