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Ashley Biles/The Thomaston Times

Each year Clearwater Paper gives its’ facilities a sum of money to donate to a non-profit organization of their choice and this year the Thomaston plant chose the Silvertown Baptist Soup Kitchen as their beneficiary of a $2,000 donation. Wilbur Ramos, of Clearwater Paper, stated that he and the committee, made up of Randy Owenby and Brighte Miller, gave a lot of thought as to which organization they wanted to choose before making their decision. They ultimately decided on the soup kitchen because they felt the ministry reaches out to many people in the community and they wanted to do something that could benefit local citizens. Senior Pastor John Dahlman thanked the men for their generosity and said it couldn’t have come at a better time. Associate Pastor Ronnie Barrow noted that the ministry is run through donations and about a month ago the funding reached an all time low and he was unsure if the church would be able to keep it going. So he did the only thing he knew how, and began praying that if it was God’s will to keep the ministry afloat that a way would be made. It was a week after he first uttered that prayer that Ramos came to the church to share the news of the donation. “We know that the Lord answers prayers,” said Barrow. The Silvertown Baptist Soup Kitchen has been open for three and a half years and serves the public on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the church. Pastor Dahlman stated that there are generally 64 people being fed on any given day and last year alone they were able to feed over 10,000 people. Pictured is Pastor Dahlman receiving the donation from Clearwater Paper representatives Wilbur Ramos (center) and Randy Owensby.