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ROSE HILL — The Duplin County Stand Down event held on July 18 in Rose Hill became a powerful example of community collaboration and grassroots support for veterans. Drawing over 60 attendees — many of them veterans — the event provided not only practical help like hygiene kits and medical screenings but also a heartfelt sense of gratitude and connection.
Free Bibles and thank-you bags helped lift spirits, while a freshly grilled BBQ chicken lunch offered a taste of local hospitality.
The event was organized by Spiritual Destiny International Ministries, Inc., a mobile nonprofit that travels to bring services directly to those in need. For founder Deniece Cole, the work is deeply personal. Inspired by the struggles of her stepfather, Freddie Beckett, an 80-year-old Vietnam veteran exposed to Agent Orange, Cole has dedicated her life to connecting veterans and others with critical resources.
“Spiritual Destiny was founded in 2005, in order to connect people to the right resources,” said Cole.
Over 15 organizations were on-site with information about their services. The North Carolina Department of Military and Veteran Affairs, Legal Aid of NC, Duplin County Social Services, Disability Rights of NC, Eastern Carolina Human Services Agency, Disabled American Veterans, Substance Use Coalition, Services for the Blind, Marine Federal Credit Union, United Healthcare, National Association of Black Veterans, NC Works, and Smithfield Foods were some of the vendors participating in the event.
The venue itself — the historic Charity High School, now home to the Charity Mission Center — added depth to the day’s message. Once an all-Black high school, the building now serves as a base for NC Baptists on Mission to carry out community-focused projects like disaster response and construction assistance.
Tammy Weeks of the Charity Mission Center explained that the facility is a disaster response/mission camp.
“In a disaster, everything shuts down, so we can help assist with what’s going on.”
