BY CAROL VAUGHN, Eastern Shore Post —
Dozens of volunteers from local organizations assisted with a massive food giveaway event at the Exmore Town Park on Thursday, July 6.
Jane Cabarrus, known for her skill at pulling off such large events to benefit the Eastern Shore community, spearheaded the food giveaway, which was made possible by the donation of 40,000 pounds of food by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, working in partnership with the Baptist General Convention of Virginia.
The event on the Eastern Shore was part of a nationwide network of food distribution by the Latter-Day Saints.
“There are a dozen or so (similar events) across Virginia,” taking place, said Kimball Boone, a church member from Virginia Beach, who brought his young sons with him to the event.
The food “is coming from what we call the Bishops’ Storehouse,” Boone said, adding, “They send it out to communities that ask for it. We had done that and, thankfully, they sent a truckload out with all kinds of food.”
Volunteers helped unload hundreds of boxes of food from a tractor trailer early that day and others later manned tables under the scorching sun, ready to load items into the pickup trucks, vans, and trailers of local organization representatives, who later would be distributing the food to needy Shore residents through food pantries and the like.
Former Northampton County supervisor Spencer Murray was handing out bottles of cold water — much needed relief from the heat.
Also among the volunteers was Thomas Henry, of New Jersey, who was visiting his mother in Nassawadox, heard about the project, and decided to help out. Henry spent his morning loading boxes of canned green beans and diced tomatoes into vehicles, smiling widely despite the oppressive heat.
Additionally on the scene were volunteers from Eastern Shore Community College, the Northampton Department of Social Services, Antioch Baptist Church, Onancock Bayside Revitalization, Gaskins Chapel A.M.E. Church, and three missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, who came from Hampton Roads, along with volunteers from several other groups. In all, 43 groups participated.
Mozella Francis, of the Northampton Department of Social Services, wanted to make sure special thanks were given to Marshall’s Tree Service, Cherrystone Aqua-Farms, and H.M. Terry Co., who provided equipment and personnel to unload the truck. Francis also thanked Bubba Frisby, who drove the forklift.
