Caring for the caregivers

Churches serve 350+ meals to essential workers in Williamsburg County

MORRISVILLE—The Rev. James Williams, pastor of St. Paul United Methodist Church, wanted those essential workers within the county who have worked tirelessly since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic to receive some form of appreciation for their hard work. Williams knows their efforts intimately: He works daily as a first responder himself at Adams Life Link Ambulance in Kingstree.

Williams called a few of his colleagues who are also pastors in Williamsburg County to ask how they can say “thank you” to those on the front lines each day caring for those affected by coronavirus?

On Thursday, May 7, those pastors and their churches came together to make that day a special one for each worker at the various health facilities and emergency departments in Kingstree.

In addition to St. Paul UMC, other churches involved were Friendship UMC, Nesmith (Dr. Eddie Williams, pastor); Mount Zion UMC, Kingstree (the Rev. Mark Mitchell, pastor) and St. Paul UMC, Kingstree (the Rev. Jerry L. Gadsden, pastor). The churches came together to show how unity is done within the UMC.

As a thank you for their hard work, commitment and sacrifice, lunch was delivered to the following: Williamsburg County EMS, Williamsburg Regional Hospital, Kingstree Nursing Facility, Kingstree Dialysis Center, Williamsburg County Sheriff’s Department, Kingstree Police Department, Williamsburg County Fire Department, Kingstree Fire Department, Williamsburg County Emergency Management Division/E911 and Adams Life Link Ambulance Service.

Everyone came together in a significant way to provide more than 350 meals to those who respond and sacrifice their own lives for the sake of the health and well-being of the community.

Several businesses within the community partnered with the churches to make this happen.: Redmond-Richardson Funeral Home, Nesmith-Pinckney Funeral Home, KJ’s in Lake City, IGA in Kingstree, Thomlinson & McWhite, Longstreet Chevrolet, Walmart in Lake City, Walmart in Georgetown, Nutech Auto Body Works, Murrays Auto Parts in Lake City and Minster Sharon Myers of Minstershay.com Ministries.