Tidelines - Tidelines

Updated: Wednesday, August 17, 2005 10:10 AM EDT

Holden Beach man offers A Second Helping

BY CAROL TRAPANI, Staff writer

Bill Spier poses by the sign friends of his created announcing the drop-off point for A Second Helping. Spier collects unopened food for those in need from renters and residents at Holden Beach, then delivers it to Sharon United Methodist Church, which takes it to the food pantry at Brunswick Islands Baptist Church. STAFF PHOTO BY CAROL TRAPANI

Pass by the parking lot at Holden Beach Chapel on Saturday morning and you'll see Bill Spier standing by his pickup truck and a sandwich board sign.

A friend told him he looked like he was selling tomatoes from the back of his truck.

That's close.

In actuality, Spier is collecting food for needy people.

"I think some people in Brunswick County need some help,'' he said.

His A Second Helping effort, modeled after a program at the Little Chapel on the Boardwalk in Wrightsville Beach, resembles an old-fashioned fire brigade, where one person in line hands a bucket of water to the next person in line, until the water reaches the house on fire.

The food Spier receives goes into the back of his pickup truck. He takes it to Sharon United Methodist Church on Holden Beach Road. Sharon United Methodist Church takes it to the food pantry at Brunswick Islands Baptist Church on Mount Pisgah Road.

The food that is collected by noon on Saturday usually is at Brunswick Islands Baptist by 1 p.m.

Spier, a Charlotte resident with a home at Holden Beach, started the effort after thinking about all the unopened food left in the kitchens of rental homes on Saturdays, vacationers' check-out day.

So, his effort targets unopened canned goods and other non-perishable food items from renters as they leave the beach.

Spier finds himself in the chapel parking lot at 7 a.m., setting up the sign made by his neighbors, Pat and Dean Draughn. He shuts down at noon.

He sometimes takes a crossword puzzle or the newspaper to read as he waits for people and their groceries to show up.

A Second Helping has, at this writing, run for three consecutive Saturdays.

The first Saturday, more than 50 pounds of food was collected; the second garnered 100-plus pounds and the third, more than 150 pounds.

Spier will end the collection after Labor Day weekend and pick it up again in the next season. He said he was hopeful about expanding it to Ocean Isle and Sunset beaches next year.

He keeps a cooler in the back of the truck for the unopened perishables he deems acceptable.

"People drop off a gallon of milk, peanut butter, a gallon of water, canned goods. Somebody even brought an unopened bottle of Gallo wine that I passed on.''

One woman, facing a 1,200-mile drive back to Iowa, left him with four grocery bags of unopened food. Even permanent residents are contributing food, Spier said.

The news about Spier's efforts has gotten out in a variety of ways: word-of-mouth, fliers he made up and distributed to rental offices, supermarkets and other merchants and through announcements from some pulpits on Sundays, including at the Holden Beach Chapel.

The flier thanks the contributors.

"Have a safe trip home,'' it reads, "and thank-you very much for leaving your unopened food items with us. Your compassion is very much appreciated and will be put to good use.''

At age 71, Spier, who spent 47 years in the industrial chemical business, described himself as almost retired.

Spier said A Second Helping makes him feel good.

"Warm-hearted. It gives me a sense of accomplishment because it's going so well.''

Spier said he relies on a few volunteers to show up to receive food in the chapel parking lot on Saturdays he is unable to be there.

His wife, Phyllis-she said she is the go-fer in all this-said the effort not only makes her husband feel useful, but also probably makes those who donate feel useful, too. "Everyone has been so responsive,'' she said.

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