Mrs. Edison's Hymn Sing to Kick Off Edison Festival of Light

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Jan. 13, 2025 - PRLog -- Celebrate the Edison Festival of Light and help feed the hungry by attending  Mrs. Edison's Hymn Sing  Tuesday, Feb. 4, at The First Presbyterian Church in downtown Fort Myers at the corner of Second Street and Lee Street.

It's the 35th anniversary of the hymn sing, which is an official sanctioned event of the Edison Festival of Light.  Sponsors are the Galloway Family of Dealerships and Susan Bennett Marketing & Media.

Because of the overwhelming popularity of the event, two performances are planned at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.   The doors will open 30 minutes prior to each performance.

Admission is free, but because of the increased need for food for the hungry, organizers are requesting that those who attend bring cans of non-perishable food and a voluntary cash donation, if possible, to benefit Sam's Community Kitchen & Cafe of Community Cooperative.

Community Cooperative is an innovative nonprofit organization made up of social service entrepreneurs fighting to end homelessness and hunger in our community. It provides more than 26,000 meals each month through Sam's Community Café, Meals on Wheels programs and school programs, distributes more than 2.1 million pounds of groceries through its Mobile Food Pantries, and serves 14,000 individuals and families with homeless and comprehensive case management services through its Social & Education Resource Centers.  A proud United Way partner, Community Cooperative serves Lee and Collier Counties.

The church has been a strong supporter of the agency from the beginning and continues to support its ministry there by providing volunteers and other support for Sam's Community Kitchen & Café and the Meals on Wheels program.

"The need has never been greater with so many people struggling after the devastation caused by Hurricanes Ian, Helene and Milton.  The food that is donated will go immediately to those in our community who desperately need it," said the Rev. Dr. Paul deJong of First Presbyterian Church.

Cash donations are especially valuable because CommunityCooperative can buy five times as much food for the same amount of money that residents spend at local grocery stores.

This year's event will feature the First Presbyterian Sanctuary Choir and many other singers, along with a piano-organ combination.

In addition to Mrs. Edison's Hymn Sing, First Presbyterian Church annually presents the very popular Christmas Carol Sing in December.  Both events benefit Sam's Community Kitchen & Café of Community Cooperative.

For more information or directions to the church, call 334-2261 or visit www.fpcfortmyers.org.  For more information about Community Cooperative, call (239) 332-SOUP or visit www.communitycooperative.com.