From left, Missy Bailey, Britney Smith and Heather Reilly, all of Burgin, make Faithful Friends. The group founded a 5K race that will take place Saturday.
BURGIN — For a group of five Burgin women, the bonds of friendship, love of God, and concern for the community are powerful connections.
Britney Smith, Missy Bailey, Heather Reilly, Charlotte Baker and Debbie Smith began their group, the Faithful Friends, in August as a means of staying better connected to each other and to God. However, it wasn’t long before they realized they also could be a connection for the community of Burgin.
The group, which has now grown, is holding a Costume 5K on Saturday, as part of that community connection. It will raise money for the school backpack program that sends food home with children on Fridays so they will have things to eat over the weekend.
Faithful Friends Costume 5K will be on North First Street in Burgin, starting at 10:30 a.m. There is a $15 entry fee for adults and a $5 fee for those 12 years old and younger. Costumes will be judged before the race, at 10 a.m., and prices will be awarded for both speed and best costumes.
“I thought this was more of the way to get the community involved. And it will be fun,” Smith said.
All the children who participate will leave with treat bags. Everyone is invited to participate in the 5K or as a volunteer or cheerleader.
The purpose of the 5K, as with everything the group does, is to benefit Burgin and the families within it.
“The backpack program is a really good thing. It helps supplement those students who otherwise wouldn’t have any extra (food) to go home with,” Smith said.
She explained that the program coordinators attempt to keep the foods healthy, sending students home with things like fruit. The goal is to provide enough funds to cover students from at least ten families.
This is not the first event the group has had to help the community.
Faithful Friends also began hosting clothing drives in Reilly’s basement, gathering clothing and small household items. Whenever someone needs the items, the closet is open. It is free of charge.
“Come as you are, take what you need, give what you can” is the motto of the closet and all of the ministries the Faithful Friends offers.
The women also decided to provide Thanksgiving meals for five families this November. Faithful Friends partnered with Sharon Perkins through Burgin school who selected the families. As with the backpack program, the recipients of the Thanksgiving meals will be completely unknown to the group, and that’s the way the women want it.
“We don’t ever have to know their names,” Smith said.
Faithful Friends contacted area businesses, asking for help and allowing those businesses to pick which aspect of the meal they would like to cover.
The cost of the original five meals was covered quickly. Now, the goal is simply to serve “as many as possible.”
Faithful Friends seeks to help the community in whatever way it can. The women do all of this while keeping Colossians 3:17, which emphasizes doing everything in the name of the Lord, on their minds and their T-shirts.
SO YOU KNOW
The Faithful Friends Costume 5K will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday in Burgin. Participants will run in costume during the race. To register for the 5K, get information about Faithful Friends or donate to the clothing closet, contact Britney Smith at (859) 325-5560. The group invites other women to join. To request help following a burnout or other hardship, call Heather Reilly at (859) 247-0311 for access to the clothing closet.
