Life in Motion: Halloween and a hot meal

Contessa Champlin, 10, Alexis Champlin, 5, Autumn Champlin, 3, and grandma Lisa Frye of Turnerville learned about the event through Now Habersham. (Hadley Cottingham/Now Habersham)

The Northeast Georgia community came together this weekend to celebrate Halloween, and after a year of cancellations, events around the region were in full swing, sharing candy and fun with children. But one church took community togetherness one step further at their trunk-or-treat.

Clarkesville Church of God held a trunk-or-treat event open to the community Saturday evening, with treats, toys, games, bouncy houses and a free, hot dinner to anyone who was hungry.

The church was full of long tables with lots of chairs, and a kitchen full of people cooking hot chili on a cold and rainy evening.

(Hadley Cottingham/Now Habersham)

“It’s a perfect, safe event,” says Lisa Frye of Turnerville, who attended the event with her husband, Danny Frye, and brought along their three granddaughters. “These are nice people, and we just love it.”

Frye doesn’t attend church at the Clarkesville Church of God and heard about the event through Now Habersham, but she says that she and her family still felt welcome there and that she connected with her community.

Youth Pastor Chad Stewart says he, and the rest of the church, wanted to “bless the community,” with their event. (Hadley Cottingham/Now Habersham)

Youth Pastor Chad Stewart tells Now Habersham that the church wanted to reach out and “bless the community” by offering a free family-friendly event with a free meal.

“We want to reach out to our community,” says Stewart. “That’s the main reason why we’re doing this, to reach out to our community and try to bless those around us.”