United Gospel Rescue Mission seeks Christmas dinner volunteers, drivers

Volunteers, especially delivery drivers, are on the United Gospel Rescue Mission’s executive director’s wish list for Christmas Day.

The Rev. Greg Kirk, his staff and volunteers already are preparing the meal and planning for delivery and serving sit down meals.

Volunteers gathered Wednesday morning to help assemble boxes to be used for home deliveries. Kirk said volunteers will be needed Friday, but no help is needed Saturday or Sunday.

“We need people,” Kirk said. “We need them to show up anytime after 8 a.m. on Christmas Day. Drivers, we need to show up at 10, but we also would like to have some drivers to show up promptly at 11. That’s new. We get a lot of people at 10 a.m. who make deliveries and they go home. They don’t do anymore, then at 11 o’clock, we’re stacked up. We don’t have any drivers.”

Volunteers to help with other projects may arrive anytime after 8 a.m.

“We’ll be getting pies and cakes ready to be delivered,” Kirks said. “Plus, we need to get the line set up to put food on plates.”

Donations of cookies, pies, cookies, pies and cakes are always needed as well.

Usually at Christmas, the mission serves less than Thanksgiving, but, Kirk explained, that wasn’t true last year.

“I don’t see it being true this year,” he said. “I’m happy we were able to do it. I’m happy we’re able to pull it off.”

When the work is done, volunteers will gather for a meal.

The mission served 2,000 meals Thanksgiving Day, which was 400 more than last year.

Anyone who wants food delivered to their house or place of business, Kirk explained, may 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.”