Success across the county line gave Pastor Trampass Hodge the idea for an event community members can take full advantage of over the weekend.

Covered Bridge Park in downtown Elizabethton will be the site for the inaugural Night of Worship get-together from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9, sponsored by LEO’s Pest Control.

Saturday’s event is faith-based, non-denominational and geared to help those in the community on hard times, according to Hodge.

“We really hope to be able to reach out to the areas of the community that have the most need,” Hodge told the Elizabethton Star. “We plan to go out over the weekend and hang flyers in areas to hopefully reach the homeless, the hungry, the addicted or abused. We hope to offer an evening’s relief from life’s troubles at the least and maybe help someone with a long-term solution.”

First unveiled at the Bristol Farmers’ Market, Hodge explained the Night of Worship is aimed to help those in need, along with promoting community organizations that already provide and unite individuals for community togetherness.

“We can do much more if we work together,” he said.

Kicking off at 4 p.m., the free event will include food, refreshments, games and a Contemporary Christian music lineup including Aaron Hagy & Company, Bambi Carter, Tausha Coleman and Curtis Preudhomme.

Multiple agencies from the community will also be on site providing information to the public.

Hodge added that multiple churches from the region are offering a helping hand for the evening.

And county entities are also doing their part. Hodge announced the idea to the Carter County Community Advisory Board during July’s meeting with rave reviews from members.

Piggybacking off the recommendation of offering community resource fairs, Josh McKinney, CAB chair, recommended a subcommittee be formed to look at offering resource fairs. During August’s meeting, it was agreed upon that CAB, comprised of over 15 organizations, offer a resource fair, starting with the Night of Worship.

“As a volunteer, I can state that we go home tired, but very blessed to be able to help. We also go home with a burden to do more,” Hodge stated in a letter distributed during July’s meeting.

While the event is geared to the public, addressing homelessness has been an issue CAB continues to delve into. CAB participates in the annual Homeless —– organized by the Appalachian Regional Coalition for Homelessness (ARCH) — spearheaded by Red Legacy Recovery.

Members of the public that happen to know individuals that are struggling with finances or either in the process of being homeless, or are homeless, are encouraged to contact ARCH by calling 1-844-989-2273.

But with Saturday’s event just days away, Hodge encourages the public to come out and show support.

“Hopefully, things go well and the Night of Worship can become an annual event,” he added.