By DEBORAH BUCKHALTER
There was a celebratory air about the weekly food pantry distribution at First Presbyterian Church on Wednesday. It was the first time that recipients were able to use the new access ramp constructed by a team of seven men. Three of them are members of the church—Tom Stadsklev, Joe Busby and Ernie McNeill—and the other four were members of the former Elks Lodge ramp crew that for years built those structures for people in need. From that group, Tom Chason, Lorenzo Taylor, John Epley and Bill Willingham joined the FPC pantry ramp team.
Marianna building inspector Jimmy Grant officially okayed the structure and also advised the team along the way. Steve Hutton was the contractor who signed off on the job.
The church spent about $1,600 on materials and all the labor was free.
The team, many of its members retired, started working on the ramp Sept. 7 and constructed it on weekdays over the ensuing few weeks.
The church has had a pantry for many years and for much of that time distributed from a room in the lower level of the sanctuary. However, about five years ago they devoted a separate building on the church campus for the purpose. It had been used as a Sunday school room and for other purposes in the past. To keep it stocked with food for the needy, church members donate money in a special offering each month and a food committee uses those contributions to buy most of the groceries given. Some of the food is also donated by 2nd Harvest and the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Until Wednesday, those receiving the groceries had to navigate a set of concrete steps to get into and out of the distribution site. This was difficult and awkward for some recipients with physical challenges, McNeill said, so the church decided to built the ramp for their convenience and safety.
The pantry is open every Wednesday morning, 9-11 a.m.
