Dessert, volunteers needed for Christmas at UGRM

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at the United Gospel Rescue Mission in Poplar Bluff. Preparations for the holiday dinner began Thursday, said mission executive director Rev. Greg Kirk.

While Kirk normally expects 1,100 for dinner at the mission, this year he’s planning for about 1,300 to celebrate the holiday.

“We had a real good turn out for Thanksgiving,” Kirk said. “We normally feed 1,300 and we fed over 1,500. Christmas is always less for some reason,” but he’s planning for more this year.

Preparing a meal for this many might seem like a daunting task, but Kirk knows volunteers and desserts are two key ingredients to making the holidays a success.

Another need is for the public to donate desserts like pies, cakes or cookies, Kirk said. At least 170 pies, cakes or cookies will be needed to serve the expected crowd. If you are planning to make a homemade fresh fruit pie, you might want to wait until closer to the holiday to bake it and bring it to the mission.

A donation of any brand and size of ground coffee or tea is also welcome, Kirk said.

Those who want to help prepare meals Christmas Day should arrive after 7:30 a.m., Kirk explained. They may work an hour or all day. People delivering meals should be at the mission at 10 a.m. Participants can deliver to one location or come back and deliver to more than one.

If Dec. 25 is the only day you have available, don’t feel left out, show up anytime after 7:30 a.m., Kirk said. There will be plenty of last minute details for to handle. There are “people who volunteer every year. They just do their thing,” he said.

Other families, youngsters included, will help serve the meal to the guests after they are seated and before the blessing. Christmas dinner will be served at 11:30 a.m. and “you are invited, too,” Kirk said.