The Little Rock Watershed Project worked hard again this Thanksgiving as they packaged meals for those in need.
On Thursday at the Watershed Family Resource Center, 3701 Springer Blvd., 30 volunteers worked together to pack turkey, rolls, corn and other trimmings into foam containers. The Rev. Hezekiah Stewart is founder and director of the Watershed Project, which has been serving the community for more than 30 years.
A Watershed volunteer, Ashleigh Stanley, 38, of Cabot, said the volunteers had packaged a little more than 2,000 meals by the time 1 p.m. rolled around, and they planned to be there another hour, before loading up the stacks of boxes and handing them out to people in need.
Stanley worked to package meals and make sure all the boxes were filled properly. She said this was her first year working with Watershed but that she planned to return next year. Her daughter, Molly, 12, worked next to her mom in line, handing out corn.
“She’s been making trays and doing everything she’s been asked,” Stanley said of her daughter, smiling.
Brianna Simmons, 16, with the Little Rock dance team “Divas of Destruction,” also turned out to volunteer. Simmons said her coach encouraged her and her teammates to help. The team worked for a little over two hours helping to put all the packaged meals into trash bags.
“We just like helping people,” Simmons said.
Local businesses also pitched in. Jerry Dolson, a chef at Holiday Inn, said he normally donates turkeys to the Watershed organization, but this year he heard they need a chef to prepare the turkeys. So he showed up to help. Dolson said he was planning to cook next year as well.
While some there were inspired by giving spirit of the holidays, to others this was just everyday service. Stormy Jean, who works with Trinity’s Helping Hands, an organization connected to This Iron Horse Church, said she volunteers through the whole year to deliver clothing and food to the less fortunate. Jean said that for a long time she worked as a truck driver, and used to go from state to state helping organizations where she could.
“I’m retired now,” Jean said. “Thanks to a deer and an accident.”
Jean said that now most of her work focuses in Little Rock.
People interested in volunteering with the Watershed group may call them at (501) 378-0176.