A cloudy sky, occasional drizzle and biting wind weren't enough to keep Bruce Green away from the Salvation Army on Tuesday, when he marked his 30th year of cooking up the turkeys the nonprofit feeds the community with on Thanksgiving.
"It's been a blessing," Green said. "I'm grateful to be a part of it."
Green will be back at the Salvation Army today to help break down the turkeys he cooked yesterday, and again on Thursday to help serve meals, he said. By noon on Tuesday, he'd already been manning the grill behind the Salvation Army for six hours.
"I will probably be here until midnight or later," he said. "I'll be tired when I get home in the morning, but it's worth it."
Green was first invited to the Salvation Army by then-Capt. Donnie Marvels, who is now stationed in Texas with his wife, Paulette. Green was a member of a Narcotics Anonymous (NA) recovery group who Marvels asked to start holding meetings at the Salvation Army.
"Capt. Donnie came over one night and asked if we'd do meeting here," Green recalled.
When Thanksgiving rolled around, Green and three friends from the NA group decided to help cook the turkeys that would be served to local families in need. They started out with three small grills and cooked eight turkeys.
The operation grew when John Milam lent Green and the other cookers a bigger grill, and now, Green uses a grill-trailer set up his nephew built.
"I'm the one that uses it the most," Green laughed on Tuesday.
For the past 12 or 13 years, Green said, he's been cooking the turkeys up solo. He said doing his part to help make the annual meal happen has helped him as much as it has those who come to eat each Thanksgiving.
"This is part of me. This is part of my recovery – trying to give back some of what I've taken," he said.
It's clear his impact is felt by those at the Salvation Army, as well. As he cooked Tuesday, at least one person picking up lunch stopped to talk, thank him for cooking and ensure he'd see him again later this week.
Green had a busy afternoon ahead of him Tuesday; he was set to cook 48 turkeys and two cases of pork loin ahead of Thanksgiving.
The Salvation Army will host its Thanksgiving meal on Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Murphy Red Shield Diner, 419 S. Madison. Deliveries are also available. To volunteer or learn more, call 870-863-4830.
"I can't wait until Thursday to see all the people come be blessed with a meal," Green said.
Bruce Green removes a handful of hot links -- lunch for himself and other Salvation Army staff and volunteers -- as he cooks nearly 50 turkeys for the Salvation Army's Thanksgiving meal on Thursday. (Caitlan Butler/News-Times)