Rusty Thigpen. Circa: Like, a long time ago. Come celebrate Rusty March 5, 6-7 p.m. at the GRACE Main Offices
Please come and celebrate the many accomplishments of Rusty Thigpen!
GRACE is hosting a reception in his honor, 6-7 p.m., Thursday, March 5, in the Community Rooms of GRACE Main Offices, 837 East Walnut Street in Grapevine.
“Where is this rusty pigpen I keep hearing about?” asked the new GRACE employee. It seems on his orientation tour the new employee was shown the Community Gardens. In conversation, the new employee thought he heard “rusty pigpen”. Which made complete sense that the gardens would have, maybe, some livestock nearby to dispose of the garden refuse, etc., etc., etc.
Anyway, it wasn’t too very long that I—I mean, the “new employee”—learned different, and made a good friend in the manager of the GRACE Food Pantry. He was just one of many who looked on Rusty as a good friend.
A great number of the Food Pantry volunteers began volunteering with Rusty, and have stayed through all of his 18 years at GRACE. In those years, it is estimated Rusty welcomed clients into the Pantry more than 110,000 times.
Rusty was the saving grace for the Feed Our Kids program in the early years—and even later with milk and other food items. Commodities for senior clients began under Rusty’s watch, and now serves between 100 and 110 seniors each month. Likewise, GRACE Grocery Giveaway.
One the most recent heroic efforts Rusty performed was in the aftermath of the Clinic/Pantry fire in 2018. Without missing a beat, Rusty established a temporary GRACE Pantry and served clients from that location until repairs and renovations were made to the permanent location.
Now it is time, not to say “goodbye” but “until we meet again” to one of the most stalwart staff members and most recognizable faces at GRACE. Please RSVP to events@gracegrapevine.org by March 2.
Join us in wishing the one and only Rusty Thigpen congratulations on a job well done, and best wishes for the next phase of his life.
