COLUMBIA, S.C. — “It’s an eggs-ellent day,” Pastor John Ptak said as an orderly line formed and a light drizzle fell outside the White Knoll, South Carolina, campus of Radius Church on Thursday morning.

People lined up early for free eggs, handed out by the dozen at the weekly food pantry operated by the church.

When they heard of the need, the church with eight campuses in the counties of Lexington, Saluda and Richland, asked how they could fill it. Nationwide, there is a shortage of eggs as producers deal with setbacks caused by the spread of avian flu. Where available, egg prices are rising.

Unable to buy in bulk locally, Ptak purchased 900 eggs — 75 dozen — in nearby Saluda.

Jury Davis was among those who came out for the free provisions. He accidentally drove to the wrong campus before finding his way to the right location on Platt Springs Road.

“That’s alright,” he said. “Gas is cheaper than eggs.”

David Souder of Pelion was in line, too. He has 17 hens and normally has enough eggs to eat and sell, but with the return to colder temperatures, they’ve ceased laying. Just a week ago, they were laying well, and Souder was selling what he wasn’t using.

“I put the sign up and they cleaned me out fast at $3 a dozen,” he said.

Reminiscing about the shortages in recent memory, from toilet paper to eggs, Ptak asked, “I wonder what will be next? We can give that out, too.”

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