Church works to bring people together post-COVID and provide them with health and other resources through a new event hosted at the Depot
Aiming to bring the community together in the wake of COVID-19’s impact on smaller, local churches, Mount Olive Baptist Church held its first Community Fun and Resource Day on Sept. 13 at the Crawford Depot, connecting people with aid and opportunities they might not otherwise know or access.
“Some churches didn’t make it out of COVID,” said William Cox, lead pastor at Mount Olive Baptist Church in Crawford. “A lot of the people who went to church didn’t make it out of COVID. We need to come together and just allow ourselves to know that we need to be together again.”
Individuals and families from across Oglethorpe County visited resource booths and enjoyed food, children’s activities and music.
Professionals, including health care providers, insurance experts and other service representatives were present. Services ranged from health screenings and consultations to guidance on local programs and benefits.
While assistance was offered to a variety of age groups, many catered primarily to the needs of older adults.
“For older people, there are a lot of different resources that are out there for them, and a lot of benefits they can get from it,” Cox said.
He and his wife Crystal Cox organized the event alongside the Rev. Iris Cannon-Chandler, founder of ICM Ministries and Crystal’s sister. The gathering was made possible through donations from Mount Olive Baptist Church members and friends, while specialists volunteered their time and expertise.
“A lot of people think that the church is all about giving to the church, but when in reality, the church is really all about giving to the people,” Cox said.
He hopes that by providing access to specialists in different fields, individuals and families will be encouraged to learn more and connect with the resources they need, in return, creating a domino effect.
“It makes them tell somebody else, they tell somebody else, and it goes on and on until more people start taking advantage of some of the things that this community has to offer to them,” Cox said.
The Crawford Depot, a historical hub for the community, has become a focal point for such gatherings, offering a space where both civic engagement and economic activity thrive.
“I see the potential of the Depot and see how it's been used, and we see that use can grow to help not only the chamber, but the rest of Oglethorpe County,” said Ronnie Boggs, chairman of the Oglethorpe County Chamber of Commerce.
Chamber leaders hope that as events continue, they will attract more participants, encourage partnerships among local organizations, and further support Oglethorpe County's overall growth.
With the success of the event, Cox and his congregation hope to establish Community Fun and Resource Day as an annual tradition. They also aim to expand it, incorporating more activities, workshops and partnerships with other religious organizations to reach a wider audience.
“I want to show people that church is not all about sitting there on the pew for two hours listening to somebody yell at you, and then you go home," Cox said. “That’s not what it’s about. It’s about actually getting something.”