Santa Claus, Saint Nicholas, Kris Kringle, Old St. Nick...
While he goes by many different names, he is known throughout the world as a staple in many cultures and traditions. Today, he is thought of mainly as the jolly man in red who brings toys to good girls and boys on Christmas Eve, but his story stretches all the way back to the third century, when Saint Nicholas walked the earth and became the patron saint of children.
He’s the legendary figure of giving. A philanthropist that’s as old as time. We recognize him in stories, songs, and thought but often overlook one of his biggest contributions and that is the spirit of giving itself.
This season, The Blade would like to pause and pay homage to our county’s very own patron saints, with hearts that grow larger in size each year. As a gift to our community, we have decided to start a new column, spotlighting the small non-profits within our community that you may not hear of as often or even know at all. These are our altruistic locals who willingly give more than they receive, a look at their organizations, and the stories that started it all.
Weekend Blessings of Emanuel County
Ten years ago, Angel Lane, her sister Courtney Wells and their close friend Niamh Matthews started a journey of the benevolent sort, that’s nothing short of awe inspiring. To understand the impact their giving spirit has had on our community, we need to go back to where it all began. “Courtney and I always tell the story that while we were on a cruise ship that docked in Honduras, we witnessed a great deal of poverty that moved us to our core. We wanted to stay and help but decided that we would help the kids in need at home first.” Lane explains. After arriving back home, the sisters met their good friend Niamh, a dairy farmer, for coffee. They discussed their time overseas and how they wanted to make a difference in the lives of our youth. Naimh then disclosed a heartbreaking experience that she had while promoting the importance of dairy intake in one of the local classrooms. “”A teacher told her that some kids were just lucky to eat every day, much less include a serving of dairy.” Lane pointed out. Growing up, Angel went through several hardships of her own, creating a deeper connection to the situation. “I know what it feels like to come home to an empty pantry. I know how hard it can be on parents that are working hard to provide for their families and children but can’t make ends meet.” She continued... “My dad was laid off and worked three or four jobs at a time. My mom worked to bring in extra money to keep the lights on and make our mortgage payment. Sometimes they had to make a choice between keeping a roof over our heads or food. We decided to use our experience to make a change for other kids.” And over coffee and heartfelt conversation, Weekend Blessings was born. Their mission being to provide a weekend or holiday sized supply of food for kids who are at risk of hunger. When they received their first donation in November of 2012, they jumped on the opportunity to make a difference. “We began this journey with 35 students at Twin City Elementary and our first donation of $50.” Because of the modest amount, I was curious to learn how they made $50 work for 35 children, knowing the struggle myself with only having one child to care for and feed. Angel then explained to me that their first donation was spent at Dollar Tree, along with money shed from their very own pockets. “We put our own money with it and figured out how to make a bag to send home with each child that only costs $3” She continued with the heartwarming experience of their first delivery at Twin City Elementary. “Our first delivery was at TCE. Teachers were handing us cash donations as we handed out bags. We knew then that God had led us to do this and the need was there. ”The program currently provides for 281 students at each school in the county, including head start and river quest. Teachers recommend students in need to the counselor and the counselor turns a number of students into the Organization. Volunteers then pack the bags and deliver them to the schools each Thursday so that the counselors can distribute them to each student before they leave on Fridays. A regular weekend bag includes two cereals, two canned lunches and three snacks, while a long break bag consists of a jar of peanut butter, crackers, breakfast bars or cereal and milk. All bags are made with children in mind, being shelf stable, kid friendly, easy to open and requiring no cooking. During the holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas, the children receive a little more in their bags. “For Thanksgiving, we give each student an individual sized Thanksgiving dinner, including their own pie. At Christmas they will receive an extra bag with a blanket, Christmas cookies and a special book or a Bible.” She states. While some of us are blessed to not know of the need of the work that they put into our community, for many it’s a necessity, and the wholesomeness of Weekend Blessings is boundless. “For ten years, I’ve had the opportunity to see the generous and kind hearts of the people here in Emanuel County. It has been a blessing to be a part of something that God has called me to do.” The program has teamed up with ECI’S FCCLA students as their service project but she states that anyone can volunteer and extra help is always needed. “Emanuel county is one of our most supportive and generous communities. We are so grateful for every person, church and group that donates and for all of our volunteers. Childhood hunger will always be a problem but programs like Weekend Blessings are the solution. Together we will put an end to childhood hunger in Emanuel Count
y.” If you’re interested in being a part of the solution by making a difference in a child’s life through donation or volunteering, you can reach their non-profit page by searching Weekend Blessings of Emanuel County, on Facebook or by visiting or calling any of our local public schools.
