Bishop Kelvin Cobaris (right), pastor of Empowerment Ministries Church, along with church volunteers at the recent gas giveaway in Pine Hills.
Hundreds Get Help at the Pump During Gas Giveaway
With gas prices hovering around $4 a gallon, it was a good for a small group of Orlando area pastors to join together recently and offer some free gas to hundreds of drivers.
“This is beautiful…a great thing for the community,” said one man waiting his turn to take advantage of the free gas offer. “Gas is so high nowadays.”
The man took the time to personally thank Pastor Kelvin Cobaris of the Empowerment Ministries Church located right down the street from the gas station (7-Eleven at the corner of Pine Hills Road and North Lane). Cobaris was among seven Orlando-area pastors who choose gas stations near their churches (mostly in west Orange County) to provide some free gas.
“We’re reaching out to help those in our communities,” Cobaris said.
This gas giveaway came at time when more and more churches are refocusing on their local outreach projects, offering an array of goods and services such as health care, counseling, food and clothing.
During this outreach project, people who showed up at the gas stations during the scheduled time on April 16, got $15 in free gas. Dozens of church volunteers at each location helped register drivers, provide information and get this – pump gas for the drivers who showed up.
Although this was not a “fill-her-up” type of deal, it was a start, said local radio personality Steve January during a radio segment promoting the giveaway on the day before.
But for one woman, who showed up at the 7-Eleven at the corner of Pine Hills Road and North Lane, it was that type of deal.
“She was in tears and said that she was on ‘E’ and did not know what she was going to do,” Cobaris said. “[She] had me about to cry…I just gave her the rest to fill up her car.”
The pastors plan another free gas event in the near future, Cobaris said.
Cobaris was joined in this effort by these pastors (and their congregations): Derrick L. McRae (The Experience Christian Center), David Jaques (The Kingdom Church), Allen Wiggins (The Hope Church), Alan Williams (Truth International Ministries), Chris Walker (Cathedral of Power) and Octavis Smith (St. Paul AME Church).
© Orlando Community News, 2011
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