Hometown Hero: Nellie Jack

September’s Hometown Hero, sponsored by Beth Hiatt Shelter Insurance is Nellie Jack, a name that anyone in the community should be familiar with. 

Nellie is involved with the New Covenant Fellowship Ministry and Blackwell House of Prayer as well as the Community Outreach Center, Kay County Free Fair, annual Craft Show, and the House of Prayer’s Food Bank. 

Jack’s husband John has been the Pastor at the House of Prayer for 28 years. 

Nellie is originally from Pennsylvania, and fate brought her to Blackwell. 

“He was my brother’s best friend in the Air Force,” said Nellie. “I went to visit my brother in Delaware and that’s when I met him. We’ve been married 54 years.” 

At the House of Prayer, Nellie is the secretary and Sunday School Teacher, and she explains all that she loves about the church: 

“My relationship with the lord is the most meaningful thing about the church,” she said, “and then the fellowship- all the great people. You meet a lot of great people.” 

“The Food Bank at the House of Prayer has helped a lot of people, we inherited that as part of the church and we have been blessed to keep that up.” 

In 2023, the House of Prayer acquired the “Community Outreach” building, the old Baptist gym. 

Pastor John Jack with the House of Prayer had told his wife Nellie that the lord told him to buy the First Baptist Church’s gymnasium on 1st and Bridge, and Nellie said that the two of them have Heaven-high hopes for the building’s future, hoping to capture the same magic that made it such a hot-spot in the past.

The gym, in the 2000’s, was used for tween “hangouts” and “lock-ins” which were large sleepovers hosted by the church and other community organizations.

“We want to open it up for kids in the community so that they can come in and roller skate, play basketball, host teen and women retreats, just whatever the Lord puts in our lap to do here- he gave it to us, and we’re going to honor that,” said Nellie.

The center was set to open fully this past summer but struggled with issues stemming from the air conditioning units. Nellie stated that they are looking to open it up now that the weather is cooling, and that donations are more than welcome for the facility which can be made to the Community Outreach P.O. Box 24. Donations are tax-deductible and receipts will be mailed. 

Another one of Nellie’s most iconic community contributions has been the Craft Show which had a humble beginning in the old 4-H building in the early 2010s at the Fairgrounds before evolving into a massive event that dominates the Blackwell Event Center. 

It will be held at the Event Center on November 9th, 2024. 

Nellie’s favorite thing about being so involved in the community is helping people. 

“I love helping people. I feel like that’s my ministry,” she said. “I have people that will call and say they know someone that needs a bed, a dining room table… and I just put people into contact with other people. I get them what they need.” 

Those who need help in any way can call Nellie at 363-5225 or the House of Prayer at 363-0478. 

In her spare time, what little she gets, Nellie loves to crochet, do puzzle books, and take naps. 

“I love to take naps,” she laughed, “I heard a preacher say one time that even Jesus took naps, and if it’s good enough for him it’s good enough for me.” 

Recently, the House of Prayer moved into the First Christian Church’s expansive booth at the Fairgrounds near the Livestock Pavillion.

“We used to have a little tent at the Fairgrounds,” Nellie recalled with a smile, “and we used to dress up as clowns and walk around handing out trinkets, riding the merry-go-round with kids. It was so much fun.” 

“This year was huge for us at the fair,” Nellie said, “that new Fair Board did such an excellent job.”

Inheriting the First Christian Church’s booth also saw the House of Prayer inheriting one of the church’s traditions of feeding the 70-80 or so carnival workers the night they set up the rides and attractions, which The House of Prayer will begin doing starting in 2025. 

“It’s an honor to be chosen as the Hometown Hero,” said Nellie, “really it is.”