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Hymn sing draws big crowds; sets record for donations

By Staff | Feb 4, 2009
Sarah Owen, CEO of Community Cooperative Ministries, and Robert Jimenez of the Galloway Family of Dealerships, and a Lehigh Acres resident, collect canned goods for The Soup Kitchen. Photos Special To The Citizen
Musician Leonard Mlejnek of Lehigh Acres takes part in Mrs. Edison’s Hymn Sing.
From left to right, Judy McCluskey and Connie Puzevic, both of Lehigh Acres; and Ruth Goetz, Thelma Albritton and Glenn Goetz, all of Estero, wait for the doors to open to Mrs. Edison’s Hymn Sing.
Rev. Jerry Wise and Sam Galloway Jr.

Even the standing room was gone for this year’s Mrs. Edison’s Hymn Sing Tuesday, Feb. 3, at First Presbyterian Church in downtown Fort Myers. A record crowd of nearly 5,000 people attended the 20th Annual Mrs. Edison’s Hymn Sing. Many came from Lehigh Acres.

The Edison Festival of Light event was presented by First Presbyterian Church and sponsored by the Galloway Family of Dealerships to honor the work of Mina Edison, wife of inventor Thomas Edison. Former Lee County Commissioner Melvin Morgan also described Mrs. Edison’s involvement in the original Dunbar School.

Those who attended donated $10,662 and 4.5 tons of canned goods to benefit The Soup Kitchen of Community Cooperative Ministries, setting a record for gifts of both food and money.

“We are so thankful to the people of our community who stepped up in this time of great need to donate more than double what we received in financial contributions last year, and nearly 50 percent more food than last year. It truly shows the impact that a few people can make in the lives of many,” said Organizer Sam Galloway Jr.

Attendees sang hymns with the 60-member Sanctuary Choir of First Presbyterian Church and friends, were accompanied by a full symphonic orchestra to accommodate the large crowd, closed circuit televisions were set up in the church’s Fellowship Hall and the chapel