Prior to COVID-19, former Tullahoma Mayor Lane and Evelyn Curlee, along with many volunteers, spent the past 24 Christmas mornings serving hot meals to anyone requesting a meal. The tradition will continue this Christmas morning.
“We are excited to announce Christmas day meals will once again be available to anyone in Tullahoma requesting one”, said Lane Curlee. “We have always depended on the very generous people of Tullahoma to step in and volunteer to make Christmas a little brighter for some of the less fortunate and most vulnerable in Tullahoma. I have every reason to believe folks will volunteer again this year.”
Anyone requesting a meal to be delivered to their home will receive a meal, no questions asked. Typically, meals are delivered to disabled veterans, low-income families, homebound, disabled, and chronically ill individuals, unemployed, underemployed, or just folks who are lonely on Christmas day. Meals will be delivered to homes at approximately 11 am.
Volunteers are needed in one of four ways according to Curlee. If someone wants to help package the anticipated 400 to-go meals, please be at Vanderbilt Tullahoma-Harton Hospital cafeteria at 9:30 a.m. If you want to volunteer to help deliver the meals to families, please be at the cafeteria at 10:30 a.m.
Third, desserts are needed to serve 400 individuals. If someone wants to provide a cake, pie, cookies, or some other dessert, please bring it to the Hospital on Christmas Eve from 3 to 5 pm or Christmas morning between 8 and 9. The Curlees will be at the Hospital to accept the desserts.
Fourth, Hospital staff work hard to prepare the extra 400 meals. Vanderbilt Tullahoma Harton Hospital only charges the actual cost of the food. If someone wants to make a small donation to help defray the food costs, please mail a check to Post Office Box 84, Tullahoma. Any additional monies received will be split between cafeteria employees for their hard work.
“Cafeteria employees will be preparing a feast including meat, several vegetables, and bread,” said Curlee. “We could not do this without the support of cafeteria employees and Hospital administration.”
If someone would like meals delivered to their home or knows of someone who could use a hot meal, contact Curlee at 581 0360 or lcurlee@lighttube.net. It is not necessary to call Curlee to volunteer, just show up.
Anyone who is alone or a family that would like to enjoy a meal with others are invited to the Hospital cafeteria between 11 and noon. Volunteers will be available to serve individuals or families.
“This is an opportunity to lift the spirits of individuals that could use a little encouragement on Christmas,” said Curlee. “It’s also an opportunity to pause and appreciate our blessings. To be honest, I know people appreciate hot meals, but volunteers preparing and delivering the meals benefit as well.”
“This is a wonderful way to make Christmas a little brighter for some of the less fortunate in Tullahoma. We appreciate the many volunteers who make this all happen each year. We look forward to continuing the tradition.”
