New ministry outside Arnold’s in Albion keeps fridge stocked with food

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Pastor Albert Wilson and his wife Ykeeta stand by the refrigerator and food cupboard their church provided for the community outside Arnold’s Auto Parts.

ALBION – A new church which recently started offering services in Albion is showing its community support by helping to feed the hungry.

Greater Royal Body Shop Church, started by Pastor Albert Wilson and his wife Ykeeta, meets at 7 p.m. Fridays in the conference room at the Arnold Gregory Hospital Complex.

With support from Dan and Lisa DeCarlo of Arnold’s Auto Parts, Royal Body Shop Ministries has placed a refrigerator and cupboard full of food outside Arnold’s at 116 North Liberty St. Pastor Wilson dedicated the site at 1 p.m. Saturday, with Jack Burris from Hands 4 Hope, village trustee Stan Farone, local chef Jeff Holler, church members and other community supporters.

“While we worship God inside of four walls, he also wants us to be out in the community,” Pastor Wilson said.

While food in the refrigerator and cupboard is available to anyone in the community, it is hoped people will only take what they need.

Lisa DeCarlo, a member of Greater Royal Body Shop Church, shows a refrigerator stocked with food in front of Arnold’s Auto Parts at 116 N. Liberty St. The refrigerator and a cupboard will be kept stocked by the church and volunteers and will be available to anyone in the community who needs food 24/7.

Burris said his volunteers go to Rochester to get surplus food and sometimes they have a hard time getting rid of perishable items.

“It will be a blessing to have a refrigerator to put perishable food in,” Burris said.

The refrigerator and cupboard will be kept stocked by Royal Body Shop Ministries and volunteers from Hands 4 Hope when they have food available.

Local chef Jeff Holler will periodically prepare meals and have them in the refrigerator for families to take home and heat up.

Farone said this is a great thing the church is doing, and he is very happy about it. He said there is no doubt there is a need for such a service in Albion.

Village trustee Stan Farone, left, participates in the ribbon cutting with Pastor Albert Wilson and his wife Ykeeta, center, Dan DeCarlo from Arnold’s Auto Parts and other volunteers including Kevin Lemcke and Jack Burris of Hands 4 Hope.