Saturday, May 5, Raleigh Rescue Mission hosted its Downtown Raleigh Festival of Hope for the community.
During this FREE outdoor family event, attendees enjoyed carnival games and inflatables, crafts, face painting, hot dogs, barbecue, an international food tasting expo, hear live Christian music and more. Donations of paper products such as toilet paper, napkins and paper towels were collected to help the Mission build a “Paper Palace” during the event.
The festival showcased the area’s finest barbecue during the 8th Annual Big Barbecue Showdown. Attendees casted their vote in the “Crowd Pleaser” contest! Raleigh Police Chief Harry Dolan and WPTF radio host Bill LuMaye were among other specially invited guests helping judge the BBQ.
Big Barbecue Showdown contestants included: Barbecue Lodge of Raleigh, Big Ed’s City Market, Carolina Barbecue, Clyde Cooper’s Barbecue, Danny’s Bar-B-Que, Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, Dixie Belle’s Bar-B-Q, Four Seasons Catering, McCall’s Bar-B-Que & Seafood of Clayton, Mount Zion United Methodist Church, Neil Holden Barbeque, Red Hot & Blue, Smithfield’s Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q, The Q Shack and White Swan Bar-B-Q & Fried Chicken.
“This is a way for us to says thanks to our community and enjoy a great day of free fun at the Mission,” said Fitzgerald, event coordinator. “We’ll also be giving tours during the festival so people can check out the Mission and learn more about how we help the homeless.”
Dear Smithfield’s Chicken ‘n Bar-B-Q:
On behalf of the staff, Board of Directors and the clientele of Raleigh Rescue Mission, I want to thank you for your participation in the 2012 Downtown Raleigh Festival of Hope featuring the 8th Annual “Big Barbecue Showdown”. Thanks to your help the event was a great success.
This letter is our way of saying “Thank You” for your contribution and investment in the lives of our community, especially those who come to the Raleigh Rescue Mission in need of help and hope in starting their lives over again.
Raleigh Rescue Mission is a Christian 501(c) 3 organization established 51 years ago to meet the needs of hurting men, women and children who are homeless and in crisis. The Mission provides the basics of food, clothing, and shelter, as well as addiction recovery, education, medical care, vocational training and hope for a new life.
Thanks again.
In Christ,
Richard Fitzgerald
Raleigh Rescue Mission, Inc.