Open Door event attracts 1,800 (Posted 10/28/2009 03:13 pm)
More than 1,800 people took advantage of Open Door Ministries’ annual food giveaway, held in the parking lot of the new Owl Stadium Saturday.


Church members with shears gave 66 free haircuts. More than 60,000 pounds of food, plus clothing and “garage sale” items, were given away by the church during the event.

But perhaps the number dearest to the ministry’s heart is 53. That’s the number of people “saved” during the event, according to pastor Andy Dally.

The event began at 11 a.m. and wrapped up right at 2 p.m., just as expected, Dally said.

He also noted traffic was much less a problem at the new Owl Stadium parking lot, compared with the front parking lot at the high school, where the event usually is held.

Volunteers — some from far-away communities — handed out all the food and goods during the day.

It is that service to the rest of the community that motivated volunteer Darla Shelley.

“To me, a church should be not just to be there on Sunday morning — a church should be to reach out to the community every day and to meet them with needs that they have,” Shelley said.

A church with a mission to minister to people in the local community was what she and her husband, Jon, were looking for when they joined Open Door in January, Shelley said.

“Just to be able to be here today strengthens my faith in humanity,” said volunteer Terri Sonka. “You don’t have to have money to serve the Lord.”