New Around the Mission

Roanoke's Drumstick Dash Aids Rescue Mission

November 28, 2010

The costumed volunteer jokingly told these two young Drumstick Dash participants to "eat hame and beef" for Thanksgiving!

On Thanksgiving morning, while many were stuffing a turkey and preparing for the big family meal, 225 people from Church of the Holy Spirit in Roanoke, Virginia, participated in the Drumstick Dash to benefit the local Rescue Mission Rescue Mission.

In 2005 the Rev. Quigg Lawrence of Church of the Holy Spirit (COTHS) made a visit to the city’s Rescue Mission, a 398-bed facility in Southeast Roanoke that provides emergency assistance for the homeless. He discovered they were serving over 240,000 meals a year for a very frugal 39 cents apiece without government or United Way funds. Quigg challenged his church to raise the entire amount of their food budget as a Christmas offering and promised to shave his head if they accomplished the goal. The local papers called it a “purpose driven hairdo.” The challenge went viral, and they raised over $34,000 in seven weeks.

Drumstick Dash participants from COTHS gather under their church sign and the run site.

The following year Elanor Wells, member of COTHS, was determined to get more churches and individuals involved in assisting the poor in the community, and the Drumstick Dash was born. The first year of the official Dash, 1700 people turned out, and this year 11,500 people attended the growing event that raised over $240,000. What began as a faith challenge at Church of the Holy Spirit has turned into a ground-swell event on Thanksgiving Day that the community of Roanoke looks forward to each year.

Want to know more? Click on the links below to read about the relay in the Roanoke newspaper, The Roanoke Times.
See photos of the event
Read the article in The Roanoke Times

Posted By: Cynthia P. Brust
Categories: Faith in Action