NEW CASTLE —
The location was First Baptist Church, but the atmosphere was more like Heinz Field.
The occasion was First Baptist’s Hunger Blitz to raise money for the Pittsburgh Food Band, to help feed the hungry.
Steelers Ryan Clark and Tunch Ilkin were the guest speakers for the event.
Clark spoke at the adult and children services. He described his relationship with God during his near-death experience resulting from sickle cell anemia.
Even in the operating room to have his spleen removed, he kept his sense of humor. When the doctor mentioned he would join them in prayer, Clark joked, “I have enough people praying. Shouldn’t you go read a book or something?”
Tunch Ilkin related to the congregation about his battle with God during his wife’s long fight with breast cancer, which finally took her life.
When Pastor Scott Frederick mentioned to Ilkin that he was a Cleveland Browns fan, Ilkin’s response was, “How many Browns does it take to win a Super Bowl?”
Altogether, 875 were in attendance to celebrate the Hunger Blitz.
More than $16,000 was raised for the food ban, and 80 percent of it will be distributed among the 14-plus agencies that deal with hunger issues in Lawrence County. The other 20 percent will be given to First Baptist’s sister churches in Bolivia, the Ukraine and the Philippines to fight hunger there.
Steelers
Related Photos
-
Pittsburgh Steelers safety Ryan Clark high-fives some children during a visit to First Baptist Church. Gary Church
-
Pittsburgh Steelers safety Ryan Clark speaks to young people at First Baptist Church. Gary Church
-
Pittsburgh Steelers radio color analyst Tunch Ilkin signs an autograph for a fan. Gary Church
Discussion
Photos, Story: Steelers visit local church to share faith, fight hunger
- Steelers
-
-
NFL Draft: Steelers trade to select QB Landry Jones of Oklahoma
Forget the first three rounds of the draft, it took until the third day for things to really get interesting for the Steelers. A linebacker, a halfback and a wide receiver fail in comparison to what happened Saturday in the fourth round. First, the Steelers traded away a future draft pick for the first time in 40 years, and then they drafted a quarterback!
-
Gene Collier: Jones falls into Steelers' lap during NFL Draft
The surprises didn't exactly come in waves in Round 1 of the NFL draft, which was perfectly thematic because it was certainly no surprise when the Steelers pounced on Jarvis Jones, much in the way they expect him to pounce on quarterbacks as early as this fall.
-
NFL Draft: Steelers looking for depth, not impact players
Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert doesn’t believe there’s an immediate starter to be found with the team’s 17th pick in the NFL draft.
-
Steelers sign Gradkowski; Leftwich likely gone
Bruce Gradkowski, who grew up in Dormont and played at Seton-LaSalle High School, has signed a three-year contract to return home to play quarterback for the Steelers.
-
Steelers cut James Harrison in cap move
James Harrison’s snarling tenacity made the Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker one of the NFL’s most intimidating players for nearly a decade. Big hits — some legal, some not so much — also turned the outspoken five-time Pro Bowler into focal point for a league-wide crackdown on helmet-to-helmet contact.
-
Big Ben announces K-9 grant for New Castle
New Castle’s police department has received a grant from the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation to add to its K-9 unit. The $8,000 grant will be used to buy a dog, either trained or untrained, and a safety vest for the canine. If the dog requires training, the grant covers that cost.
-
County commissioners call meeting on YDC
The Lawrence County commissioners have invited area legislators and other officials to discuss options for the Youth Development Center property. Commissioner Chairman Dan Vogler said the meeting, set for tomorrow afternoon will basically be “a brainstorming session” among the officials “to discuss what options are open to us.”
-
Steelers cut RB Rainey after arrest in Florida
Rookie running back Chris Rainey has run out of chances with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers cut the troubled 24-year-old following his arrest on a battery charge in Gainesville, Fla., yesterday, the latest in a series of off-the-field incidents that have threatened his career.
-
Steelers bracing for changes after 8-8 season
The Pittsburgh Steelers spent all fall claiming the chatter generated by various off-the-field issues was only so much background noise. Through Mike Wallace’s contract status to the relationship between quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and Todd Haley to the injury problems that kept bold-faced players out of the lineup for long stretches, the Steelers insisted they were focused.
-
Steve Treu: Like his Steelers teammates, Big Ben played small when it mattered most
He is the player most responsible for restoring championship glory to the franchise. More than any other, he should get the most credit for delivering the last two Super Bowl titles to Pittsburgh.
- More Steelers Headlines
-
