By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

An Alabaster restaurant is working to offer up a “gracious helping of healing” to those affected by the recent Aurora, Colo., shooting.

The Jim ‘N Nick’s restaurant in Alabaster’s Colonial Promenade shopping center over the next week will offer patrons a few ways to reach out to the victims of the July 20 Colorado movie theater shooting and their families.

Next week, inserts in the restaurant’s menus will be offered to allow patrons to draw or write their thoughts, prayers and well-wishes to the shooting victims. Children can also draw pictures to share their support for the victims.

Thoughts and pictures can also be shared at Jimnnicks.com.

After collecting the menu inserts, restaurant staff members will hand-deliver them to the shooting victims while participating in the Big Denver Barbecue Block Party Aug. 4-5.

“While in Denver we are going to host a special barbecue to bring the community together for a time of healing,” said Alabaster Jim ‘N Nick’s Relationship Ambassador Jessica Henderson.

The restaurant next week also will raise money to support the shooting victims and their families, especially those who were uninsured. Restaurant patrons will be able to drop donations in the “Big Buckets of Love” placed throughout the restaurant and online at Jimnnicks.com.

“(Jim ‘N Nick’s Alabaster owner) Paul (Liollio), I and the staff at the Jim ‘N Nick’s in Alabaster are so grateful for the support we have received from our local community, and anytime we have the opportunity to spread that love across the nation, we will do so,” Henderson said.