WS Chronicle

The Ministers’ Conference of Winston-Salem and Vicinity (MCWSV), in collaboration with Love out Loud, The New Canaan Society and others, sent 20 pallets of bottled water to Hurricane Florence victims in Onslow County, because of damage done to the water treatment plants in that area.

The coalition worked out a partnership with the Sam’s Club on Summit Square Blvd., enabling it to purchase water at a discounted rate.  Sam’s Club also donated an entire pallet of water to the effort.  To transport the water, a local Fed Ex donated a truck and a driver to deliver the water on Sept. 28.

“What inspired me was that the Hurricane could have hit Winston-Salem, if not for the grace of a higher power,” said Dr. Lamonte Williams, president of the MCWSV.  “Our mayor has said it best: He said we are here to lend a helping hand because he believes if it was flipped around, the mayor of one of the cities in eastern North Carolina would have returned the same favor.”

“I am just grateful that this represents a collaboration of 20 pastors. It’s a faith-based initiative, and I am just happy that we are able to bring people together for a common cause,” he continued. 

According to Williams, each pallet holds 48 cases of water, with 45 bottles inside of each case.  All totaled, there were 38,400 bottles of water sent for relief.

All who gathered the morning of the delivery said they were elated to be a part of the relief efforts.

“Helping those in need, that’s what we are called to do,” said Jay Helvey of the New Canaan Society.  “We just try to follow Jesus’ model by helping those in need.  Any time we can do that, it makes you feel good, because many times we fall short, but this is a chance we can get it done, so we do it.”

Elder Tembila Covington, vice president of the MCWSV,  says she is proud to be involved with the conference because it is always willing to help those in need.

“This is a proud moment for the community, right here locally, to be able to see the stretched hands to areas that are in difficult times right now,” she said.  “It is also a caring moment right now and we are able to show love and appreciation for humanity, not just from a Christian standpoint, but from a human standpoint.”

The Rev. Anthony Jones, senior pastor of United Cornerstone Missionary Baptist Church and MCWSV member, was one of the pastors who sponsored one of the pallets on the truck.  Jones said after he saw the devastation, he knew something had to be done to help.

“The biggest revelation that came and the biggest reason why I was inspired to help is that sometimes we take small things for granted, like water,” Jones said.  “When you think about the fact that a hurricane is nothing but water that destroys an entire area to an extent that the water that’s available can no longer be used, is something monumental to me.”

“That is why I was so inclined to help, simply because who would think that bottled water could make such a difference.”

Williams stated there was so much support for this effort, they may attempt to coordinate another water donation in the near future.  There is also a collaborative mission trip planned for Oct. 21, said Williams.  The goal is to assist the people of Onslow and Craven counties for a week.