Becky Loveall's name says it all. She is humble, kind, and loving. She wanted to have an event that would be fun and inspiring, which is how the idea for the Fishing for Shoes Tournament came about.
"I would help everybody if I could help everybody," Loveall says. "I feel like that's the main thing - we're called to help people."
After talking with friends who have held fishing tournaments in the past and gleaning advice from a bass tournament expert, she decided this event would be the perfect way to collect donations for people in need while providing a memorable day for participants.
"I come from a family that loves to fish, and my sons and sons-in-law love to fish," Loveall explains. "We are really doing it just to get the kids shoes because it is so bad in the economy right now. It's hard on people just to even buy groceries."
Last year, Loveall, along with the pastor of her church, Demones Kelly, and fellow churchgoer Ashley Donaldson, felt moved to help children in the community after attending a meeting where residents were gathering to provide backpacks for local students. The trio discussed how they could best help, eventually settling on shoes as their donation item.
A mother of four grown children, she remembers that it was challenging at times to provide everything that her children needed. This experience gave Loveall the impetus to plan Metter's first annual Fishing for Shoes Tournament, which features prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place teams.
"It's the moms that are struggling to figure it out. It's near and dear to my heart; I want them to know that somebody is willing to help," Loveall says.
In addition to the shoe giveaway, there is a closet at the church with other items ready to be gifted to families who could use them, such as clothes and accessories, which will help offset back-to-school costs.
"I'm an amateur at this, but I'm just praying that God will provide more shoes or people will see it and want to give towards it," she says. "If we can help somebody and give God the glory for it, then it's worth it."
Open Door Worship Church is located at 9070 Oak Tree Road, Metter, GA, 30439. For more information or to register for the tournament, please contact Becky Loveall at (912) 314-9630.
