Wednesday, March 18, 2015
By LINDA M. LINONIS
NORTH JACKSON
For one person in the Valley, April Fool’s Day will dawn with a prank in pink plastic.
That person’s name will have been drawn in the “Get Flocked” fundraiser sponsored by First Federated Church. The winner will wake up to a flock of plastic flamingos in his or her yard.
The flamingo frolic is the idea of Amy Sudimak, vice president of the charities board at the church. “I wanted to do something fun and get people involved,” she said.
The church member said she looked at the calendar and saw April Fool’s Day, also known as All Fool’s Day.
“I thought of it as a play on words. ...We’re a flock that’s using a flock for a great cause.”
The church is selling “Get Flocked” tickets for $1 each.
The buyer puts the name of a person to be “flocked” on the ticket. The winner will find a flock of pink flamingos in his or her yard on the morning of April Fool’s Day, April 1.
Tickets will be sold through March 29.
“We’ve gotten positive feedback on it,” said Pastor Jack Acri. “People see it as good-natured fun.”
He added, “I think it will make someone’s day. ...A relative or friend thought of doing something in fun for them.”
Though the event is an all-in-fun flight of fancy, the fundraiser benefits a serious project — feeding people.
Money will go to the church’s Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard, a food pantry that distributes from 10 a.m. to noon the second and fourth Saturdays of the month.
“It started out very small in the 1980s. ...a few ladies of the church ran it, only a couple people used it, and everything was donated,” Pastor Acri said.
Now the organized ministry of the church is accessed by about 150 families a month.
Recipients receive canned fruit and vegetables, seasonal produce, frozen meats and other food items.
Donated personal-care products are distributed.
The church has been a member agency of Second Harvest Food Bank for about five years.
Pastor Acri said patrons do not need to show “proof of need,” but he hopes only those who need it use it.
“We are following Jesus’ directive to take care of those in need,” he said.
Some church members who use the food pantry give back by volunteering at it, the pastor said.
Clients may use the food pantry once a month.
The church also has special distributions at Thanksgiving and Christmas.
“For some older clients, this is a safety net,” the pastor said of the food pantry.
He added that some patrons are the “working poor.” ...“they’re underpaid or underemployed.”
Pastor Acri said the church also sponsors Kids’ Cupboard for students at Jackson Milton Schools.
“We take backpacks and school supplies of all kinds to the school where it’s distributed,” Sudimak said.
The church also helps with lab fees and other such expenses for students in need.
In 2014, the food pantry budget was $10,000.
Those funds come from earmarked donations in the Sunday offering and fundraisers.
Those include a car show May 31.
The pastor said the event is in its third year; last year it raised about $3,000.
Pastor Acri said the church gives 10 percent of its income to charitable outlets. It also helps in emergency situations such as a house fire. “We try to respond when there is a crisis,” he said.
“The church has a heart for mission,” Pastor Acri said.
Pastor Acri has served the church as its settled pastor since September 2014 and was the interim before that.
First Federated, founded in 1928, is the home of three denominations — Disciples of Christ, Presbyterian and United Church of Christ.
“A blending goes on,” Pastor Acri said. “The theology is so close.”
Sunday attendance is between 75 and 100 people.