On Sunday afternoon, over 100 volunteers packed grocery bags with items donated locally for the first annual Live Thankfully campaign in Paris.
“It was amazing,” said Britney Drake who owns Britney’s Stepping Out Dance Studio. “It was lots of hard work, but so rewarding to see so many people come together and serve our community! The love of God and HIS spirit was everywhere.”
Live Thankfully is a community service project that helps feed underprivileged kids through Christmas Break,
“We had a 12 foot trailer packed full of food that we had collected over the last month,” said Christine Lenoir with Main Trading Company. “We raised over $6000 which we used to go buy more food.”
Over 35 local business volunteered as drop off locations and Chisum ISD, Stone Middle School, and Trinity Christian Academy helped collect food also.
“We packed 787 bags of groceries which will be distributed this week to feed over 200 families,” said Drake.
The idea came from Lenoir’s cousin, who started Live Thankfully in Decatur, Texas.
“I got to experience and see just how blessed everyone was from the whole experience,” said Lenoir.
Both women wanted to launch the campaign in Paris to bring the community together and, as parents, teach their children to be servants and give back to the community.
“It also teaches them to always be grateful for what they have, but to recognize when someone is in need,” said Drake.
The event on Sunday, Party With A Purpose, saw adults and children from all walks of life come together to help others.
“We had kids from all walks of life packing these bags and some of them will be on the receiving end,” said Lenoir. “Actually, two families that we know who was helping yesterday will be receiving groceries.”
The packages will be delivered to families through local schools who knew they needed help this Christmas.
For more information on Live Thankfully – Paris, TX, go to livethankfully.org or click here
The women behind Live Thankfully (L to R)
Dusty Felts, Marsheka Davis, Jennifer Nesbit, Christine Lenoir, Britney Drake, Melissa Puckett, Candace Bush, Stephanie Dawson
