After two years of hard work, a Stoneboro agency finally received the keys to a new van Tuesday morning.

The Lakeview Area Helping Hands Center, 51 Lake St., welcomed its 2000 Ford Econo 250 Cargo van with an official "passing of the keys" gathering outside the center.

Owning a van has always been a goal of the ministry, administrator Pegge DeAngelo said. Often, members discussed ways to make that dream a reality, she reflected.

Debbie Wall, food pantry manager, said that while serving as client coordinator she noticed there wasn't always ample transportation available to make trips to buy food for the warehouse.

"We always had access to get food for the warehouse, but how? One day I asked Pegge if she cared if we raised money for a van. What they didn't know was that I was going to drag them in too," she said with a laugh.

In January 2001, Ms. Wall and other volunteers began brewing up creative ways to get donations from the community.

Two Chinese auctions and two fashion shows at the Clarks Mills United Methodist Church proved to be successful. The first was on May 1, 2001, and the second one was Oct. 2.

Ms. DeAngelo said she actually began praying that the Lord would bless them with a white van -- and that's exactly what they got.

"We wanted a van and we had a vision," she said. "I'm absolutely ecstatic. It's wonderful."

On Jan. 18, Helping Hands bought the van from Central Truck and Van, Mercer. The van will be used to pick up food at the warehouse and for whatever else God has in store for it, Ms. DeAngelo said.

Ms. Wall said, "(The van) is beautiful. God's been good to us."

Helping Hands is a Christian, nonprofit organization that provides assistance, information and referrals to the residents of Lakeview, Commodore Perry and Mercer school districts.

It also offers a community food pantry, financial guidance, emergency assistance, counseling and The Grace's Boutique Thrift Store. The center has about 15 volunteers who help keep the place running.

Each month, a nutritional food box is supplied to eligible clients registered with Helping Hands. After approval, an individual or family is permitted one food box a month. The boxes can include meat, eggs, and boxed and canned goods, which are purchased with state, federal and donated money. Helping Hands serves food to about 110 families, or more than 300 people, in the community.

"We can be generous to them because God has blessed us," Ms. DeAngelo said.