A week full of family fun, food and free giveaways floats onto the Florida Strawberry Festival grounds Sept. 8 through 13.
Called Freedomfest, the event is organized by Revival Ministries International, under Dr. Rodney Howard-Browne and Crusades for Christ Tent Ministry under Joe Anderson.
“We want to be a blessing to the city, a blessing to the people,” coordinator Daniel McGehee said.
McGehee has organized various Freedomfest events throughout Florida and Alabama. The evangelist has been working with similar events for about eight years.
The goal of Freedomfest is to offer meals, free giveaways and assistance to those in need while sharing the Christian faith.
On opening night, the event will feature a free cookout for about 3,000 guests. There also will be an American-themed night to celebrate veterans and educate those on their constitutional rights. A kids’ night is scheduled for Sept. 11, during which children will be given free toys, electronics and more.
For the adults, there will be a bill-pay assistance raffle, college scholarships, grocery gift cards, food giveaways and even a car giveaway.
Most of the donations come from within the city. Freedomfest organizers contact local businesses and churches for donations. So far, only one Plant City church has pledge to help and only about four businesses.
“We need help with donations,” McGehee said. “We want people who have a heart to do something nice for their city.”
Freedomfest has been around for about two years and has visited several cities throughout the South. Steven Hulburt, a Plant City native, also helped organize the event.
“It’s been all over Florida and Georgia,” Hulburt said. “We’ve seen a huge impact on crime. We just want to give back.”
Contact Amber Jurgensen at ajurgensen@plantcityobserver.com.
SCHEDULE
All events take place at the Florida Strawberry Festival, 2107 W. Oak Ave., Plant City.
Sunday, Sept. 8
EVENT: Opening night
TIME: 6 p.m.
DETAILS: Free cookout dinner
Monday, Sept. 9
EVENT: American night
TIME: 6:30 p.m.
DETAILS: Learn about U.S. history and honor veterans.
Tuesday, Sept. 10
EVENT: Free grocery giveaway
TIME: 6:30 p.m.
DETAILS: Register to get free groceries and gift cards.
Wednesday, Sept. 11
EVENT: Kids’ night
TIME: 6:30 p.m.
DETAILS: Giveaways of toys and electronics
Thursday, Sept. 12
EVENT: College scholarship giveaways
TIME: 6:30 p.m.
DETAILS: Register for about $100,000 in scholarships.
Friday, Sept. 13
EVENT: Car giveaway
TIME: 6:30 p.m.
DETAILS: In addition to guest speaker, Daniel McGehee, there will be a car giveaway.
ABOUT DANIEL MCGEHEE
Evangelist Daniel McGehee will be a guest speaker during the last night of Freedom Fest. After serving in the U.S. Air Force, McGehee went on to obtain a master’s degree in education, from the University of South Alabama. As a public school teacher, he heard the calling to become an evangelist.
In 2003, McGehee resigned from teaching and answered the call to full-time ministry. He was licensed as a Southern Baptist minister in 2004, in Mobile, Ala. He became an associate pastor at a non-denominational church in Mobile, where he also was licensed and ordained.
McGehee was introduced to the Revs. Rodney and Adonica Howard-Browne through a Chronicles of Revival broadcast aired in January 2007, on CTN. McGehee began to follow the ministry by attending meetings in Fort Walton Beach, Tampa, New Orleans and Baton Rouge.
McGehee and his wife, Shellie, moved in August 2008, in Tampa, to attend the River Bible Institute and to support the vision of Revival Ministries International. McGehee was licensed in 2009 and ordained in 2011 by the Rev. Rodney Howard-Browne and now serves as the outreach pastor for The River at Tampa Bay Church and as an instructor in the River Bible Institute.