NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — After what's been a painful two weeks in Nashville, families gathered outside Mount Zion Baptist Church for an Easter Eggstravaganza. Senior Pastor Joseph Walker said, "for us it's really about resurrecting hope in our community, right?"
There were food trucks, bounce houses, games and more in the church's Jefferson Street parking lot.
Walker said, "you know, the city needs some positive news and so we wanted to just really show the kids that we care about them on this Easter weekend and just allow them to have fun and fellowship and give back to the community."
That spirit of giving is what inspired Tennessee State University freshman football player Dion Villiers to donate 50 Easter baskets to children at the event. The baskets, filled with toys and candy, included some extra surprises.
"There's ten special baskets out of this 50 and if you get one of the ten special baskets it has a golden egg and a golden ticket," said Villiers to a crowd of excited children.
The golden egg and golden ticket were free passes to meet TSU football players, visit the locker room and enjoy this year's April 15 spring game from the sidelines.
"We got a lot of kids that'll want to grow up and play football, we got a lot of kids that's going to grow up and have different goals," said Villiers. "So I was like why not give them a first-hand look of what it looks like?"
"I mean he has a platform that really can be a blessing to the community," said Walker. "He's using it in a positive way."
Villiers said he hopes to be a role model, leading others by example. "I just hope that the kids definitely see that this is something that they could do too," he said.
