Big trivia buff Fr. John Kelly was the emcee and trivia master for the night.

St. George Episcopal Church, The Villages, sponsored Trivia Night on Oct. 8 to help the survivors of Hurricane Dorian. A love offering was collected during the evening. “We wanted to do a little extra, something beyond the donation to the Diocese,” explained fellowship committee member Marilyn Hood.​

St. George’s parishioners enjoy yummy desserts to fuel them for the trivia battle that soon commenced.​ Fifty parishioners took part in the event that included a potluck dinner.

This was the third trivia night for the parish. “When we think someone needs help, we will schedule a trivia night,” says Hood. “It feels good to help other people, and that’s why we schedule one from time to time.”​​

The evening raised $285 for the people of the Bahamas.

PHOTOS: Marilyn Hood​

At Back to Butch’s Bar in Okeechobee, Deacon Kay Mueller prays over the donations going to Man-O-War, Bahamas, prays for the donors and prays for the safe arrival of the barge.

Church of Our Saviour, Okeechobee, sent supplies by barge to Man-o-War island, Bahamas. They joined forces with Okeechobee Music and Back to Butch’s Bar as part of the Okeechobee-Bahamas relief effort.​

“Lynn Greeson, an active parishioner, lives next door to the owner of a construction company with many projects in the Bahamas,” explained Deacon Kay Mueller. “He owns a barge and already had clearance to get supplies to the Bahamas.”​

“A parishioner owns Okeechobee Music, and Back to Butch’s is very proactive with fundraisers and giving back to the community,” added Mueller. ​​

Okeechobee Music was a drop-off point for supplies for Man-O-War, Bahamas.​

The barge carried  nonperishables, baby food, soaps, sanitation products, tarps and construction supplies. “We took  everything we could come up with and put it on the barge. Every little bit helps,” noted Mueller.​

The day the barge set sail, Mueller, parishioners and community members gathered at Back to Butch’s for prayer over the goods, the donors and the barge. “After the prayer, I gave an extemporaneous talk about how giving blesses others and sharing the love of God,” said Mueller. “We take the essentials in life for granted. ” 

PHOTOS: Courtesy of Church of Our Savior​

Deacon Jim Flood and his family drove the large containers of clothing to St. Gabriel’s, Titusville, where Deacon John Clark received them. The containers were placed on the next flight taking donations from St. Gabriel’s.  From the left is Clark, Flood, and Flood’s daughters, Erin Flood, and Brennah Flood.

​St. Jude’s Episcopal Church, Orange City, sent clothes to the Bahamas on flights that were also carrying MREs (meals ready to eat) donated by St. Gabriel’s, Titusville. “I follow Bishop Brewer on Instagram and saw the post on Deacon John Clark at St. Gabriel’s and the MREs that he was taking to the Bahamas,” said Deacon Jim Flood. “I called him and said, ‘I have clothes. May I  get them on your next flight?’​

The clothes came from the clothing ministry he has at the school where he is a science teacher. “After Hurricane Irma, we had an influx of people from the Caribbean who had nothing, so I began a clothing drive for the students,” explained Flood. “I then extended the ministry to their families and then to anyone who needed clothing. The people of the Bahamas desperately needed them, and I was only glad to help them out.”

PHOTO: Sharon Flood