Rotary distributes packed food to needy Two Rotary clubs in North Carolina have joined hands with a group of churches to pack 30,000 meals in the weekend and distribute to the needy through like-minded organisations.

Two local Rotary clubs and several area churches are joining together to package meals for local families in need.

For the past 10 years, the Rotary Club of Valdese (North Carolina, US – D 7670) has helped package more than 1 million meals to send all around the world to help families in need, said Rotarian Paul Mears.

This year, though, the club decided to do things a little differently.

The group will be packing food on Saturday from Meals of Hope, a Florida-based nonprofit started by Rotarians to help neighbours in need, according to a release from the Rotary Club of Valdese.

About $7,500 has been donated to the event by the Rotary Club of Valdese, Burke Sunrise Rotary Club, Drexel First Baptist Church, East Valdese Baptist Church, First United Methodist Church Valdese and Waldensian Presbyterian Church, Mears said.

Those funds will allow volunteers to package 30,000 meals at the event, Mears said.

The meals will be distributed to local groups that will be able to help local families in need, and cost just 25 cents per meal.

Some of the groups that will receive the meals are Options, Meeting Place Mission, East Burke High School food pantry, Rutherford College Abernathy Memorial United Methodist Church food pantry, Pleasant View Baptist Church food pantry, Faith Community Church backpack ministry, Drexel First Baptist Church food ministry and backpack ministry, Waldensian Presbyterian Church food pantry and Valdese First United Methodist Church backpack ministry, Mears said.

Mears said the most important thing about this event is that it will connect the community together.

“This is bringing the community together to serve one another on a local basis,” Mears said.

“In the past, we’ve reached outside of the United States to provide meals, but this time we’re trying to do a ministry within our own communities.”

Being able to help others is one of the reasons Mears became a Rotarian.

“The reason I love volunteering for Rotary and have been a Rotarian for over 20 years is because of the great humanitarian service that Rotary renders both in our communities and throughout the world,” Mears said.

“Our club truly does put service above self. Our club is service oriented, all of the Rotary Clubs are very service oriented. Basically, we seek to relieve suffering throughout the world and assist our fellow human beings.”

The event will be held at Valdese Elementary, and anyone who wants to volunteer is welcome, Mears said.
Students can also use the event as service hours, Mears said.

Registration for the event will begin at 8.30 am, and meal packaging will begin at 9 am, the Rotary Club release said.

Anyone interested in joining their local Rotary Club can talk to a Rotary member, or attend a meeting, Mears said.

The Rotary Club of Valdese meets on Tuesdays at noon at the Old Rock School.

Source: The News Herald