This article was originally published on the Philanthropy Daily website.
Helping those in need is a wonderful way to bring a community together. On September 19th, I am proud to say that my church, Mercy Outreach Fellowship in Blackstone—a town of 3,300 in rural Southside Virginia—held its sixth MercyFest. This is a festival where we raise money for our local Special Olympics. From nine to four on a beautiful fall Saturday, we had thirty-seven vendors; four food trucks; a slide and a bouncy house; face painting; a raffle; a silent auction; and a wonderful Christian band called “Wings of Mercy.”
The highlight of the day for me was introducing many of the Special Olympic athletes who go to our church (two sing in the choir) to a huge round of applause.
We are all family now.
“This is unique and heartfelt because it brings the community together for such an amazing cause,” said Pastor Jeff Dunn. “These kids are part of our community. That’s what makes it so special. You put a face to what you are doing.”
Pastor Jeff, as we call him, also mentioned that it is a pleasure to watch people get involved and flourish, using the talents God has given them.
All vendor and food truck fees ($35 and $50) go to the Olympics. Over the years we have raised over $65,000 for Nottoway County’s program; last year we raised over $28,000. We also do not charge any entrance fees, the kid zone is free, and volunteers like me make a point to tell people the church keeps no money for itself.
As Pastor Jeff explained, “We don’t want the focus to be about us.”
If you want to bring your community together, fundraise for something that touches many of us, like helping the handicapped or veterans. These are causes people identify with and stay involved in because, more often than not, we all have personal experience with these individuals.
Bob Barnhill has been a longtime supporter of the Special Olympics because he has a niece who has Down’s Syndrome and has participated in the games. He started helping in 1993, participating in the Polar Plunge in Virginia Beach, and he now donates and attends MercyFest every year. He is proud of Pastor Jeff and his brother Rob because they are good Christians who “walk the walk and talk the talk.” He adds that not only does MercyFest seem to get better and better every year, but “it brings awareness to the Special Olympics and brings God to the community. We need more of that nowadays. It warms my heart. I am so glad I could be a part of it.”
A church festival like this requires a lot of time and effort over several months. I usually volunteer to collect items for the silent auction; this year I spent some time at the church helping clean, set up, and pitch in. What I have noticed is that if you have a good cause, most people will try to help in some way. And when you do work like this, I think you benefit as much as the people you are helping.
The fellowship with my church members was heartwarming. Such a noble cause makes you re-evaluate your own life and problems and helps lift your attitude towards yourself and those around you.
Special Olympics Virginia has twenty-six sports, everything from bocce ball to pickleball to team sports. The games are free and available to all ages; the organization even has participants in their eighties. Events are year-round and often offer medical care to the athletes for no charge.
These events and our support have a huge effect on athletes dealing with intellectual disabilities.
Sean Wallach, director of marketing and outreach for Special Olympics Virginia, emphasized this: “The most important things for us is getting the athletes ingrained in the community.” He also pointed out most people have been impacted by someone with special needs.
Furthermore, Special Olympics Virginia takes eighty-three cents from every dollar raised and spends it on programs. (The staff at Special Olympics Virginia has a 100 percent donation rate, which says a lot about their organization.)
As their website explains, these competitions represent more than just sports. They help with mentoring, developing friendships, entertainment, fitness, and changing people’s attitudes towards people with disabilities.
Chris McAllister was one of the food truck vendors at MercyFest. She owns the Kitchen Table with her fiancé, Zac Horvath, and this year they sold out of their popular smashburgers and hotdogs. It was their first year participating in the festival, and she summed up their participation as such: “Local food trucks, listening to live music, meeting new people and vendors, supporting small businesses, and those small businesses supporting great causes and the church. The church gets exposure too. It’s a win-win for everybody.” Like many of the vendors, she and her fiancé donated more than just their fees to participate.
To be standing outside your church, gospel music reverberating in the background, watching families enjoy ice cream cones or watch their children whoosh down a slide, seeing toddlers dancing to the music, all of us young and old, under a sunny blue sky, really lifts our spirits and betters our lives.
In the wise words of Helen Keller: “Alone, we can do so little; together we can do so much.”
Mercy Outreach Fellowship is still counting donations. So far, we have raised over $20,000.
