Ohio State football legend and two-time Heisman trophy winner Archie Griffin will be the keynote speaker for a Friday Fare fundraiser hosted by the Westerville Christian Church (WCC). The program will be held on February 27 at the church, which is located at 471 East College Avenue. Backed by lead sponsor LogoSPEED, the event will begin at 7:00 p.m. followed by coffee and dessert at 8:00 p.m. Tickets cost $75 each or $125 for two. They can be purchased by contacting Jennifer Price at 614/891-6842 or by e-mailing her at jennifer.price@westervillechristian.org.
Griffin was a three-time All American in 1973, 1974, and 1975. After earning his degree in industrial relations at The Ohio State University, he was a first-round draft choice of the Cincinnati Bengals in 1976. He has served as President and CEO of the Ohio State Alumni Association and the University’s Senior Vice President for Alumni Relations since 2004.
In 2008, as part of WCC’s 40th anniversary celebration, Friday Fare began as a ministry to reach out and help the Westerville community. A small group of volunteers provided weekend meals for six hungry families in two schools. Six years later, the Friday Fare program has mushroomed. They now serve 90 families in 15 schools, 13 of which are in the Westerville City School District.
Each Friday, Westerville Christian volunteers deliver bags to schools containing two meals for a family of four. Recipients are recommended by school officials, who target families who need a little extra help. To protect student privacy, the church never receives names or information about those who receive the food. They simply drop it off with the hope and belief that their gift will make a difference. They now provide roughly 700 meals each week, totaling well over 20,000 meals every school year.