Mini-MAC brings ‘Fun’ back locally

A massive undertaking by the MAC (Midway Area Churches) Association is back, albeit in a “mini” way, as the group of churches targets a food giveaway that organizers hope will be the biggest they have ever done.

The Mini-MAC Day and Food Giveaway will be held at May 7 at Midway High School, located at 15375 Spivey’s Corner Highway (U.S. 421), Dunn. There will be another three $1,000 scholarships offered again this year.

“In past years, we have tried to have a day filled with fun, food, singing, play areas for the kids, and the car show,” MAC leader and event organizer the Rev. Floyd Ray stated. “This year with some uncertainty still lingering from COVID, we decided to do things a little differently. This year, our focus is on helping the community. To that end, we will be doing a food giveaway bigger than any we have ever done. We will also be cooking and giving away plates of food offerings from the churches.”

There will also be bouncers for the children, and a DJ.

The food plate giveaway will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and the food bags giveaway will run from 1 to 3 p.m.

Back in 2019, the 11th annual MAC Association Community Fun Day was held. This event is being held “in conjunction” with the 12th edition of that event, which is returning for the first time since the 11th annual event.

Prior to the pandemic, the Community Fun Day was a massive public event that brought thousands of people to northern Sampson County, the culmination of a year-round effort by dozens of churches to collect membership dues and partner with local businesses in order to offer some free food and fun to the community.

The event started off back in 2008, with 10 churches at Midway Elementary School. It grew over the years to around 40 churches, with about 4,000-5,000 people in attendance in recent years.

The MAC Association includes close to 60 different churches in the Midway and surrounding area, of which about two-thirds have participated in the annual Community Fun Day event. Each church donates $200 as well as other goodies on the day of the event in order for everything to be offered free, which over the years have been possible through a number of donations, including from Carlie C’s IGA and Food Lion locations in Harnett and Sampson counties, as well as many individuals.

Additionally, the Midway Area Churches Association has regularly given scholarships to MAC-involved students, the amount able to increase over the years. In 2019, that amount was $2,000. That amount will be $3,000 this year.

In the past, Ray has pointed to Community Fun Day as an option for families who may not be able to make it to Myrtle Beach or the State Fair every year.

“It’s about being able to reach out to people and give them the opportunity to fellowship,” said Ray. “Those who can’t make it to church, we bring the church to them.”

Each church donates a fee each year and that is used to prepare for the annual event. The association is “all denominations, creeds and colors,” Ray noted.

“The main thing is to bring the churches together to the community and give back to the community,” he said. “It’s a non-denominational event. We’re not here to recruit people back to each other’s church. We’re there just to fellowship with the community and bring people together.”

While the event is a little different this year, MAC Association leaders said the goal is still very much that same community fellowship.

In addition to Ray, the MAC Association Executive Board includes the Rev. Matt Young, John Riley, the Rev. Doug Howard, the Rev. Chris Hall, the Rev. Kelvin Blackman and the Rev. Claudie Morrisey.

For more information, call Pastor Floyd Ray, at 910-890-6285 or the Rev. Chris Hall, at 910-366-3787.