The Central Mississippi Shrine Club, part of the Wahabi Shriners, recently made a donation to the food pantry at the Kosciusko Veterans Service Office.
“On behalf of the United Veterans of Attala County and the Veterans Service Office, we really appreciate the donation,” said Mervin Foster Sr. of the Veterans Service Office, “and we’re going to make sure whomever needs grocery items will be able to receive them.”
Foster said the food pantry at the office is used “every day or at least three times a week.”
He said the food pantry is for veterans, surviving spouses of veterans and dependents of veterans.
Members of the Shriners presented the donation to restock the pantry last week.
“I thought not only would this be a good way to help the area, but it would also be a way to let people know the Shriners are back in Kosciusko and that we have a personal connection to the community,” Jon St. Clare, president of the Central Mississippi Shrine Club.
The club started in January.
“We’re excited to be back in Kosciusko,” said St. Clare. “We are Central Mississippi, so we will go to places like Ackerman, Grenada. Our headquarters for the Central Mississippi Shrine Club is in Kosciusko.”
Shriners International is a fraternity based on fun, fellowship and the principles of brotherly love, relief and truth. With nearly 200 local chapters and thousands of clubs on six continents, Shriners are known for their fellowship, brotherhood, compassion and generosity. The fraternity established Shriners Hospitals for Children as its official philanthropy in 1922, and continues to support it today.
“Our goal is to raise money for children’s hospitals for children who are in need regardless of their families’ ability to pay,” said St. Clare. “But with this, we wanted to keep this local and show our patriotism, and due to a lot of our membership being veterans, we thought we could do something local in the community to help out.”
David White, a member of the Central Mississippi Shrine Club, said, “We would like to challenge businesses or even individuals, whether monetarily or bringing food items up here, to donate.”
The Wahabi Shriners will be holding a gun giveaway on Sept. 23.
The sportsmen’s giveaway event will be held in Jackson at Wahabi Shriners off I-55 South. St. Clare said 75 guns will be given away and also a Honda 520 side by side. It’s $20 a ticket, and each ticket will also get a barbecue plate.
