Jones Memorial United Methodist Church will host their 34th annual Men's Club BBQ on Saturday in the church's fellowship hall. It will be from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. The church is located at 4131 Ringgold Road.

The BBQ will include a choice of chicken, beef or pork plates for $7, extra-large pork or beef sandwiches for $4, bulk BBQ meat by the pound package for $8 per pound.

There will be a pie and cake sale by the United Methodist women.

Guests will be able to eat in or carry out.

The funds raised by the BBQ go to purchase coats for needy children in East Ridge schools. They also go to help youth camps, youth assemblies and other charitable projects for both the church and the community of East Ridge.

Over the past 19 years 1,500 coats have been purchased for these children in need totaling $40,200. The principals of the East Ridge schools help by letting the church know how many coates are needed and the sizes. They deliver them back to the school and the principals distribute them.

The church has received many touching notes from needy children over the years thanking them for their coat. They have also had two different speakers from McBrien School, a teacher and the principal come to speak at morning worship. The teacher who came had every child in her room receive a coat. She wanted the church to know how much the children appreciated their coats.

The church also puts a small new testament in the pocket of each coat.

Tom Baugh has been chairman of the BBQ for 32 years with son, Jeff Baugh joining him as Co-Chairman 13 years ago. Tom Martin started the BBQ 34 years ago by getting men in the church together. The BBQ has been dedicated in his memory since his death.

In the beginning the men cooked about 500 pounds of meat and this year they will serve close to 5,000 pounds of meat. They use Tom Martin's original BBQ sauce recipe.

The BBQ sauce will be made during the week before the event and on Thursday night the women of the church meet to make homemade cole slaw, baked beans, tea and more BBQ sauce in the church kitchen. Cooking begins on Friday and into Saturday.

The youth sell tickets and deliver to local businesses in East Ridge on Saturday morning. Everyone in the church gets involved.

The JMUMC Men's Club meets once a month on the second Saturday of the month. They cook breakfast together around 6:30 a.m. and serve at 8 a.m. with a special speaker and meeting.

For more information visit www.jmumc.org.