Men's Club Barbecues For Habitat

Cooking for the 2017 Habitat for Humanity Catholic Build BBQ began on the morning of Sept. 28. Steve Koressel had convinced me to cook enough on Thursday so that we would have product to sell on Friday evening. 

It didn’t matter to him that he would be up all night Friday with the main event.  So on Thursday, members of the St. Theresa Men’s Club prepped and barbequed two cases of butts and two cases of ribs. 

The smoker doors were closed at 9:30 a.m. – after they had thoroughly cleaned the grill and started the fire in the split hardwoods that would flavor the meat. We were there most of the day, maintaining the temperature in the smoker between 225 and 260.  It’s important to make sure the meat is slowly and thoroughly cooked. 

At 11:30 a.m., Steve was firing up a different grill to prepare our lunch.  At 12:30, the ribs were finished.  We added sauce, wrapped them in foil, and put them in a cooler.  I could now take a break.  When I got back at 3 p.m., the butts were ready to come off the grill.  We wrapped them and added them to the cooler. At 4:30 p.m., I was on my way home.  I didn’t think about Steve again until about noon the next day.  I was too busy preparing the site with the tent – and you name it. 

Friday at 9:30 a.m., I was laying out the tent provided by the St. Philip’s Men’s Club.  Dan Horstman had helped me load all the parts in my truck earlier in the week.  Matt Scheessele showed up with the cones that would outline our work area.  The porta-potty that E. & B Paving supplied was delivered earlier.  I had already delivered free-meal tickets in to the CVS employees, thanking them for moving their cars from the area that CVS had so generously allowed us to occupy. 

At 10:30 a.m., Mark Shapker and Ed Turner arrived to put up the tent.  Then, they went to Holy Rosary Parish to pick up tables and chairs.  Shortly after that, Joe Balotto and Luke Nordine arrived to help bring it all together.  Coca Cola delivered a huge cooler, product, and ice.  By noon, there were six smokers lined up like a western wagon train, all neatly aligned. 

At 5 p.m., armed with only box cutters and secret spices, members of the St. Theresa Men’s Club and other volunteers opened the cases and rubbed spices on the meat.  The butts were put on the waiting smokers, and the guys could sit down for a bit.  Steve was right about having something to sell.  When they started to season the meat, people started coming up asking if we had anything to sell.  By 10 p.m., we had sold about 10 dozen sandwiches, 16 slabs of ribs and all but a couple of butts. 

Club members were there for the duration – pulling an all-nighter in the parking lot – checking on the smokers.  I had to take a break at 10:30, being totally worn out.  I felt guilty leaving them, but I knew that I needed to be sharp on Saturday. 

Luke and I returned at 1 a.m. to help the guys pull the butts and get them into the coolers.  When the smokers were empty, the ribs were put on.  I left at 3:30 a.m., and returned at 6 a.m. 

I am amazed when so many people from diverse organizations come together for a unified purpose, and the Catholics for Habitat did not disappoint.  I would be remiss if I didn’t thank those who ultimately made this happen by buying the butts, ribs, and sandwiches.  

But I want to especially thank the St. Theresa Men’s Club who worked tirelessly, as they have for more than 40 years, for their faith.  They are shining examples of the kind of gentlemen who make our society special, and are the hands and feet of God.

The event raised almost $8,000 for use in building the Catholic’s Habitat for Humanity home for Mallory G. 

Jim Tolen is a member of the St. Theresa Men’s Club.