Georgia Bulletin

The Newspaper of the Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta

  • Volunteer members of the food preparation crew gather in the kitchen at the University of Georgia Catholic Center, Athens, hours before the 20th annual Thanksgiving dinner at the Jesse B. Denney Tower, a low-rise building for senior residents. They were making cornbread dressing, green bean casserole, and sweet potatoes, while turkeys cooked in the oven and potatoes and gravy cooked on top of the stove. Photo By Michael Alexander
  • Lisa Nunez, center, pours some broth over the cornbread dressing prepared by Sue Brassard, left, and Julie Barkley, right. For Nunez and Brassard, it was their third year of assisting with the annual Denney Tower Thanksgiving dinner. It was the second year for Barkley, but in 2014 she worked with the serving team. Photo By Michael Alexander
  • Gravy cooks on the stove in the pot on the left and potatoes cook in the two pots on the right in the University of Georgia Catholic Center kitchen. Mashed potatoes were one of the items on the Thanksgiving dinner menu at the Jesse B. Denney Tower in Athens. Photo By Michael Alexander
  • Jesse Nunez, left, and Sue Brassard lift one of the succulent turkeys out of the pan onto a platter so they can be sliced up for the upcoming dinner. The food preparation team cooked a total of six turkeys Nov. 22. Photo By Michael Alexander
  • Mike Deom slices up one of the six turkeys cooked for the 20th annual Denney Tower Thanksgiving dinner. Photo By Michael Alexander
  • Emily Clutter decorated the tables with holiday trimmings and volunteers provided the place settings at the Jesse B. Denney Tower, Athens, in preparation of the Nov. 22 Thanksgiving dinner. Clutter, a senior at the University of Georgia, and her family volunteered in various capacities. Her mother Cathy coordinated the UGA Catholic Center Thanksgiving dinner for the third consecutive year. Photo By Michael Alexander
  • A few residents of the Jesse B. Denney Tower, Athens, sit at the tables, festively decorated and set for the Nov. 22 Thanksgiving dinner. In the background volunteer members of the serving crew gather as they await the food’s arrival from the University of Georgia Catholic Center. This year marked the 20th annual dinner at the residential building for seniors. Photo By Michael Alexander
  • After a group dinner blessing, Cathy Clutter, background standing, second from right, welcomes and invites the participants to eat up and enjoy the meal. While Clutter and her family have volunteered for more than a decade, this is the third year she has coordinated the annual Denney Tower Thanksgiving dinner for the University of Georgia Catholic Center. Photo By Michael Alexander
  • Dave Springstead, center, pours some gravy over Mable Dawson’s mashed potatoes as Carol Varner, left, eats pie for dessert. Although his wife and daughter have volunteered in previous years, this was Springstead’s first time working at the dinner. Photo By Michael Alexander

Volunteer members of the food preparation crew gather in the kitchen at the University of Georgia Catholic Center, Athens, hours before the 20th annual Thanksgiving dinner at the Jesse B. Denney Tower, a low-rise building for senior residents. They were making cornbread dressing, green bean casserole, and sweet potatoes, while turkeys cooked in the oven and potatoes and gravy cooked on top of the stove. Photo By Michael Alexander

Athens families serve seniors Thanksgiving for 20th year

By ANDREW NELSON, Staff Writer | Published November 26, 2015

ATHENS—The volunteer cooks arrived before dawn—around 5:30 a.m.—to warm the ovens at the Catholic Center at the University of Georgia. There were six turkeys to prepare, 30 pounds of potatoes to peel and mash, along with 10 dozen biscuits to bake.

For the 20th year in a row, the kitchen buzzed to prepare a traditional Thanksgiving meal on Sunday, Nov. 22, that would later be driven a few miles away to the Jesse B. Denney Tower, home to low-income senior citizens.

“It’s a good time of the year to reach out to others beyond our direct family. It’s a good project everyone at the Catholic Center seems to enjoy before the frenzy of Christmas,” said Cathy Clutter, director of the UGA prelaw program who has led this effort for the past few years.

Jeremy Ransom, foreground right, works on the serving line with at least six or seven other volunteers including (background, l-r) Glenn Tucker and Maggie Clutter. They usually serve anywhere from 100-150 people during the annual Thanksgiving dinner. Photo By Michael Alexander

Jeremy Ransom, foreground right, works on the serving line with at least six or seven other volunteers including (background, l-r) Glenn Tucker and Maggie Clutter. They usually serve anywhere from 100-150 people during the annual Thanksgiving dinner. Photo By Michael Alexander

She has been involved in the project for about 15 years, mostly focused on decorations and the table centerpieces that seniors can then take home to decorate their apartments.

Without the financial support and many hands to do the shopping, prepping, cooking, delivery, serving and clean up, the Thanksgiving celebration doesn’t happen. More than three-dozen people volunteered this year for this act of service. Since university students are off for the Thanksgiving break, it is the families and youngsters active at the Catholic Center who serve in much of this ministry.

“It reflects the community that we have at the Catholic Center,” Clutter said. “We have a very action-oriented community.”

Jesse Nunez, 21, a UGA senior studying management information systems, joined his parents for the first time. Gary and Lisa Nunez have volunteered for the past few years, but Jesse’s university schedule conflicted with this ministry. This year Nunez mashed potatoes, chopped vegetables and carved turkey.

“I just went wherever I was needed and helped,” he said.

“It was a lot of work, but it was definitely worth it,” he said. A highlight was when he drove with the prepared food to the waiting senior citizens.

“They were really happy to see us. That was probably the best thing about it—just seeing the people there,” he said.

The tables are decorated and set for the Nov. 22 Jesse B. Denney Tower Thanksgiving dinner at the low-rise building for senior residents in Athens. This year marked the 20th annual dinner prepared and served by volunteers from the University of Georgia Catholic Center. Photo By Michael Alexander

The tables are decorated and set for the Nov. 22 Jesse B. Denney Tower Thanksgiving dinner at the low-rise building for senior residents in Athens. This year marked the 20th annual dinner prepared and served by volunteers from the University of Georgia Catholic Center. Photo By Michael Alexander

Julie Barkley worked alongside her teenage daughter, Reed, preparing the food, making cornbread dressing, slicing pies and cutting vegetables.

“There were so many volunteers, it was quick,” she said.

The hours spent in the kitchen put the holidays in perspective. It’s rewarding to be working for a greater good, she said.

“Taking time out for others helps you realize you aren’t as important as you think you are,” said Barkley, a stay-at-home mom and member of the Catholic Center.

“In the grand scheme of things, we didn’t do a ton. For me, it is just to take a breath. Holidays don’t need to be stressful,” she said.

Denney Tower, in downtown Athens, is part of the Athens Housing Authority. Some 70 residents enjoyed the meal. Those who are too ill to come downstairs have a boxed meal prepared and delivered.

Small gestures of appreciation remain with Clutter. Last year, as the meal wrapped up, a volunteer played songs on the piano as the seniors added their voices to the singing.

Clutter has long been involved with outreach, at her former parish, St. Patrick Church, Norcross, and then in Athens. Also her children got involved in community service events when they attended St. Joseph School, Athens. Clutter’s mother had served senior citizens so she admittedly has a soft spot for these men and women in public housing.

“When the pope has said to reach out to the people on the margins, these people are definitely on the margins,” Clutter said. “It affirmed this is something we should be doing.”