United Gospel Rescue Mission Executive Director Greg Kirk is checking his holiday shopping list for Thanksgiving, and it includes donations and volunteers.
He’s expecting to prepare meals for at least 1,600 people, if not more.
The meals served at the mission, 400 S. Broadway, or delivered to homes and businesses “are absolutely free to the community,” he said.
Kirk is quick to praise the community, as well as individuals who help the mission.
“I say thanks to our very generous donors,” he said. “We had one donor family give us enough money to buy all the turkeys for Thanksgiving and Christmas. It’s nice to know there are those in our community who do that kind of help.”
But, he quickly added, “we still need your help. The menu also includes ham, potatoes and everything else. The cabinets are pretty bare before the event.
“As a community, I always want to thank Poplar Bluff. I’ve lived in big communities, we didn’t get what we get here.”
The mission fed about 1,600 last year, or about 10% of the town, he said.
“We couldn’t have done that without the generosity of the town,” Kirk explained. “We are a big ministry in Poplar Bluff, but compared to other towns, a friend of mine in Springfield, Massachusetts, they’re going to feed 1,000 people every day.
“While they’ve got 125 transient beds, we have 12.” UGRM here has a smaller community, but the churches and community put out more or they could not do this, he said.
“My first year here, in 2006, we served 900,” he said. “I did not believe we would serve 900. I said ‘no way. We’re making way too much.’ We served 900.
“Every year it’s grown. There’s no reason anyone shouldn’t get a Thanksgiving meal. If they’re at home and don’t have anything or at work, and can’t leave.”
Kirk recalls one year stopping to buy gas on his way home after serving the holiday meal.
“I walked into the last station in the north-end of town and that made me start saying, ‘We have to take care of all the gas stations,’” he said. “Then we started thinking about all the hotels where people are working. So we send food to all the hotels, to all the gas stations, and anyone working at the (John J. Pershing) VA Hospital.”
To feed the hungry, Kirk and the mission staff depend on volunteers.
“We can always use volunteers from 9 a.m. - noon the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (Nov. 21-22) before Thanksgiving,” the pastor said. “We’ll be getting stuff ready for Thursday.”
Thanksgiving, anytime after 8 a.m. people can show up and start getting things ready for delivery.
Whoever wants to drive and deliver meals should be at the mission by 10 a.m. Thanksgiving Day, Kirk said. They won’t really go out until about 10:30 a.m. but that will give time for everybody to get lined up and anything organized.
“It’s a great thing for families to deliver meals,” he said. “That’s a good way to get your kids involved. They get to see they’re giving to somebody else, which is a lot of enjoyment. A lot of people come and deliver a meal and go home. That’s fine. Some people deliver several meals. It is really whatever you as volunteers want to do.”
While Kirk doesn’t know how many meals will be served, he figures it will be more than the number served last year.
While he’s always concerned about the traditional food, Kirk is anxious about desserts.
“We need desserts, desserts, desserts. I worry every year that we’re not going to have enough. Every year we do, but I still worry about it,” he said.
Serving at the mission will begin about 11:30 a.m. Thanksgiving day, after the home deliveries are made.
Anyone who wants food delivered to their house or place of business, Kirk explained, can call 573-785-4683. Leave a name, telephone number and how many meals are needed.
“We will make sure they get delivered to you,” he said. “That doesn’t change one year to the next.
“We will take orders all the way up until a few days before the holiday. We’re taking orders on the day of the event.”
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