In what has become a Tullahoma tradition, free meals will be delivered to the less fortunate in Tullahoma on Christmas Day.

For 25 years Christmas meals have been served to disabled veterans, low-income single moms, disabled, chronically ill, Senior Citizens, unemployed or lonely people in Tullahoma, according to Lane and Evelyn Curlee, volunteer coordinators. Meals will be delivered on Christmas morning between 10:30 and noon. Typically, about 500 meals are prepared and delivered.

“We have arranged to purchase the meals from Morrison Healthcare, the food providers at Vanderbilt-Harton Hospital,” said co-organizer Lane Curlee. “They are really planning a feast to include ham, two vegetables and bread.  We appreciate their willingness to help out and provide the meals at their food cost. Preparing that much food on Christmas Day morning is no easy feat and the team there does a great job.”

Anyone needing a meal is asked to text the Curlees at 931-581-0360 with your name, address, phone number and number of meals needed or email the information to lcurlee@lighttube.net.  Anyone who is alone on Christmas and would like to stop by the hospital cafeteria and eat lunch is welcome to do so between 11 a.m. and noon. 

Volunteers are needed in one of four ways:

If you would like to help package the to-go plates, please be at the hospital’s Main Dining room on the main floor at 9:30 a.m. Christmas morning.  If you would like to deliver the meals to some families in the Tullahoma area, please be there at 10:30 a.m.

If you would like to provide a dessert such as a cake, pie or cookies, please bring the dessert to the hospital between 5 and 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve or between 8 and 9 a.m. on Christmas morning.

If you would like to make a donation to help pay for the meals, please mail a check to Hot Mails, P.O. Box 84, Tullahoma, TN 37388.

We could not do this without the support of Morrison Healthcare employees and the hospital administration, plus all the eager volunteers,” said co-organizer Evelyn Curlee. This is an opportunity to lift the spirits of individuals who could use a little encouragement and a hot meal on Christmas morning.  What a wonderful way to make Christmas a little brighter for some of Tullahoma’s less fortunate folks.”