WADESBORO — Just because traditional prom and graduation ceremonies are canceled this year doesn’t mean Anson County can’t find inventive ways to honor the 2020 graduating class. To this end, Harvest Ministries is hosting a drive-thru cookout to honor the students and all seniors are welcome to attend.
The cookout is the brainchild of Anson High School basketball coach Termell Middlebrooks. Middlebrooks reached out to Adams and asked him his thoughts on doing a drive-thru cookout for the graduating seniors because they’re not able to have the normal senior activities.
“It was a no-brainer to me to do whatever we needed to make it happen,” said Adams. “A few weeks ago we did the drive-thru grocery give away, which was a great success, so we went ahead and planned it and put it out on social media.”
The response from the community on social media was immediate and overwhelming. As of Wednesday, April 29, $1,000 had been donated to help with the cookout. These funds went to purchase the different items required to supply the cookout.
In addition to the funds donated via social media, local businesses aided the effort as well. Wadesboro’s KFC donated cole slaw and Piedmont Propane and Gas donated all the gas for the grill tanks.
Adams is also working with the Anson County Chamber of Commerce in order to possibly provide t-shirts to every senior that comes through the cookout.
Morven Mayor Tim Watkins will be cooking that day along with many parents and teachers from the senior class. Leon Gatewood from the HOLLA center will DJ the event.
“Our goal is to do our best to feed as many graduating seniors as possible,” said Adams. “Of course, they can bring the family as well, we’ll feed them too, but our focus is on the graduating seniors.”
There are roughly 275 seniors in the area split between Anson High School, Anson Early College, and Anson Academy. Harvest Ministries is preparing to feed 300 people.
Normally, a student ID would be used to verify a student’s status, but that isn’t practical under the current circumstances. Instead, the honor system will be used.
“Everybody’s hurting right now,” said Adams, “So, if somebody comes through and they’re really in need of a meal, we’re not going to turn them away.”
The cookout will be held from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 9 at the church located at 1134 E Caswell St. in Wadesboro. Students wishing to attend the cookout will pull into the Harvest Ministries parking lot. Once in the parking lot, there will be two lines that move through a cookout-assembly line. At the end of the line, the students will be served a hot dog, hamburger, or cheeseburger along with a bag of chips, cookie, and drink on a to-go tray.
This process will be done while using masks, gloves, and proper social distancing practices.
“It’s a community collaborative effort,” said Adams. “It’s kind of taken on a mind of its own and I’m grateful for the community partnerships to honor these graduating seniors because the more we do for them, the better. It’ just a compliment to any other efforts that are taking place.”
