Local church holds Hopefest for Haitian relief

Aims to send 20,000 meals to Haiti

A child receives a toy from Victory Fellowship Church missionaries last year in the  Haitian villiage of Ti Anse. The church will be holding its first-annual Hopefest event, which will raise funds to send 20,000 meals to the Caribbean nation.
A child receives a toy from Victory Fellowship Church missionaries last year in the Haitian villiage of Ti Anse. The church will be holding its first-annual Hopefest event, which will raise funds to send 20,000 meals to the Caribbean nation.

Victory Fellowship Church's mission team hopes to send hope to Haiti this summer.

The church will be holding its first annual Hopefest event July 14, featuring a motorcycle parade, live music, food and drink, bounce houses, a silent auction and a fireworks show that promises to rival any Fulton has ever had.

The event is free and open to the public, with auction proceeds and donations sending upwards of 20,000 meals to Haiti.

VFC missions coordinator Kent Glover said he's been involved in Haiti for 12 years, and that the idea for Hopefest came along when some of the church elders were trying to figure out something "where we could help the hopeless."

"I networked over there with some organizations, and when you go over there, you see the hunger," said Glover. "I know we have it here, too, but this is on a different level; kids who haven't had anything to eat for days. (What we send are) basic things like freeze-dried veggies and rice, but you should see how they respond when we pull up in a little village with food, it tears your heart out."

When Glover realized that many of the church members were motorcycle riders, the ball began rolling. Hopefest will kick off with a motorcycle parade through Fulton at 4 p.m., beginning at the church. The main event kicks off at 5, and will feature live music from local church bands, a motorcycle show, an inflatable bounce house and other kid-friendly activities, a silent auction and food and drinks. Dry weather permitting, the event will conclude with a fireworks performance Glover said should be bigger than the Country Club's annual 4th of July show.

To help the tornado-stricken people of Dumas and surroundings, donations can be made to the Delta Area Disaster Relief Fund, care of the Delta Area Community Foundation, P.O. Box 894, Dumas, AR, 71639, or through the Arkansas Community Foundation, 700 S. Rock St., Little Rock, AR, 72202.