Thanksgiving means serving others for Southaven family

Photograph: Westy’s Restaurant on North Foremost Avenue at Jackson Avenue close to downtown Memphis. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)

John David Wheeler and household proceed custom to assist feed others for Thanksgiving and Christmas

Whereas a lot of you had been savoring a Thanksgiving feast replete with turkey and dressings along with buddies and family members Thursday, a Southaven household continued their Thanksgiving custom as properly. 

Southaven alderman and enterprise proprietor John David Wheeler, spouse Carmen and their kids spent the vacation serving others at a Memphis Pinch District restaurant, a apply they’ve accomplished at Thanksgiving and Christmas Day for years.  

“It’s what we do,” Wheeler stated. “My youngsters don’t know something totally different. For Thanksgiving and Christmas yearly, they go to Westy’s. For Thanksgiving dinner, we eat down right here.”

Westy’s is a small restaurant on a nook within the Pinch District close to downtown Memphis that’s within the shadow of the Bass Professional Pyramid. Proprietor Jake Schorr began serving meals on the vacations for the homeless and people might not have a spot to go about 18 years in the past. 

“I do it as a result of lots of the individuals who come don’t get a meal,” Schorr stated. “A few of them dwell in a home, some are homeless. A few of them might not have warmth. I feel it’s essential to allow them to really feel good. We deal with them as greatest we will.”

Wheeler’s involvement additionally comes together with his work as a part of Operation BBQ Reduction (OBR), a nonprofit that responds to pure disasters, equivalent to floods and tornadoes, to feed first responders, volunteers, and people in want. OBR considers it a part of its “Days of Giving.” 

“They bought concerned about 8-9 years in the past and each likelihood they offer out a product or protein they usually help it loads together with Lindenwood Christian Church,” Wheeler stated. 

Over 1,000 individuals are served a meal that features barbeque, potatoes, corn, greens, with a drink. Anybody who wants scarves, mittens, caps, or different heat clothes objects, might choose from packing containers of donated objects obtainable alongside the restaurant wall.  For Schorr, getting individuals ate up the vacation is essential to him.

“Individuals need to eat and the core group on the market need to do it,” Schorr stated. “It’s not, ‘are we going to do it?’ We speak on the telephone, they’ll name they usually’ll go, ‘what do you want,’ ‘what am I going to cook dinner,’ what have you ever discovered,’ to allow them to adapt to us. It’s by no means a query of ‘are you going to do it,’ it’s ‘what can I do to assist?’” 

The core group Schorr talked about comes from Lindenwood Christian Church of Memphis and church elder Dallas Minner, who helps set up every part with OBR. 

“I’ve been speaking to Dallas the final 2-3 months making an attempt to ensure we get all the desserts, greens and proteins, paper plates and every part that goes with it,” Wheeler stated. “The final 2-3 weeks we’ve got been working laborious at it.” 

So, when Christmas Day comes and Thanksgiving sooner or later arrives, count on the Wheelers to welcome you to be part of their vacation desk, which you’ll discover on the nook of North Foremost Avenue and Jackson Avenue in Memphis. Pitch in to serve and assist make a distinction to these in want.