gets complete

renovations



By Angie Thompson

angie.thompson@gaflnews.com

TIFTON — Luther’s House, the United Way Community Center at 211 W. Fourth St., was officially opened for business Tuesday. With the help of donations and volunteers, the house has been completely renovated.



The home will serve as the new site for the Tiftarea Soup Kitchen and Food Bank, originally housed at the old gym behind the Charles A. Kent Administrative Building. Both programs are funded by Tiftarea United Way, Inc.

The TUW has owned the building since 1990 when they purchased it “at a really good price” from Luther and Leacy Walker.

Carol Johnson, TUW executive director, said former director Betty Jo Roach was instrumental in securing the home.

“We have empty spots on the cabinet shelves and are hoping we can collect some substantial canned meats. We have lots of vegetables,” Johnson said.

Joy Hill, TUW board president, said the group discussed how the home could be used, but knew the building needed extensive renovations.

“United Way didn’t have the money. This year, everything came together,” Hill said.

The Tiftarea Food Bank was proposed to close and the Soup Kitchen, with the support of a United Parcel Service grant, will operate both operations at Luther’s House.

The house has a history of being a location to help others in need. Luther and Leacy Walker originally bought the home to operate a business office. When the business ended, Luther began using it to minister to prisoners.

“I would bring prisoners from the work camp here, just to have them in a different environment. We used the house as a chapel for a prison ministry,” Walker said.

“We also would let families who were victims of fires stay in some of the rooms,” Leacy Walker said.

When the Walkers retired, they decided to let the TUW have the house.

“We just decided to let these folks have it. It is great for the people in the community to have this,” Luther Walker said. “In the world we are living in, there will always be (someone in need).”

Soup Kitchen Director Mary Bryant said “once you get started helping others it is difficult to stop.” Bryant was helped by the Soup Kitchen four years ago when she was stranded in Tifton after a hospital stay. She made Tifton her home after the event.

“I finally found the soup kitchen and then I began volunteering and have been here ever since. This location is much more inviting and clean,” Bryant said.

Bryant said she has been blessed with volunteers to operate the kitchen, but there are never enough. On a slow day, Bryant said 20-25 people are served a hot meal. On a busy day, that number reaches 90.

“To see a hungry child’s face light up, and they really need you, it is just a blessing to help,” Bryant said.

The Soup Kitchen serves meals 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Volunteers are needed between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. each day.

“We need donations and hands to work with us. Various churches and organizations come in different days each week to work,” Bryant said.

Bryant said she especially remembers a mother and her two children who came to the kitchen for meals.

“We had a lady with two kids and they were traveling through and got stranded. They hadn’t eaten in two or three days and came here. People think ‘Oh, we don’t need this here,’ but we do,” Bryant said.

Bryant said she plans to make back-to-school packages for the children who come to the kitchen. The Carousel House will organize baskets to fill with pencils, paper and other needed items.

“We invite everyone to come by and just see what we are doing,” Bryant said.

Johnson thanked Courtyard Marriott Manager John Camarillo and Courtyard employees and Bobby Underwood Landscaping for donating personal time to landscape the grounds. Jim Helwig of UPS was recognized for the $5,733 UPS donated to the project. Ashley’s Office World donated nine tables and 56 chairs Johnson estimates cost more than $3,000.

Johnson said TUW agencies may use the house free of charge to conduct meetings and programs.



To contact reporter Angie Thompson, call 382-4321, ext. 208.