The Men of Faith, Integrity and Character will hold a free new clothing giveaway from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, May 20, in the ADLA building on the Carver Cultural Center campus on South Breazeale Avenue. From left, Men of FIC members Charlie Holloway, Al Southerland, Danny McLean and Vernon Lee are surrounded by boxes of clothes while holding some of the items to be given away. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
The nonprofit Men of Faith, Integrity and Character is accepting donations for its efforts to renovate the old Carver High School music building to serve as its headquarters. It will be named the Henrietta Williams Community Center in memory of the late Henrietta Highsmith Williams. From left are Men of FIC members Charlie Holloway, Danny McLean, Vernon Lee and Al Southerland. (Steve Herring|mountolivetribune.com)
The Henrietta Williams Community Center is not expected to open until the first of the year. However, on Saturday, May 20, it will begin serving its mission of serving the community as envisioned by the Men of Faith, Integrity and Character.
From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. that day, the group will hold a giveaway of new clothing that Walmart donated to the nonprofit.
The Men of FIC is in the process of renovating the former Carver High School music building on the campus of what is now the Carver Cultural Center.The town gave the building to the organization whose members will use it as its headquarters and as a community center named in memory of the late Henrietta Highsmith Williams who spent most of her 107 years in service to her fellowman and community.
Williams was known for supporting education, feeding the hungry, clothing the needy, caring for the sick and shut in and for counseling the troubled.
Since the building is still a construction site, the giveaway will be held in the ADLA building located across the parking lot, explained Al Southerland, Men of FIC president.
“I got a call from the manager of Walmart who said they had new clothes and asked us did we want them,” Southerland said. “I never say no to something that I think is going to help somebody so I told her yes. The guys got their trailers and stuff and went out there and got them.
“She did not say this, but we understood that we should not be selling this stuff — we should be giving it away. So that’s what we’re going do on the 20th. We’re going to give away as much of this as we can. Then after that we’ll probably check with some nonprofits and see if they need it.”
In the week leading up to the giveaway, the clothing will be moved to the ADLA building since the Men of FIC building cannot be used because of ongoing construction.
Once the clothing is moved, several women in the community have volunteered to sort the clothing by size and gender. They also will help during the day of the event.
The all-new clothing, some still with tags, comes in different sizes for boys and girls. Most of the clothing is summer wear and includes shoes, flip-flops, shorts, shirts and bathing suits.
“That is why we wanted to get it out as soon as we could,” Southerland explained. “We had this mid-winter, but then when we were looking at it, we said they couldn’t wear it in the winter. So, we are going to give it out, and like I said, it is mostly summer stuff. There is some adult stuff in there, too.
“We are trying to flood the market with information about what we have and what we’re doing,” Southerland said. “Of course on that day, too, we’re going to be selling rib plates and barbecue so we can make some money to help toward that next phase of the renovation.”
There is no registration to participate; people can just show up, he added.
Men of FIC members are looking forward to the center’s opening that is expected around the first of the year, Southerland pointed out.
Improvements thus far include a new roof and windows on the west side of the building. Also, a wall has been removed to turn two large rooms into an larger one.
“We pay for it as we go and now we are working on getting the funding to lower the ceiling, do the lights and the air conditioning over here. Local giveaways, local charities, doing anything we can on that (west) side over there — more like school or the mentoring part.
“In here (east side) we’ll have the school supplies. But this is what it’s about. I’m glad we have got the reputation of helping. So that’s why I feel that Walmart called us, because they feel that we would do the right thing with the stuff.”
About $60,000 has been spent on the project so far and another $200,000 is needed.
Donations of any amount are appreciated, and a donation jar will set up on the day of the giveaway.
“Every event that we have from now on, we will have a donation jar,” Southerland said. “We don’t require people to do anything — whatever they will give. We want to make sure that we do our part in making this campus the best that it can be because a lot of times the southern end of the county, we somewhat get neglected, and we want to let people know that something good comes out of Mount Olive.
“This building will be a community center for the entire community. Kids can come in. We’ll have where kids will be able to come in and look at a big screen TV, play games, do their homework.”
Donations may be sent to the Men of FIC, P.O. Box 1066, Mount Olive, N.C. 28365.
Make sure to note Henrietta Williams Community Center or HWCC on the check.
A separate bank account has been established for those funds, Southerland said.
For more information, call Southerland at 919-394-0198.
