In years past, major fundraising drives in Coweta County often got a jumpstart from big donations from banks or large industries.
Two local projects, however, have benefited from major gifts from churches in recent weeks.
Abundant Life Faith Church made a $5,000 contribution to Meals On Wheels Of Coweta, and women from Peachtree City Seventh Day Adventist Church raised $3,000 during the Christmas season for the Coweta Certified Emergency Response Team.
Abundant Life was founded in 1996 by a husband-wife team of ministers, Mike and Penny Merritt. Mike Merritt read a recent article in The Newnan Times-Herald about a meals on wheels presentation to the Newnan Rotary Club.
In response, he approached his congregation one Sunday and asked them to help the program, which provides meals to senior citizens. "We don't want to forget our older folks," he told the congregation.
The members at Abundant Life responded generously. Mike and Penny Merritt presented a $5,000 check on behalf of the church to Lizabeth Andrew, president of Meals On Wheels Of Coweta, on Jan. 16.
"We at Meals On Wheels Of Coweta are astonished and extremely grateful for this incredible contribution," Andrew said. She expressed thanks to the Merritts and to "all the members of Abundant Life Faith Church for their amazing generosity and commitment to our mission of helping older persons."
Women representing the Peachtree City Seventh Day Adventist Church gathered last week to present a check for $3,000 to help the organizing Coweta Certified Emergency Response Team. The money for CERT was raised with the church's "Truly Christmas" program.
"Truly Christmas began as an outreach program created by the women of our church. Dinner tables are decorated many creative ways by the women for the holidays," said Cathy Wofford, spokesperson of the group.
"The highlight of the event is the viewing of the tables, followed by a wonderful meal served by the men in the church. Then we have an uplifting Christmas program and many door prizes, all the while providing an opportunity to help others with our donations," she continued.
"Truly Christmas" started with eight tables. Thirteen years later, it has evolved into 30 tables. For the 2011 event, Heidi Nieuwenhuis created a table centerpiece featuring Coweta firefighters around the Christ Child's manger. The clay creation will be on display at the Ebenezer Baptist Church Road fire station, which would be the one that would respond to a call to the church.
"The mission of Truly Christmas is to provide an opportunity for the women of the PTC Seventh Day Adventist Church to be a witness of Christ and to touch the lives of women in their sphere of influence in an uplifting environment," Wofford concluded.
CERT is in the process of forming training classes for neighborhood emergency response teams. In providing less-skilled jobs, the members hope to free public safety workers to do more specialized jobs.
Norma Haynes, accepting the check on behalf of CERT, said, "We're starting out small and doing it right, working with Jay Jones of Coweta's Emergency Management Service and Eddie Wilson, Assistant Training Coordinator.
"We hope to be able to assist first responders in whatever way we can and to provide help for our citizens in case of floods, fires, tornados, etc. Our plans are to involve and train all citizens to give aid to each other in times of emergencies."
Plans are in the works now to set up the first training session which will be announced soon. Haynes and firefighter Jason Gazaway took part in the check presentation -- along with Nieuwenhuis, Micki Pangman, Aline Travis and Cathy Wofford representing the Seventh Day Adventist women's group.
