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VALLEY — From noon till 2 p.m. EDT on Saturday, Oct. 17 there will be a distribution of free food at Valley Sportsplex. The event is being sponsored by Valley Community Outreach (a.k.a. The Village). It will be on a first-come, first-serve basis and is open to anyone in need throughout the Valley.

Valley Community Outreach is made up of adults who grew up in the Valley and continue to love it. Many of them live outside the local area and have gone on to successful careers. They still love the place where they grew up, have wonderful memories of the people they knew and the things they did and now want to give back.

“We will be giving back on Saturday with this food distribution,” said Lanett native Bridgette Wilson. “We will be giving bags of free food to seniors, the disabled, the sick and shut-in and local families in need. We will be giving the bags of blessings on a first-come, first-served basis to 500 families. To ensure the health and safety of our volunteers and local residents we will be adhering to the CDC’s COVID-19 guidelines. We are asking the recipients to stay in their car and open their trunk when it’s your time in line. You must be wearing a mask to be served. We are encouraging families and friends to bring a senior who may not be a member of a local senior center to pick up a bag of blessings at our distribution at Valley Sportsplex.”

The 228 local seniors who are members of the senior centers in Lanett and Valley and those who are members of the West Point Active Life Center will have a bag of blessings delivered to their homes.

At Monday’s meeting of the Valley City Council, Police Chief Tommy Weldon told council members the event would be taking place this coming Saturday.

“There are some wonderful people in this organization, and we should be giving them some recognition for the good things they are doing for our community,” said Council Member Henry Cooper.

In September, Valley Community Outreach had a countywide nursing home initiative. They made multiple donations to EAMC-Lanier Nursing Home in Valley, Diversicare of Lanett, the LaFayette Nursing Home and LaFayette Extended Care.

“None of this would have been possible without the efforts of our team members and the community support we have received,” Village member Clint Gilder said. “Nursing home residents can’t get out. It was our goal to reach out to them in a safe manner just to let them know that the entire community cares about them.”

The Villagers carpooled together to visit the four local nursing homes on Sunday, Sept. 20.

In August, the Villagers hosted book bag giveaways in Lanett and Valley. Hundreds of local school children received a new book bag to help them get ready for a new school year.