By MOLLY DAVIDSON / Staff Writer

The Daniel Cason Ministries’ Bread of Life Food Pantry is preparing to serve Thanksgiving meals to 10,000 people this month, and Briarwood Christian School students helped make this possible.

For the past few weeks, Briarwood early childhood and elementary school students diligently collected nonperishable foods to donate to the Bread of Life Food Pantry, and on Nov. 6 the students presented the goods to Rev. Daniel Cason during a special service.

“We like for the students to bring the food from the classroom to the worship center,” Briarwood Early Childhood Principal Liz Whatley said.

Students filled the altar steps with food, then the collection was given to Cason for delivery to the pantry.

“The last three years, (Cason) has had a flat tire because of all the food in the van,” Whatley said.

A 15-year tradition at Briarwood, the food drive for Daniel Cason Ministries instills a sense of service and missions in students at an early age.

“We so love to continue it because it’s teaching our children to serve others,” Whatley said. “It’s so good for our students to learn to give to others… it’s stepping stones, it’s the foundation for everything.”

In December, early childhood students will participate in another mission project to provide Christmas packages to children in need. Students are encouraged to giftwrap and donate shoeboxes filled with goodies, including markers, stickers, small toys, books and more.

Missions and service are a central piece of Briarwood Presbyterian Church, Briarwood Executive Pastor Bruce Stallings said. Fifty percent of the church’s roughly $11 million budget is used for outreach and missions.

“Fifty cents on every dollar goes to outreach ministries,” Stallings said. “That concept is built in, and you see it show up.”

As a ministry of the Briarwood Presbyterian Church, missions and service are also an important part of a Briarwood education. Beginning in early childhood and elementary school with the food and shoebox drives, students continue mission work through high school.

“They have so much here to be thankful for,” Whatley said. “That’s the premise… you have to plant the seed (of giving back) at an early age.”