HUNTSVILLE, Ala (WHNT) — Many of us will be out in the sunshine and behind the grill for the fourth of July, but not everyone can say they served over a thousand meals to the community to celebrate the holiday weekend.
“This is a big community event,” Downtown Rescue Mission CEO Keith Overholt said. “We’ll serve about 1200 hamburgers and hot dogs today and karaoke and shaved ice and everything else that’s going on. It’s a lot of fun.”
It’s all a part of the Downtown Rescue Mission’s independence picnic.
It’s an annual, free event put on by the mission and open to everyone in the community.
“Our actual goal is to make sure that they feel cared for, that they’re fed, that they’re needed, even if they don’t come stay with us, that we’re here to take care of you guys and give you guys where we can help you out there,” Kemsley Wilton said.
There was food, shaved ice, face painting, karaoke and much more.
The mission said they put on the event because everyone deserves to celebrate the Fourth of July, no matter what that looks like.
“Every year while everyone is celebrating, I think it’s a tough time for people who don’t have the means to celebrate,” Wilton said. “There’s a lot of people that are struggling, and we want to make sure that they still can come have fun, relax, and kick their feet up for a little while.”
It wouldn’t be possible without their amazing volunteers and local businesses who show up to help.
“We really can’t do what we do at this facility without a lot of volunteers,” he said. “I mean, hundreds and hundreds.”
Volunteer Syler Parker said seeing the way the community responds makes it all worth it.
“I wanted to come to the event to help out and volunteer and see everybody smile because it’s. it’s nice to see everybody smile,” said Parker.
The Downtown Rescue Mission puts on events like these year-round, but it wouldn’t be possible without generosity from the community.
They are currently in need of donations. You can find the ways to give on the Mission’s website.
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