JEFFERSON — Usually the Beef ‘O' Brady's on U.S. 129 in Jefferson isn't open on Saturday mornings. But on a recent Saturday, Darrel Rewis was at the restaurant bright and early to whip up pancakes.
He had a simple idea — serve free pancakes 8-10 a.m. Saturdays in 2010, particularly to those who might otherwise go without a hot breakfast. And thanks to the cooperation of a local restaurant, the idea has become a reality.
Rewis, who serves as the pastor of Corner-Stone Baptist Church in Jefferson, came up with the idea one morning when he was making breakfast for his two sons.
"I was looking for something my family could do in particular," he said. "Feeding people who can use a free, hot breakfast is the sort of simple expression of kindness seen in the New Testament I was looking for. The more I mentioned the idea to people around me, the more I realized the opportunity for more families to get involved."
He brought the idea to his congregation and Steve Perry, owner of Beef ‘O' Brady's, volunteered his business as the place where Rewis could center his outreach project.
"It's all his fault," Perry said jokingly about Rewis's idea.
Members of Corner-Stone are pitching in, too, and bringing their families to the table to take part in the project.
"It's something the whole family can do, something they can teach their kids about giving to the needy," Rewis said.
On a recent Saturday, several volunteers, including Jefferson Mayor Jim Joiner, donned aprons with the Corner-Stone and Beef ‘O' Brady's logos displayed on them and served up pancakes to families and couples who came in for breakfast.
Sanita Borron of Jefferson and Jan Major of Hoschton were two such volunteers who came to serve patrons on Saturday morning.
"I just wanted to be a part of it and spread the love of Jesus," Borron said about helping out. "Maybe we can spread some love around."
Though this outreach project involves a Jefferson church and restaurant, Rewis said he hopes to see other businesses and organizations get inspired by the work the church is doing and plan similar events for the needy in their community.
"We hope that this is the first of similar projects that organizations and businesses do," Rewis said. "I hope people see this and think, ‘I'd like to do something similar.'"
"Hopefully it's contagious," Perry added.