The 40th Annual Men's Club Bar-B-Que at Jones Memorial United Methodist Church will be held on Saturday, Sept. 26 in the church's Fellowship Hall, 4131 Ringgold Road in East Ridge from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
The menu will include your choice of:
- Plates of Chicken, Beef, Pork and Stuff Baked Potatoes - $8
- X-Large Pork or Beef Sandwiches - $5
- Bulk Bar-B-Que meat by the pound package - $10 per pound
- Bake and Craft Sale by the United Methodist Women
Food will be for eat in or carry out. For More Information, call the church office at 423-624-6073.
The funds raised by the Bar-B-Que 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. The Women's UMW's Bake and Craft Sale proceeds will go toward women's and children's ministries. The UMC youth are also involved and benefit from the proceeds to help finance some of their projects.
Officials siad, "Over the past 26 years 2,237 coats have been purchased for these children in need totaling over $55,000. The principals of the East Ridge schools help us by letting us know how many coats are needed and the sizes. We deliver them back to the school and the principals distribute them. We have received many touching notes from needy children over the years thanking us for their coat. We have had both a teacher and a principal from McBrien School speak at our morning worship. The teacher who came had every child in her room to receive a coat. She wanted us to know how much the children appreciated their coats. We also put a small new testament in the pocket of each coat.
"Recently we had the principal of Spring Creek Elementary, Paula Burgner come and speak to our congregation about how much these coats mean to the children and their parents and what a wonderful outreach this project is. In 2014, Spring Creek honored all volunteers who have helped their school with a brunch and Jones Memorial representatives were included in that."
Tom Baugh has been chairman of the Bar-B-Que for 38 years with son, Jeff Baugh joining him as co-chairman 20 years ago. Tom Martin started the Bar-B-Que forty years ago by getting men in the church together. The Bar-B-Que 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. Tom Martin's original Bar-B-Que sauce recipe is used. Previously all the cooking was done at the old East Ridge Town Hall BBQ pits, until they were torn down about four years ago.
"The Men's club hauled in the hickory wood and cooked all day Friday and Friday night all night. Rib and Loin now helps us by cooking the beef and pork and we use our sauce. Our Men's club cooks the chicken all day on Friday on special grills out in front of the church before the serving on Saturday," organizers said. "The Bar-B-Que sauce will be made during the week before the event and the women of our church meet to make homemade cole slaw, baked beans, tea and more BBQ sauce in our church kitchen.
"Our youth go out and sell tickets and deliver to local businesses in East Ridge on Saturday morning. Everyone in the church gets involved and we couldn't do it without everyone's help. The Children's Department gathers orders and prepares them for delivery. There is a job for everyone. Come and get involved in a great effort and enjoy the fellowship of this event as well."
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. All are welcome join.