MIDLAND, Texas — The Midland Soup Kitchen (MSK) got into the Independence Day spirit on Wednesday! They had their "Patriot Serves Day" by having U.S. Senator Kevin Sparks and his family as guest volunteers to serve meals at the kitchen.
It was a huge turnout, as 207 people showed up to receive meals and to meet the senator.
MSK said Independence Day is a great way to remember what freedom is about.
"The 4th of July, to me, it's a time of coming together to celebrate how blessed we are as a nation," said Nathan Ivy, a MSK administrator. "It is something that we get a little slice of it here of being blessed in Midland. But it's a little bit more when we can take pride in our nation and take pride in who serves us and who we put into to make those decisions for us."
NewsWest 9 got to speak with Senator Sparks and asked him what the holiday means to him.
"Independence Day for me is the celebration of really what God has given us in this great nation and you know, it goes all the way back to the families that came here from Europe looking to be free and independent. More than 200 years [we] celebrated the fact that this nation, we have the opportunity to live out those God liberty and freedoms," Senator Sparks said.
If people want to come to MSK, whether it's to eat or volunteer, the soup kitchen is open Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m.
The soup kitchen has clothes and hygiene items also available for the community that is free of charge.