A church on the East Coast gives food and other things to people in Tazewell County

Tazewell, Virginia – The wind and rain from the recent storm had an effect on the community. Many people lost power, and damage was done to many stores of frozen or refrigerated food.

When Lewis Shrader, who used to live in the area, heard about how hard things were for people there after the storm, he decided to do something to help his old home. He asked his church, West Park Church of Christ in Portsmouth, Virginia (near Virginia Beach), to help him with this task.

“Why, I talked to the Chief on Monday and I just asked him, ‘Are people in need?'” “Is the power off?” Yes, he said. He says, “I went to my church and told them, ‘Hey, these people need things.'”

But the West Park Church of Christ came through. They brought a van full of food that could be kept for a long time, diapers, pet food, and about 125 cases of bottled water for the people in Tazewell County.

The Tazewell Police Department helped and gave them a place to give the goods to people in the community—an old bank that will soon be the department’s new home.

Being backed up by people on the other side of the state is “amazing” for Tazewell’s Chief of Police, Chief Stanley Lampert.

“We have what you need here, no matter what it is.” “I can’t believe how much food this man and his family brought to our community to help those in need,” says Chief Lampert.

Shrader says this is more than just a chance to help people in need. It’s also a way for him to repay the kindness shown to him when he lived here and support an area that he feels isn’t given enough attention.

“This is where I grew up.” You know, going back to your roots? You remember the people. I know the people. The storm hit everyone, I know. I get it, but these places do get missed sometimes, you know what I mean? …”You guys don’t get the credit that everyone else does, so do whatever you can to help,” says Shrader.

Shrader thanks his church family for all the help they gave him. He calls them “some of the best people on earth” and says they answered his call to action “at a moment’s notice.”

Chief Lampert says that there will be another food giveaway this week at the same place. It is his word that on Monday, free hotdog meals will be given out at the old bank on Hillsboro Drive thanks to a woman who bought them.