St. Barnabas and South Philadelphia EPIC: A Great Match for Thanksgiving!




















Yesterday was a pretty exhausting day.  I started delivering products to the Church at 8:00 AM.  I then went to pick up Terry Carpenter and Earl Boyd to begin the process of preparing Thanksgiving meals for Seniors and shut ins in the South Philadelphia area.  After dropping the products off, Terry and I went to Dunkin Donuts and Pathmark.  My organization was also sponsoring a Thanksgiving dinner at Vare Recreation Center with the Young Chances Foundation.  Thanks to Tracy Montgomery, an ELITE representative, for assisting with the meal preparation also.






















By the time that we returned to the Church, Earl had it smelling like heaven.  My running around was to continue.  I had to pick up Kim Smith and go to Esposito's to pick up additional chicken leg quarters.  Kim made sweet potatoes and donated carrots and peppers.  I found out that Terry and Earl had an orange glaze for the carrots up their sleeves.  It was a heavenly taste.  One issue that we had was how to turn a project that originally was designed for 100 plates into 130 requests.  At the end of the day, we served 137 people.  God Bless all who helped.



I still have to deliver eight plates on behalf of my sister Kia's students.  I will meet her today.  Shawn and Gram helped deliver plates.  Dennis Brooks came to pick up three.  On 15th Street, a number of people reminded me how much I look like my Dad.  I started to feel a little misty thinking about him.  I also thought about my Bubbie when Mom Helen and Mom Marge showed up.  They were such a help when it came to organizing the meals and getting the delivery process started.  We had turkey, stuffing, rice, carrots and sweet potatoes with string beans.  Awesome.





It got a little hectic during the delivery process.  I delivered to Wilson Park apartments for a few seniors.  They were referred by State Representative Jordan Harris.  It took a lot of time because they were in separate buildings and none of the seniors came to the front desk.  Also, the drop off to the Griffins was a little out of the way.  I wish Angela a better 2014 than this year.  I just want her to find a good job.  I was able to drop off five plates to Annie Aiken.  Tyrique Glasgow picked up ten and was preparing for his Thanksgiving Dinner.

I was blessed to be able to participate in the Tasker Elite/Wide Body Thanksgiving dinner at Audenreid High School on Monday night.  I also was able to speak with Councilman Johnson for a few minutes also.   Eric Holmes has a heart of gold and they fed the neighborhood.  Shawn and I finished up the night with a few beverages with Terry and Earl.  We enjoyed one of the plates also.At the end of the day, I was exhausted.  I felt blessed for being able to help people.  Thanks to South Philadelphia EPIC Stakeholders, DHS, the volunteers from St. Barnabas and everyone else involved. I also received a blessing in the form of a free turkey from Pathmark.  Then we received another one from Councilman Johnson.  I don't know where we'll store them but I am thankful.   

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