PLAINS, Ga.—Georgia Baptist disaster relief volunteers are preparing meals for hundreds of Secret Service agents, Georgia Highway Patrol troopers, National Guard troops and others providing security during several days of memorials for former first lady Rosalynn Carter.
In their easily recognizable yellow shirts and caps, the disaster relief volunteers have been busy in mobile kitchens preparing evening meals that included roast beef, mashed potatoes, green beans, salads, rolls and fire-roasted corn.
At lunchtime, they’ve served up chicken fajitas, turkey sandwiches, ham sandwiches, chips and soft drinks. For breakfast, they’ve been dishing up grits—a southern favorite—along with eggs and omelets.
“It’s just a privilege for us to be able to do this,” said David Reynolds, a Baxley, Ga., resident who is heading up the project. “We know that we’re helping not only the Carter family, but also these support people.”
The disaster relief volunteers served 700 meals on Sunday and expected to double that on Wednesday, when crowds were expected to gather again in Plains for the former first lady’s private funeral at Maranatha Baptist Church.
Georgia Baptist disaster relief teams routinely are deployed across the state and nation to assist victims of earthquakes, floods, wildfires, tornadoes and hurricanes.
The overall goal is “to bring hope, healing and help” to those who need it most, said Chris Fuller, a longtime disaster relief volunteer and a retired campus minister for Baptist Collegiate Ministries.
And, this week, the goal is to make sure hundreds of security personnel serving in a tiny town with few restaurants are well-fed.
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