Local volunteers can 12,000 pounds of meat in two days

Authored by Jim Langham on Jan 30, 2012

Local resident Lara Collett, interim children's director at the First Mennonite Church, noted that canning meat for distribution through the Mennonite Central Committee took on special meaning this past Friday and Saturday. She has seen starving children in other nations who are grateful for food that has been sent to them.
"I grew up doing this (canning)," said Collett. "I visited a couple of countries where the children didn't have much. I understand how grateful they are to receive food for those that are hungry. We are so blessed here. We have a lot, we are so blessed to be able to share."
Berne's Bryce Christy has been part of the meat canning for many years. He feels the spirit of sharing in his heart and he is grateful for the fellowship and spirit of cooperation he witnesses in the meat canning experience.
"We have helped a lot of people over the years. Once again this is going overseas to help people with need," said Christy. "I've helped for many years. We have had a lot of good fellowship when we do this."
Several of those present at the First Mennonite Church special packing facility estimated that the local church and several other churches have bonded to pack meat donated through the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) for nearly 65 years. Jeff Lehman, who headed up the local experience this year, said that an area cluster of churches has contributed 28,000 pounds of turkey that is being donated through the benevolent arm of the Mennonite Church.
Of that amount, 12,000 pounds is being packed in the new packing facility at the local church while 16,000 was packed through Grabill Meats. Lehman said that the local congregation has bonded with the Berne Evangelical Church two Apostolic Christian Churches in Wells County, North Leo Mennonite Church, seven Amish congregations and other volunteers in carrying out the project.
On a worldwide base, the central committee shipped 525,096 cans to 16 countries in 2011. The largest shipments went to Haiti, Ukraine, North Korea, Honduras and Bosnia.
"Turkey is easy to work with and very useful for shipments," said Lehman. "The MCC distributes the meat directly to the people; it does not go through foreign governments. The MCC representatives personally see that it gets right there. Four thousand of the cans will be distributed to North Korea.
"We purchase the turkey on our own from Cooper Farms in St. Henry, Ohio," continued Lehman. "It is all purchased from contributed money from those who are doing this project. That includes the cost of the meat and the cost of the canning. The meat from here goes to Akron, PA., the main hub of MCC distribution."
Lehman said that workers arrived at the local church at 5:30 a.m. on Friday and worked until 9:30 p.m. On Saturday, they arrived once again at 5:30 a.m. and worked until completion late on Saturday afternoon. He noted that at one time, approximately 40 people are working at the site, but that many others rotate in and out of the work positions during that time.
The local canning area was built as part of the church's recent construction project. The rooms where canning is done include specifications according to government requirement for doing the meat. For many years, the project was completed at the Berne Locker, but including it in the new building became more convenient for organizing the project.
One of the most exciting aspects of the project to church members is the number of local young people who volunteer their time and energy for the project.
Students such as South Adams sophomore Kirstyn Rogers are finding fulfillment in the realization that what they are doing will reach people in other parts of the world.
"It really makes you feel good," said Rogers. "You know that you are doing good for everyone. We have a lot of fun doing it; we meet new people while we are doing this."
"We know that when we are doing this we are helping other people in different parts of the world," commented South Adams eighth grader Riley Liechty, who has already helped with the project several times. "I hope that I can make their lives better."
Other students such as SA eighth grader Katelin Hawbaker helped for the very first time. She found it surprising how much actually goes into the project.
"It's pretty special that so many people care about others," said Hawbaker. "It's special to see how many people want to help others out. I think it's awesome to send this to people who don't have any food. I can't imagine how it must feel to them to get it."
Lehman said that it really touches his heart to see how much people still care enough to give of themselves and finances to reach out to others in tough times such as that which our country has gone through.
"We want those who open and eat the meat to know that there are still people on the other side of the world who care about them, who want to give to them in God's love," said Lehman. "Our name is on the label. One thing about turkey is that it is easy to work with and any country will take poultry. It makes you feel really good to be part of something like this."

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