Owenses announce Nov. 8 dinner, winter coat campaign
A faith-based community event offering a meal and winter clothing will come back to life Nov. 8 with the BStrong Ministry Thanksgiving Dinner and coat giveaway.
Launched many years ago by Cal and Sara Strong in memory of their son, Ben, this year’s event at The Ivy in Aurora will be coordinated in large part by Nick and Amy Owens, who plan to carry on the tradition in future years as part of their Faith Moving Forward nonprofit organization.
“We were at a church meeting at Monroe talking about the fact that we are missing a full community of people,” Amy said in reference to Faith Moving Forward’s effort to help those in need. “We talked about what are we doing for the less fortunate in the community, which is something Nick and I have a passion for. The Strongs did such a great job with their event and they said why don’t you take it over?”
The Owens said they had considered taking on the event previously, but with three sons all heavily involved in high school sports the timing didn’t seem right. Now, it does.
“We feel like we have a lot of people onboard helping,” Amy said, noting support from Cal and Sara Strong, the Monroe church and their own business, Tri-Fit. “It becomes so much easier now with so many people involved and we just feel like we have a lot of people supporting us.”
The Nov. 8 event will be similar to those hosted for many years by BStrong Ministries. A Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings will be served, with RSVP guests attending to receive coats, hats and gloves suitable for the winter ahead.
“The coats are for kids, but we also want to be able to see the parents or adults that are needing in our community,” Nick explained. “We’ll have a sit-down meal where they are served, so that they feel like they’re part of a community and that they are loved.”
The Owens have been began preparing for the event by working with Paige McQuiston, who serves as the community liaison at Aurora Public Schools.
“Paige is able to send out emails because she knows where the needs are, at least school wise,” Amy said. “We also learned that FBLA’s theme for November is feeding the hungry, so they’re stepping in to help serve. We’re just getting all kinds of help serving and doing things, which is terrific.”
Amy noted that the goal is to provide new or gently used coats to people in need.
“I would love it if they have tags on them,” she noted. “There’s just something about a child getting a new coat, so that’s a passion on my heart. You can buy coats at the thrift store with tags on them, so however people want to do it.”
One-year transition
As for the name of the event, the Owenses said they felt it appropriate to call it the BStrong Ministries Thanksgiving Dinner, while also announcing plans for their own ministry to carry it forward.
“This year, just to be able to make that connection, we’re working hand in hand,” Nick explained. “So many people still remember it and cherish those times, and we’ve made so many connections within the community. That’s really what we want to build on is being able to be the hands and feet of Christ to the people that are right here among us, not having to travel across the world or anything to help or to love on people, but just doing it right here in our community.”
Faith Moving Forward is a nonprofit formed in honor of Nick’s daughter, Sydnee, who died in 2012 from non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
The 501 (c)3 was established with a goal of offering scholarships, as well as providing financial aid to support efforts to build water wells in Haiti.
“So with Syd, she got diagnosed exactly a year after Ben passed away,” Nick recalled. “Seeing how the Strongs dealt with Ben’s passing and using it to encourage people and to take that pain and transfer it into helping, I mean that’s essentially how it came about with wanting to do Faith Moving Forward. It was like, what are you going to do with that pain? You can either make it bitter, or better.”
Thus plans began coming together for this year’s Nov. 8 event, which Nick said is designed to help people not just who need winter clothing, but those who may be hurting or are lonely as well.
“It’s really an opportunity to share the gospel and it’s a great time of year for thankfulness,” he said. “It’s about giving hope in what is a hopeless time for so many people.”
For more information, contact Amy Owens at 605-366-5469.