ag-formation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 14, 2002

South Carolina and Tennessee share their bounty with African refugees

COLUMBIA, SC–South Carolina’s own Jack Edgerton of Allen Brothers Milling Company which mills Adluh brand products, once again, has joined forces with two Tennesseans, Shelton Lewis of Johnson City, TN , and Dewey Gilliam, corn grower of South Pittsburg, TN, to provide food aid to those in need. Two loads of corn, donated by the two Tennessee men, have been shipped to Allen Brothers for milling into cornmeal and packaging for shipment to Malawi, Africa. The 80,000 pound shipment of cornmeal valued at over $15,000 is scheduled to leave Adluh at 804 1/2 Gervais Street in Columbia for the Port of Charleston at 10 a.m. on Thursday, October 17, 2002.

Malawi already has a population of over 10 million people, 90% of whom live in rural areas, but the country also hosts refugees and asylum seekers due to factors such as civil strife and political instability in neighboring countries.

The cornmeal is being sent through the Universal Aide Society of Gabriola, B.C., Canada, to provide much-needed food aid to the Africa Evangelical Church of Blantyre, Malawi. The World Emergency Relief Agency is paying for the freight charges for the shipment.

Gilliam donated his corn on behalf of the Fellowship Sunday School Class of Kimball Baptist Church in Kimball, TN. In addition, the Cartwright Baptist Chruch in Whitwell, TN, Hampton Trucking Company, and others have contributed to this worthwhile cause.

Congressman Joe Wilson, Commissioner of Agriculture Les Tindal, and others will be on hand to bid the cornmeal farewell on its 8,162 mile trip to Malawi, Africa.

For those who wish to assist in the effort, the fastest and most effective way to help the refugees is through cash donations directly to Ryan Hannah, Africa Evangelical Church/SIM, PO Box 136, Blantyre, Malawi.

For more information about the cornmeal shipment, call Jack Edgerton, President of Allen Brothers Milling Company at 803-779-2460.

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