Over one hundred pastors in Mansfield, Ohio have signed a petition to have Chick-fil-A stay in their town.

Chick-fil-A brought a food truck to Mansfield as part of a market study, and now, the pastors want it to stay.

“Support for Chick-fil-A has been ‘water-cooler talk’ so we’re just putting their voice on paper,” explained Amie Mutti, founder of the Facebook page “Richland County Loves Chick-fil-A”. “We hear stories of the commitment they have to the community, how they reinvest into the community. We thought it would be a good fit and their sandwiches are delicious so that doesn’t hurt.”

Last week, Chick-fil-A gave a free meal and toy to campers and staffers at a local Happy Hollow Day. Mutti said it’s moves like this that make Chick-fil-A so special.

“They don’t even have a store here and they’re giving back to our community,” Mutti added.

The pastors, who had all signed proclamation declaring 2019 as the “Year of the Bible,” were quick to jump onboard with Mutti’s efforts, the “exceptional reputation of Chick-fil-A as a business and as a community stakeholder.” Rick Wiseman, one of the pastors, knows firsthand just how kind and godly Chick-fil-A really is. When his son, who is also a pastor, lost his hearing, Chick-fil-A paid $40,000 to get cochlear implant surgery to restore his son’s hearing.

“I have the highest respect for this company,” Wiseman said. “Perhaps God is moving north central Ohio to spiritual revival with God-fearing companies possibly coming to our area.”

“The faith community in Richland County, Ohio, has a strong tradition and while this has not been the case in other parts of the country, we wholeheartedly support the prospects of Chick-fil-A choosing our neighborhood as its next franchise destination,” the 101 pastors wrote. “We are eagerly ‘setting the table’ in anticipation for the arrival of Chick-fil-A, and firmly believe that our families will taste and see that the Lord is good.”

While the town is enjoying the food truck, they are hoping Chick-fil-A will open a permanent location soon.

“Having Chick-fil-A year-round would be nice,” Mutti added. “The talk has been, ‘Okay, where will the truck be in the winter?’ We’re all getting a little nervous about how we’re going to get our chicken fix when the weather turns.”