Volunteers cook up barbecue, hope and healing for ice storm victims

Operation BBQ Relief feeds thousands during Oxford outreach

OXFORD, MISS. (WCBI) – For Stevenra Manning, getting a hot meal as her city cleans up in the aftermath of the ice storm is a blessing. It is even better when that meal is barbecue.

“These people are really doing a hard job, and providing for our community, I am a mom of three and I really appreciate it,” Manning said.
And it is barbecue.
“Yes, you can’t turn down barbecue,” she said.

And for Oxford resident Barry Gerard, the free barbecue lunches are just one more example of the help the city has received from neighbors and strangers.

“Is that too generous or what, this is such an incredible community,we moved here a year and a half ago, our daughter goes to school here, it is the velvet dish, it is a wonderful environment, love it,” Gerard said.

Operation BBQ Relief, a non profit based in Missouri, set up smokers and other equipment in the Wal Mart parking Lot on Friday. Since then, volunteers have been cooking barbecue lunches and dinners for anyone in need.

“We got beef clods, we loaded in smoker , cooked all night, he is loading it in a buffalo chopper, shreds it, we put sauce on it, seasoning rub, it goes to next station, put in a cambro and it is ready to serve out,” said Culinary Lead Gene Boldman.

Operation BBQ Relief travels the nation, feeding people impacted by natural disasters. For Teresa Schrachta, it was a personal tragedy that connected her with the non profit, and now, she is helping others.

“I was introduced to Operation BBQ Relief through Camp OBR, at Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri. They host first responders, families of the fallen, they have retreats, I was hosted as a parent of a fallen Marine, Lance Corporal Alexander Schrachta. They do culinary therapy, emphasizes importance of having a hot meal, the impact on me has made me volunteer and help out, because they do amazing things,” Schrachta said.

Of course, police, firemen, paramedics and sheriffs deputies don’t get to take off during an ice storm, so to show their appreciation Operation BBQ relief is feeding first responders along with national guard members.

Operation BBQ Relief will head to Ripley where they will be cooking for folks in that area starting on Tuesday.

operationbbqrelief.org