Bicentennial celebration ends with 2 tons of food donations

Clive Skevington, Sybil White and Doris Turner, volunteers at PeachCenter Ministries, collect and organize some of the 4,000 pounds of food items that were donated to charities as part of a community Thanksgiving service.

Despite some inclement weather, some 120 Gaffney residents gathered at the citywide Thanksgiving worship service held at First Baptist Church of Gaffney on Sunday night. And together they collected almost 4,000 pounds of food for local charities.

It was the final event of Gaffney’s year-long bicentennial celebration.

“At one point, the donations were flooding in so fast and furious that we almost couldn’t keep up with it all,” said Sonya Bridges, who helped organize the event as a volunteer with the Gaffney Bicentennial Commission.

While the service began at 5 p.m., donations of food items started arriving at 4 p.m.

“The school district had been collecting nonperishable items in the classrooms for a few weeks prior to the event,” said Pat Throneburg, project coordinator for the Bicentennial Commission. “They did a fantastic job.”

In keeping with the historical theme of celebrating Gaffney’s 200th birthday, the food drive was done in an old-fashioned “pounding” style.

“Polly Sarratt came and spoke of old ‘poundings’ that she remembered,” Throneburg said. “And then Teddy Gibbons gave a history of poundings. Rev. Scott Wachter, pastor of Buford Street United Methodist Church, directed the service. Rev. James ‘Bucky’ Brown gave the sermon.”

Special music at the event was provided by “The Campground Boys,” who specialize in self-described “old-timey” music and “The Southside Quartet.” The food items were collected in horse-drawn wagons to emphasize the historical connection. Items donated were distributed to PeachCenter Ministries, Cherokee County Meals on Wheels, Iron City Ministries, The Salvation Army, Harbor of Hope and the Gaffney Soup Kitchen. Hams and turkeys were also provided by the Bicentennial Commission.

“I think it was Gayle White who first suggested the idea of a pounding,” Throneburg recalled. “She really felt it would go a long way to showcase the historical connection and bring the community together like it once was.”

And the 4,000 pounds of food collected was greatly appreciated.

“We’re very pleased,” said Joann Harrison, director of PeachCenter Ministries.

“Every food item we have donated frees up funds that we can then use to spend on medicine or to help with power bills during the winter. It can be very tough when we have to spend our limited money on food items and there are so many other needs. This has truly been a blessing. I’d just like

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