Students, teachers and staff at the Beaufort County Ed Tech Center were treated to an early Thanksgiving meal Tuesday by C.R. Temple, founder of Same Power Ministries & Catering in Chocowinity.

From his mobile kitchen and with help from students and teachers, Temple served fried shrimp, chicken strips, miniature crab cakes, fries and deep-fried Oreos. Don Phipps, superintendent of Beaufort County Schools, also sampled the food.

Temple said there’s a simple reason he provided the free meals to the students, who attend Beaufort County Ed Tech Center, an alternative school that works to give many at-risk students a second chance at succeeding in school — although a child does not have to be “at risk” to attend. The school also hosts training workshops, counseling, Pathways to Success and other programs on its campus.

“I’m doing this to show the children they’re not forgotten that we love them, that we want them to do better,” Temple said. “It’s about helping kids, helping adults, keeping them off the streets and trying to show them a better way of life. We tell them they don’t have to use drugs or drink alcohol, that there is someone out here who cares for them.”

Temple said he works with four Christ-centered solutions for drug-addict and alcoholic homes, doing two events a year for each. “We do street ministry, too,” he said.

Students Edward Valdez Rivera and Holden Leggett, both seniors, not only ate the food, they helped serve it.

“This means a lot because in a time like this when people are supposed to be coming together, a lot of the students here don’t really have that. It’s great for other people in our community to come and show what they can for us. We appreciate it a lot,” Rivera said.

“This means a lot because not everybody has good food on Thanksgiving, not everybody can go home, not everybody looks forward to Thanksgiving. When they come out here and feed the school, it really means a lot, especially when the lunchroom food is really nasty,” Leggett said.

After the meal was over, Temple addressed the students, telling them he once walked in their shoes. Temple said he was in and out of school, stole and robbed and was chased down the train tracks between Belhaven and Pantego. Temple said if he could turn his life around, they could, too.

“There was a time in my life when I wouldn’t have done this. I was strung out on alcohol and drugs. … Guys, you’ve got an opportunity right here to set it right, to become someone. These people here love you,” Temple said. “Get out, find you a group to do positive things with. A guy told me once, ‘If you’re not hanging around people who are moving up, you’re going to stay right where you are.’ Find positive people, good people.”