Monterey Church Hosts Free Community Dinner December 18th

Monterey, VA – Members of the Word of Faith Church in Monterey have held a number of fundraisers this year for people in need in Highland County and the surrounding area. Two members of the church, Mark Waybright and Trenda Varner have been instrumental in planning the fundraisers. Waybright elaborates on the events they’ve put together this year.

“My friend Wayne Arbogast got sick with encephalitis last year in January” says Waybright “and we were wanting to do a fundraiser for him. We raised money for them to pay medical expenses. Joseph Will with cystic fibrous deal, medical expenses are astronomical, so we decided to have a fundraiser dinner for him, which was very successful.”

In addition to those fundraisers, they also planned a benefit motorcycle ride for my husband and I after we lost everything we had due to a house fire in March.
Both Waybright and Varner along with their church would like to thank the community for making these fundraisers successful. So they are hosting a Free Thank You Community Dinner on Saturday December 18th from 4-7 pm at the Word of Faith Church.

“It’s a thank you for the community helping with the benefit dinners we have had in the past” says Varner “[and]also, the food bank; I know there have been some fundraisers for the food bank. We just want to say thank to those who have come out to support us the ones we are helping in our congregation.”

Varner describes the menu for the dinner.

“The menu will be turkey, dressing, gravy, mashed potatoes, cranberry salad, coleslaw, rolls, dessert.”

Waybright and Varner along with their volunteers for the dinner will be preparing enough food for 500 people. Takeout meals will be available for people who are not physically able to come to the dinner. The experience of helping others in need has been rewarding for both Waybright and Varner.

“I love to help people” says Waybright “but I don’t want to have any praise or any glory. I think, you know, through the fundraisers we really have been a blessing to the families that we had the fundraisers for.”

“It’s been a lot of work, but as he said it’s not for people to see what we’re doing, it is to see what the Lord is doing through us.” says Varner. “For me it is just so awesome to be in town somewhere in Monterey and have someone to just come up and say it’s really a blessing what your church for these people.”

The dinner is open to everyone in the surrounding area and will be held on Sunday, December 18th from 4-7 pm at the Word of Faith Church in Monterey.