Turkey and all the ‘trimmings’ – Sesser food pantry helps more than 100 families

By Jim Muir

Holiday cheer and the true spirit of Christmas was on full display Tuesday morning at Sesser’s City Hall with a joint effort by the Sesser-Valier Area Lifeline Food Pantry and the Sesser United Methodist Church to help those in need this holiday season.

The Rev. Kirk Packer, pastor of the First Christian Church, serves as president of the Sesser Ministerial Alliance.  Rev. Packer said the ministerial alliance has been overseeing the monthly food pantry for nearly a decade.

“The need is there,” said Packer. “This month we had 107 families and that represents more than 400 people in the Sesser and Valier area.”

While the ministerial alliance was busy handing out dozens of boxes of non-perishable food items the Sesser United Methodist Church was busy dispensing more than 100 turkeys — one for each family that requested assistance through the ministerial alliance.  And for those with a sweet tooth boxes of homemade Christmas cookies were also given to each participating family.

The turkey giveaway by the church is a new ministry started this year that was ran in conjunction with the monthly food pantry program.  The turkeys were purchased by Ron and Betty Hodges, of Sesser.

Sesser Mayor Ned Mitchell said the food pantry program operates on the third Tuesday of each month and consistently ministers to more than 100 families in the Sesser-Valier area.  Mitchell said the program is open to any person who lives in the local school district.

“Certainly there is a big need in the Sesser and Valier areas,” said Mitchell.  “The turkey was added by the church but the food pantry is an ongoing thing.”

Amos Mitchell, left, who is celebrating his 93rd Christmas season, and Louis Ruppert, were busy Tuesday morning as part of the group from Sesser United Methodist Church handing out 100 turkeys to those who visited the local food pantry.