First responders from across the area enjoyed a free chili lunch on Saturday compliments of Eagle Wings Christian Fellowship Church at the corner of Winters Avenue and Line Street in Du Quoin.
The event had a theme of "Blue Lives Matter," with tables decorated in a blue-and-black motif with a with similarly-colored balloons hanging from the ceiling.
"So many times we overlook the first responders," said Ernestine Hughlett, wife of Pastor Carl Hughlett, who was unable to attend the event. "We need to give back and let them know we appreciate the daily things that they do and not just when we need them."
It has been a rough week for first responders across the nation, with a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., last Wednesday and closer to home, the shooting death of Chicago Police Cmdr. Paul Bauer a day earlier.
"It's scary, it really is," Hughlett said. "It's scary that it could happen as easily in a small town as a big town, so with that being said, we want to let the mayor and the city know that if something happens, that churches here can help.
"God is still available. They're hands-on physically, but we're hands-on spiritually."
Hughlett said the organization of the lunch was a total church effort. The congregation itself was founded locally in October 2016 after moving from Carbondale and services start at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday.
"We want to let the community know we're here for them and hopefully we'll do more outreach ministry for the community," Hughlett said.
