First United Methodist Church will sponsor a “Potato Drop” Nov. 14 in the parking lot of the Colvert Ministry Center.
Just what is a “Potato Drop?”
According to Terry Myer, drop organizer, it’s 45,000 pounds of white skin potatoes that will be (gently) deposited in the parking lot. That’s a lot of spuds and leads to the question, just how and why are all those potatoes ending up at FUMC?
“The Society of St. Andrew is an UMCOR partner that salvages tractor-trailer loads of potatoes and other produce that are rejected by commercial markets or potato chip factories due to slight imperfections in size, shape, sugar content, or surface blemishes,” Myer said.
“Usually these loads end up at local landfills. Through the Potato Project, however, the Society of St. Andrew is able to redirect these loads of fresh nutritious produce to food banks, soup kitchens, Native American reservations, food pantries, low income housing areas, local churches, and other hunger agencies for distribution to the poor.”
And Myer said he knows the next question congregations of area churches will be asking themselves.
“It will probably be ‘What does this have to do with my church?’” he said, adding the answer can be summed up in one word — opportunity.
“This is a great opportunity for churches to have a community outreach mission in their own back yard. Ardmore FUMC is offering churches 25, 50-pound bags of these potatoes to use as the church desires. That is 1,250 pounds of potatoes to break down into 10 pound bags and distribute to people in the church’s community, or to the congregation or in any way the church sees fit,” Myer said.
“Just think of the evangelism possibilities as well. As you think of how this mission can help each church’s community, you may feel you need more or less than the 25 bags and that can be worked out as well, do not let the number hinder the possibilities.”
The spuds are coming from a Minnesota producer and are packaged in 50-pound bags. The entire load of potatoes is donated by the Society of St, Andrew. The only cost FUMC will pay is the transportation fee of $2,500. Myer said area churches participating in the Potato Drop will not be charged, but “donations toward the mission” will be appreciated.
The only question that remains is exactly how the Potato Drop will work.
The drop will begin at 10 a.m. and continue until all the potatoes are gone. Each church will be responsible for coming to Ardmore and picking up their potatoes. The Colvert Ministry Center parking lot is located at 503 W. Broadway St.
“If your church needs more than 25 bags or less than 25 bags please let me know as soon as possible,” Myer said.
Myer can be contacted at (580) 490-6914.
