| Helen Simpson adds to the food donation as Brayden Luidhardt pedals the John Deere down the aisle while his brother, Drew Luidhardt helps gather items to fill the wagon. (Photos provided) |
Churches often house food pantries, and many who don’t have one of
their own will support the community food pantry. In this holiday season of giving and thanksgiving, most
every church congregation makes a special effort to remember those in need.Among the food drives this year,
one involved two young lads who charmed the congregation at a Luckey church, and the staff of Wood County
Hospital who honored one of the volunteers by supporting the food pantry at her Bowling Green church.At Zion
United Methodist Church in Luckey, the congregation were surprised as a John Deere tractor came down the
aisle? No, it wasn’t a full size Deere, but one being pedaled by a young man with a wagon in tow and the
driver’s brother close at hand.Although food collections are a regular occurrence, this one was different.
As the time for the offering came, Pastor Ernie Sampson of Zion asked two young boys to come forward.Rather
than delivering the usual children’s message. Sampson knew that the boys, Brayden and Drew, sons of Amy and
Andrew Luidhardt, were decked out in their work clothes including denim pants, work boots and matching John
Deere hats. Brayden was pedaling the small green and yellow pulling a matching wagon, accompanied by Drew.
Drew carefully gathered the gifts from the congregation and placed them in the empty wagon.
| Elaine Goodwin, with St. Thomas More’s St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry, stands with 17 boxes of nonperishable food items donated by Wood County Hospital employees. |
They drove the full length from the
altar steps to the entry way, where they made a sharp u-turn, taking care not to lose anything, and headed
back toward the altar for the gifts to be properly blessed.The food items were added as the finishing touch
to a harvest display consisting of bales of straw, pumpkins, squash, ears of corn, and potted flowers. This
collection was repeated on the following two Sundays with equally good success and all the food items were
delivered to the Luckey food pantry.Also, the Christmas spirit was alive as the Wood County Hospital staff
held their yearly Christmas dinner for all employees. At the dinner, those employees were asked to bring a
non-perishable food item. These items would be donated to a local food pantry.Elaine Goodwin works with the
St. Thomas More Parish’s St. Vincent De Paul food pantry, at the Thurstin Avenue church.As a hospital
volunteer, she said she put in a plug for their pantry."To my surprise, I was told that all 17 cartons
would be transported to our pantry," Goodwin said. "So many needy people will benefit from this
gift of food, especially this time of year."She said she was very grateful for the support and
generosity of the Wood County Hospital and their employees.
