Church group spreads Thanksgiving blessings
Published 3:28 pm Saturday, November 19, 2016
- Kimberly Stelly, left, and daughter Kaydence, leaves the civic center with a Thanksgiving basket Rubens during the Seventh Annual Thanksgiving Basket Giveaway sponsored by Everlasting Changes at the Robert A. “Bob” Bowers Civic Center on Saturday. Mary Meaux/The News
Breanna Appleberry and Kimberly Stelly learned there are still good people in this world.
Appleberry, who recently moved to the area from another state, stood in line with hundreds of others who have fallen on hard times. The crowd filed into the Robert A. “Bob” Bowers Civic Center where they were treated to a sit-down meal with family then left with a turkey and a box of food for a Thanksgiving Day meal courtesy of Everlasting Changes.
“I’m very thankful for the help,” Appleberry said. “It makes me feel like there are still good people in this world and I’m appreciative.”
Breanna Appleberry, left, signs in with the help of volunteer Nolvia Rubens during the Seventh Annual Thanksgiving Basket Giveaway sponsored by Everlasting Changes at the Robert A. “Bob” Bowers Civic Center on Saturday.
Mary Meaux/The News
Everlasting Changes is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to change the lives of people around the world. Saturday marked their seventh annual Thanksgiving basket giveaway, founder Elizabeth Cravens said.
Elizabeth Cravens, founder of Everlasting Changes, offers a blessing before a meal Rubens during the Seventh Annual Thanksgiving Basket Giveaway sponsored by Everlasting Changes at the Robert A. “Bob” Bowers Civic Center on Saturday.
Mary Meaux/The News
“God put this in our hearts. I say ‘our hearts’ because it’s not just me. It takes a village,” Cravens said in between greeting and hugging people coming in the doors.
Volunteers unload frozen turkeys during the Seventh Annual Thanksgiving Basket Giveaway sponsored by Everlasting Changes at the Robert A. “Bob” Bowers Civic Center on Saturday.
Mary Meaux/The News
Volunteers came from all over to help and included numerous schools groups.
“We have 900 baskets with 900 turkeys for families and 2,500 meals today,” she said. “It’s an absolute blessing to see the smile on people’s faces. There’s nothing like it. It’s definitely a gift. I was raised believing that to be blessed is to be a blessing.”
Volunteers Criselda Ordaz, left, and Samantha Cervantes dish food into trays during the Seventh Annual Thanksgiving Basket Giveaway sponsored by Everlasting Changes at the Robert A. “Bob” Bowers Civic Center on Saturday.
Mary Meaux/The News
Cravens said this is a time to thank God for what He’s done because there’s so much to be thankful for.
Cravens took to a small stage and greeted the crowd before offering the blessing before the meal. The youth musical group Called to Greatness provided musical entertainment.
The main room of the civic center held a bounce house for children on one side, a serving line, festive tables and chairs for the sit-down meal and tables with boxes and turkeys ready for the families as they left.
Kimberly Stelly carried her Thanksgiving box while daughter Kaydence, 7, carried the frozen turkey.
“This makes me feel there are good people out there willing to help those in need,” Kimberly Stelly said.
Mary Meaux: 409-721-2429
Twitter: @MaryMeauxPANews
