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Oct. 24, 2005
Holderby’s Landing Hosts 2005 ‘Make a Difference Day’
By Chris Spencer
Huntington News Network Photographer
Huntington, WV (HNN) – "The time to be happy is now.
The place to be happy is here. The way to be happy is to make
others so..." are the words on the sign above the door at Holderby's
Landing on the Riverfront. With that philosophy Holderby's
Landing hosted the first "Make a Difference Day 2005," on Sunday evening, Oct.
23, 2005.
Organizations scheduled to be at "Make a Difference
Day,
accepting donations were the American Red Cross-Gulf
Relied Fund, the
Coalition for the Homeless, Huntington City Mission,
Christ Temple
Church, Rivers of Hope Ministry, Branches Domestic
Violence Shelter and
the Salvation Army.
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The free event featured free food, drinks and a range of versatile entertainment. Food was furnished by Stewart's Hotdogs, Pizzaria Uno, Connies Steak House Galley, Starbuck's Coffee, Hillbilly Hotdogs, Pepsi, Keith Albee popcorn, Subway, Smiths Midway Drive-In and Nawab. The food menu was indeed impressive.
The variety of local entertainment was also impressive. The Marshall University Jazz Ensemble played jazz with a vocalist. They were followed by Jessica Cline and her student, Aaron Holley , playing bluegrass music on the banjos. Julie Westkale performed in a contemporary acoustic style. The Zion Gospel group was trying to get everyone up and clapping their hands as they sang songs praising God.
Organizer of the event was Huntington attorney Dave Duffield with Duffield and Lovejoy. He is also one of the owners of Holderby's Landing on the Riverfront.
Duffield said, "Today on behalf of the Katrina Relief,
Coalition for the homeless, Huntington City Mission Branches and several other organizations that serve the needy we are engaging in the national "Make a Difference Day."
"Everything that is here today including Holderby's Landing has been donated by us and the food has been donated by many vendors. All the music was also donated."
"The national Make a Difference Day is held in late October and is this weekend. They want everyone doing it in this two day period. We have had to fight the weather today to do it."
With help from Duffield's father who builds greenhouses, the barge and entry way to Holderby's Landing had a lot of the area encased making a good weather barrier from the cold wet rain that started falling later in the evening.
"He showed us how to put up these barriers for he wind. We have portable heaters to make a difference,” Duffield said.
He added: "The event today using the city’s barge and the good will of this community coming together will indeed make a difference. It is consistent with our philosophy which is stated just above the door at Holderby's Landing. It goes like this: The time to be happy is now. The place to be happy is here. The way to be happy is make others so. Welcome to Holderby's Landing."
"This event today is very consistent with that philosophy,” Duffield said.
"This is the first annual event. We are going to do it every year. I am very proud to be on the Huntington City Mission Board of Directors. I have been helping out with the mission since 1989."
“There are a lot of good folks and business people that are on that board as well as the Coalition for the Homeless. These folks all around town don't make big bucks on these things. They do it out of the goodness of their heart."
"The book of Matthew and other books of the Bible direct them to help those in need. "
To close out the evening, former Marshall University Head football coach Bobby Pruett drew names for prizes. A $5,000 check was presented from Clear Channel Communications and Big Sandy Superstore to "Make a Difference Day."
The film “On the River's Edge” by Francesca Karle was also shown. The film is a documentary about the homeless who live along the Ohio River. Many of the people in the film were present for the first "Make a Difference Day 2005."
