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LUDINGTON — After several years of honoring local essential workers through its annual Thank You Event, Prayer and Praise Assembly of God has announced it is ending the community-wide gathering in favor of a more personal, year-round approach to serving first responders, healthcare workers and others who serve the public.
The Thank You Event began during the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to recognize essential workers who continued serving the community throughout the public health emergency. Hosted at the 10th Spot, the event featured free meals provided through partnerships with local sponsors and food truck vendors, along with live entertainment, bounce houses and other family-friendly activities. Over the years, hundreds of people attended the annual celebration.
Rather than continuing the annual event, the church plans to take its appreciation directly to those it serves. Future efforts will include providing meals, refreshments and other expressions of gratitude at firefighter training events, nursing stations and similar workplaces, allowing volunteers to connect with community servants on a more personal and ongoing basis.
“While we are saddened to see the Thank You Event come to a close, we are excited about this new chapter,” Pastor Henrik Lidman, senior pastor of Prayer & Praise Assembly of God said. “We look forward to continuing to say ‘thank you’ by meeting people where they are and serving them in meaningful ways.”
Lidman also thanked the sponsors, volunteers, food truck vendors and community members who supported the Thank You Event throughout its run, saying their contributions helped make the annual celebration a meaningful expression of gratitude for local heroes. Prayer and Praise Assembly of God said it remains committed to honoring and serving the community through its new outreach efforts.
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