25 days ago
Hundreds of volunteers became heroes when they hit the streets of Warner Robins today to reach out to their community and share a message.
People from First Assembly of God traded in a day at church for a day spent helping others.
It was a day of learning by doing for the church.
"We're going out into the community to actually show the love of God to other people in our town," says Stephen Wheler, a member of the church.
More than 350 volunteers from First Assembly of God went out on the town Sunday. Instead of church service, the message of the day was community service.
It was a lesson of preaching what you're teaching, says Mark Merrill, Senior Pastor with the church.
"Economically, people are suffering, and so we really wanted to do something to give some encouragement and hope to people in a difficult time," says Merrill.
Volunteers handed out free bottles of water along Watson Boulevard and offered free hotdogs and snacks.
"People need to be reminded that the church is here for them and it's here to help," says Keisha Matchem, who got some free water while leaving Galleria Mall.
The church has activities for kids, free health screening, and a blood drive.
"It's just really fun to see everyone having fun and getting balloons and stuff. It's fun to see their faces," says 13-year-old Angela Magditch, a volunteer.
At a nearby gas station, volunteers washed windows and pumped gas.
"It's normally $2.52, and the church has brought it down to $2.27," says Allen Grimes with First Assembly. "That's 25-cents a gallon off."
"That's very good of them, very nice of them, to pump it and what have you. They're helping the community out," says one gas station customer.
Highway 41 was picked clean of trash from Watson Boulevard to Russell Parkway, and customer at a local laundromat got bags of change to help with their laundry.
Volunteers say it was a day packed with fun, but with a purpose.
"We're making people smile and I love making people smile," says 13-year-old Emily Austin, with First Assembly.
They say it was something like a church field trip many would like to take again.
Senior Pastor Mark Merrill says this is the largest community service event his church has ever had and he hopes this isn't the last time they do it. He says they hope to make this an annual thing event.
The church also collected canned food in neighborhoods around Warner Robins. They're planning to donate it to a local food bank.
Senior Pastor Mark Merrill says they spent about $7,500 on the event.
