(ELLISVILLE) - The Ellis Club, which was founded last year by Kay’ce Everett and Suzanne Manning and has now grown from an initial 10 members to 26, met Monday night, February 18 at Ellisville First United Methodist Church to make a special financial presentation to a local benevolent organization, the North Street Community Mission. The Mission assists in various ways the less fortunate for youth in and around Ellisville, including offering after-school tutoring.

Manning welcomed attendees, and after a roll call of members was concluded, Otis and Dorothy Walters were welcomed to the front of the fellowship hall to receive the gift from the Ellis Club. The money given to North Street Community Mission was raised from a recent gala hosted by The Ellis Club held at Brookside Barn on February 2. All the money raised at the gala went to the Mission. The following Ellis Club members served as the Gala Committee: Cori Carbonaro, Ashli Hernandez, Bethany Herrington, and Jamie Lee White.

Several attendees, both from The Ellis Club and volunteers with the North Street Community Mission, stood up front with the Walters and spoke of the merits of the mission, before the presentation of the check.

What happened next was moving.

Club President Suzanne Manning handed the gift to Otis Walters, who founded the mission.

The amount was $12,000.00.

Walters, who had just listened intently to the kind remarks about his mission, was overwhelmed. He put his face into his hand and just stood in silence for several moments, not knowing what to say. His wife responded first.

“We are truly overwhelmed, and we thank God for using you ladies,” she commented. “All the years since we’ve started the mission, God has supplied our needs. That’s why we know it’s from God.”

“To know there is somebody that cares about what we do means a lot. We thank you for coming along side us and believing in what we do. I ask God to send people with hearts of compassion, and y’all are full of compassion,” said Otis Walters, who then also thanked the Mission volunteers for all they do to help the local children.

The Ellis Club accepts new members once a year in January. If you are interested in helping the Ellis Club and/or North Street Community Mission, please contact theellisclub@gmail.com.