The Fresh Fruity Friday event at University United Methodist Church Oct. 18, from 4:30-6:30 p.m. was a gathering for students and the local community hosted by the United Methodist Campus Ministry. It offered free oranges, apples, burritos and previously owned clothes to those in the community.

Earl Williams, pastor of University United Methodist Church, shared the inspiration behind the event. 

“There are no grocery stores in this part of town, so we wanted to make sure students and community members have access to fresh fruit and know that we care about their health. We also want to remind them that God loves them and we’re here to help in any way we can,” Williams said.

There was live music provided by the Washburn University band. Attendees enjoyed a mix of tunes as they picked up their free fruit and clothes. Cafe Quetzal also contributed to the celebration by offering chocolate cookies and cupcakes, making sure there were plenty of treats for everyone.

One of the attendees, Mohammad Asfaque, expressed his excitement about the event. 

“When there’s free fruit and food, I’m there! It’s like being a housefly attracted to sweets. I just love it,” Asfaque said.

One of the organizers, Mike Peter, explained how the event was made possible. 

“We received a grant from the Healthy Congregations Program, which provides funds to churches in Kansas and Nebraska to run health-focused programs. With that grant, we were able to buy fresh fruit and other items to hand out to the Washburn community and neighbors,” Peter said. 

Throughout the event, students and community members came together and enjoyed the free food, clothes and live music.

Edited by Alijah McCracken and Morgan Albrecht