With Baltimore Ravens colors abounding everywhere, the men of Helping Up Mission gathered in our rec room to watch the Super Bowl on Sunday evening. As you might guess there was a bunch of Steeler-hatin’ going on and most guys went to bed satisfied that justice had been done that night. But they also went to bed with very full stomachs.
Once again the HUM kitchen staff created a wonderful Super Bowl half-time meal. But it was a joint effort – this being the fourth meal of the day. While still preparing and serving the day’s regular 3 meals, the kitchen staff started preparing the special half-time meal at 7:30 that morning. The laundry guys worked overtime to insure clean linens for the late meal and the Peacekeepers got everybody organized and fed.
During half-time the guys showed up in the cafeteria (we don’t eat in the rec room!) for a Super Bowl party spread that even Emeril would be proud to serve. Of course a guy didn’t just have to be watching the game to join in, so they came – from all parts of the campus – to chow down on 120 pounds of chicken wings, 160 pounds of barbecued ribs, 80 pounds of Italian sausage, 50 pounds of macaroni salad and 50 pounds of coleslaw plus chocolate-peanut butter cake and ice cream. Kitchen staff counted 320 guys who ate (with 2 coming back for seconds) and all this only 2½ hours after dinner was over!
It was a strange event for some, who can’t remember the last time they were at a Super Bowl party where they weren’t drunk or high! But they had a great time and, boy, did they eat! In fact, since the Ravens weren’t playing, a bunch of the guys ate so much that they didn’t even go back for the second half of the game and just went upstairs to bed.
Helping Up Mission is a family and the 1000 block of East Baltimore Street is our house. Now, our family is a messed up as yours probably is – we’ve got a few crazy uncles here, too. But we are learning how to live together, to do our part to keep our house functioning properly and to offer support to the next guy. I am really proud to be part of a great bunch of guys – and go Ravens!
One Day at a Time,
Pastor Gary Byers
Spiritual Life Director