Anson County Commissioner Vancine Sturdivant welcomed family, friends and fellow government officials on Sept. 23, for the grand opening of Gumby’s Faith-Based Outreach.
“In the early 1990s, my husband and I began feeding the elderly, homeless and sick and shut-in from our home,” Sturdivant said. “Our organization is called Faith Based Center of Hope.”
Sturdivant said that even though she and her husband had this vision since the early 90s, her husband died in 2015. She named the building after him — his nickname was Gumby.
Those in attendance included state Sen. Tom McInnis, Wadesboro Police Chief Thedis Spencer, and a host of others.
“I know this has been a difficult time for Vancine, but she has stood up, showed up, and did her job, just as William Sturdivant would want her to do,” said Anna Baucum, chairwoman of the Anson County Board of Commissioners. “Vancine is only the third woman to serve on the Anson County Board of Commissioners.”
Sheriff Landric Reid was also in attendance.
“This is your moment,” Reid said. “We appreciate everything that you do here in this county, and Gumby’s place is going to continue the things that you have started. You have been building ever since I have known you, and now you have your own building, and you are going to go even farther.”
Baucum also said that she appreciated being at the grand opening, and appreciated Studrivant’s efforts to honor her husband.
Gumby’s will be used to accept donations of clothing, food, school supplies and monetary donations to help the less fortunate.
“Gumby’s is a satellite until we open the Lilesville Community Center on the square of Lilesville,” Sturdivant said.
Reach Natalie Davis at 704-994-5471.