The Wilson Post
LEBANON WEATHER

WCHS wrestlers grapple with hunger




OLD HICKORY – Wilson Central wrestlers helped unload trucks of food March 19 for the Community Pantry at Truth and Grace Church. From left: Cole and Riley Fort, Bradley Jarvis and Hunter Borders -- not pictured Bryan Hansen. Tommy Bryan

OLD HICKORY – Wilson Central wrestlers helped unload trucks of food March 19 for the Community Pantry at Truth and Grace Church. From left: Cole and Riley Fort, Bradley Jarvis and Hunter Borders — not pictured Bryan Hansen. Tommy Bryan

Lend helping hand at food pantry —

OLD HICKORY — A handful of Wilson Central wrestlers donated their time and strong backs to help out some hungry folks last week.

Relatively idle since schools have been closed, Wildcat grapplers Cole and Riley Fort, Bradley Jarvis, Bryan Hansen and Hunter Borders joined with Coach John Kramer and WCHS graduate Johnny Kramer to unload food trucks at Truth and Grace Church in Old Hickory for a weekly food pantry.

A storefront church located in a Lebanon Road strip mall, Truth and Grace hosts the Community Pantry every Thursday between the hours of 12 Noon and 3 p.m.

“We were in a bind for manpower and these guys were a great help,” said Charles “Charlie” Hood, Director of Community Caring for Truth and Grace.

A Davidson County native, feeding the hungry has been longtime passion for Hood.

Looking back at 2019 numbers, the food pantry serviced 929 households, over 4,000 people with some 150,000 pounds of food.

Coach Kramer, who teaches Culinary Arts at WCHS, and Hood met back in the fall after the pantry had an over supply of apples.

“I was just scrolling through Facebook one day and saw where Charlie had a bunch of apples he wanted to donate to a worthy cause,” Kramer said.

“I’m always looking for food bargains for our class. I met up with him and we hit it off. He’s a great guy and is doing a lot of good.

“When Charlie told me he needed some help, these kids didn’t question it. Our guys were more than happy to volunteer.”

The Thursday, March 19 the volunteer outreach was operating on a slightly different plan due to concerns about exposure to the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

“Today and in the coming weeks, we’re taking shopping carts out to the folks in their cars,” said assistant director Lynn Bumbalough.

“Every cart has pork, beef or poultry, canned goods, peanut butter, some frozen food, cereal, some produce and here lately with the kids being home from school — items the kids might like – cookies and snacks too.

“On average, we have between 25 to 30 families every week. Our all-time high was 51 families.”

“In most cases, food stamps only go so far — they won’t sustain a family,” Hood said.

“Thanks to food we either purchase at a great price or receive free from Second Harvest and (Franklin’s) One Generation Away, we can help people who otherwise would fall through the cracks.”

The church – Truth and Grace Church is located at 14823 Lebanon Road, behind Dunkin Donuts.  The pastor is Richard Atwood. For more information about the Community Pantry, call Hood at (615) 578-5465 or email communitypantryTAG@gmail.com.

For more about Truth and Grace Church, please visit truthandgrace.church.

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