Home

11-20-13-harvest-train.gifThe Falcon Children’s Home is a haven — and has been for more than 100 years. The home began with just two children in need who were cared for in a small cottage by the International Pentecostal Holiness Church. Since then, and with the support of the community, the home has grown to a 300-acre property that has multiple facilities to support these children in need. One way to support this great cause and the children it supports is through the Harvest Train.

The Falcon Children’s Home is a nonprofit organization that is licensed to take care of 90 children at a time. Needless to say it gets expensive. One way that the home is able to get all of the necessities that the children need is through generous donations from the community, and the Harvest Train is one of the ways that they are able to raise these donations. There are challenges preparing an event of this size, but the joy it gives the children, and the compassion the community exhibits make it all worthwhile, Jessica Dunning, the director of marketing and public relations for the home said. In past years, more than five times the population of Falcon have attended the event.

The Harvest Train is much more than just a fundraiser, however. It is a time to celebrate the generosity of the community and the work that the children have done to prepare this celebration. Dunning explains their expectations for the day, “This is the highlight of the year at Falcon Children’s Home. Guests should expect a festive atmosphere when they arrive. There will be a big crowd, an overwhelming amount of generosity and a wonderful kick-off to the Holiday season. There will also be excitement in the air in anticipation of a program that the kids have been preparing for 2-3 months that will touch guests both emotionally and spiritually.”

For the month of November, the home will be asking for Brownie mix, cake mix and icing, snacks, soft drinks, spaghetti sauce, sugar, canned vegetables, canned fruits, pop tarts, ketchup, cooking oil, juice, salad dressing, chicken noodle soup, pancake mix, grits, flour, rice, mustard and Kool-Aid. There are also more ways to support the Falcon Children’s Home and the children it cares for. “Monetary donations, commodities that will be used throughout the year, volunteering time, sponsoring a child for Christmas, gently used clothing, furniture, food, school supplies, tutoring at the on campus school, and prayers,” will all be gratefully received by the home Dunning and Superintendent Joseph Leggett said. On the flyers for the Harvest Train, available on the Falcon Children’s Home website, is a calendar with needed items for each month.

The Harvest Train will take place Tuesday, Nov. 26. There will be a parade that begins at 8:30 a.m. and the Harvest Train Program itself begins at 10:30 a.m. The parade will march through Falcon and the program is held in the J.A. Culbreth Memorial Auditorium located in Falcon. For more information visit http://www.falconchildrenshome.com/wordpress/ or call 980-1065.

Photo: The Harvest Train in Falcon, N.C., benefits Falcon Children’s Home. The community generously donates items like toiletries, nonperishables, clothes and more. The children at Falcon Children’s Home put on a program after the parade.