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Thanksgiving meal aims to build community unity

Community organizers are hoping to do something new for Thanksgiving this year. They hope to bridge the differences in area residents by bringing the people of Shelby together to share in a Thanksgiving meal and fellowship.
"We just felt with so much division these days, and with things going on in our nation and state - in Charlotte and even right here in Shelby - we wanted a way to bring people together," say Heather Stevens, one of the event's organizers and the director of the Feeding Kids Cleveland County Food Program.
Dubbed "Community Table Thanksgiving Meal," the event's purpose is outlined on its logo: "To Unify Cleveland County Through Food and Fellowship."
The meal will take place in two locations simultaneously at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2016. One site is at Jefferson Park, located on Buffalo Street behind Bojangles near the hospital, and the other site is in the parking lot of New Hope Community Church, 1114 S. Lafayette Street. The meals will take place outside, weather permitting. If bad weather hits, the New Hope location will move inside the church, and the Jefferson Park location will move next door to Faith Harvest Church.
"Our goal is to have as many Shelby area businesses, churches, organizations, groups and individuals embrace this idea, not just to serve and provide, but also to come together and enjoy a meal with one another," says Stevens.
Local businesses have already stepped up to provide most of the food, Stevens said, but some food and financial donations are still needed. Organizers are expecting 125-200 people at each location, although those numbers are "somewhat of a guess," says Stevens. "We would love to have extra food so that folks can take leftovers to others who couldn't come.
"We are also hoping that some churches out there with vans can provide transportation for those who might have trouble getting to the meal," Stevens says.
Contributions for the event can be made a Hannah's Coffee Shop, 1024 E. Marion St., Shelby, or online at feedingkidscc.org.
Organizers also hope attendees will stick around after the meal to enjoy a time of fellowship and fun.
"There will definitely be some basketball and football," Stevens says. "It is Thanksgiving after all, you can't have Thanksgiving without football."
Stevens says other games and fun activities for kids are still in the planning stages. "We don't want it to be just an eat and run kind of event. Our goal is to start building relationships among those from different parts of our community. We hope that this will be just the beginning."
The men's basketball team from Gardner-Webb University has already committed to attending the meal, as have members of the Shelby Police Department. Other organizations involved in the planning and organization of the event include Broad River Community Church, the Dover YMCA, Faith Harvest Church, Central United Methodist Church, Ascension Lutheran Church, Eastside Baptist Church, Shiloh Baptist Church, Hope Community Church, Christ the King Church, Aldersgate United Methodist Church and New Creation Church.
Those who would like to volunteer but who are unable to attend the event can help by joining others who will be going door-to-door on Monday before the event (Nov. 21) and handing out invitations to the meal.
"We would love for this to become an annual event, and maybe to have even more locations in the coming years," Stevens says. "In fact, we would really even like to have this kind of community meal at other occasions, maybe in the spring at Easter or other times of the year as well."
To volunteer or for more information about the Community Table Thanksgiving Meal, search for "Community Table Thanksgiving Meal" on Facebook, or email Stevens at info@feedingkidscc.org or call her at 704-692-1079.

By April Hoyle Shauf

Special to Shelby Shopper & Info


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