Celebrate the Edison Festival of Light and help feed the hungry by attending Mrs. Edison’s Hymn Sing Tuesday, Feb. 4, at The First Presbyterian Church in downtown Fort Myers at the corner of Second Street and Lee Street.
It’s the 35th anniversary of the hymn sing, which is an official sanctioned event of the Edison Festival of Light. Sponsors are the Galloway Family of Dealerships and Susan Bennett Marketing & Media.
Because of the overwhelming popularity of the event, two performances are planned at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. The doors will open 30 minutes prior to each performance.
Admission is free, but because of the increased need for food for the hungry, organizers are requesting that those who attend bring cans of non-perishable food and a voluntary cash donation, if possible, to benefit Sam’s Community Kitchen & Cafe of Community Cooperative.
“We need to help The Soup Kitchen by donating as much canned goods and cash as we can to help families who most need it in our community,” said the Rev. Dr. Paul deJong of First Presbyterian Church.
Community Cooperative is an innovative nonprofit organization made up of social service entrepreneurs fighting to end homelessness and hunger in our community. It provides more than 26,000 meals each month through Sam’s Community Café, Meals on Wheels programs and school programs, distributes more than 2.1 million pounds of groceries through its Mobile Food Pantries, and serves 14,000 individuals and families with homeless and comprehensive case management services through its Social & Education Resource Centers. A proud United Way partner, Community Cooperative serves Lee and Collier Counties.
The church has been a strong supporter of the agency from the beginning and continues to support its ministry there by providing volunteers and other support for Sam’s Community Kitchen & Café and the Meals on Wheels program.
“The need has never been greater with so many people struggling after the devastation caused by Hurricanes Ian, Helene and Milton. The food that is donated will go immediately to those in our community who desperately need it,” said Dr. deJong.
Cash donations are especially valuable because Community Cooperative can buy five
times as much food for the same amount of money that residents spend at local grocery stores. “However, there is great satisfaction in contributing a tangible item you know will be a blessing to someone in need. Both forms of donations will do good work in our community and will be most welcomed,” said Dr. deJong.
This year’s event will feature the First Presbyterian Sanctuary Choir and many other singers, along with a piano-organ combination.
In addition to Mrs. Edison’s Hymn Sing, First Presbyterian Church annually presents the very popular Christmas Carol Sing in December. Both events benefit Sam’s Community Kitchen & Café of Community Cooperative.
For more information or directions to the church, call 334-2261 or visit www.fpcfortmyers.org. For more information about Community Cooperative, call (239) 332-SOUP or visit www.communitycooperative.com.
About First Presbyterian Church of Fort Myers
First Presbyterian Church of Fort Myers, located at 2438 Second St. in downtown Fort Myers, is a community of faith, celebrating a loving God. First Presbyterian Church was founded in 1901 and continues to be an integral part of Lee County by presenting some of the area’s most well-attended events, such as Mrs. Edison’s Hymn Sing in February as part of the Edison Festival of Light and the Christmas Carol Sing in December. Both events benefit Sam’s Community Kitchen & Café of Community Cooperative, which also was founded by First Presbyterian Church and other downtown churches in 1984. Services are offered Sundays at 11 a.m. with Sunday Adult Education from 9:45 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. A nursery is available from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Hearing assistive equipment also is available.
