WS Chronicle

Thanksgiving is a time for reflecting, spending time with family and of course a great home cooked meal.  For some, a home cooked meal could be hard to come by.  To help those in need the Carl H. Russell Sr. Community Center held their annual “Bingo for Turkeys” event last Friday, Nov. 17.

Ben Piggott, Carl Russell Sr. Community Center senior supervisor, started the event to help those in the surrounding community with food for the holiday.  More than 70 people came out to participate in the event.

“I feel really good and I told everyone today how much I love the department and the things we do here at the center,” said Piggott.  “I have butterflies in my stomach because I am going to miss a lot of this.

“When I see things like this I get full of joy because I get to see people getting food that they need.  I am glad to see that people are going to have a happy Thanksgiving because of the contributions from the different sponsors that have donated food.”

Almost everyone in attendance was able to win a prize Friday evening.  The center had 31 turkeys, six hams and 36 Cornish hens as prizes.  The community looks forward to this event each year and it continues to grow as the word continues to spread.

“I always come every year for the turkey or the ham and I always have a good time,” said Marlene J. Givens.  “I am so happy I won and it feels wonderful.  I think this is wonderful and people should do more of this when he retires so I can come back next year and win again.”

“I am extremely grateful and he is so gracious and so giving and we just want to make sure we support him as he supports this center and community as we fellowship together,” said Deborah Miller of Piggott.  “His retirement is bittersweet because we love him so much and he has done so much.

“We honor him and we wish him well,” she continued.  “All of this is a blessing and the accolades he has received is much deserved and we will miss him.”

Brian Leak has worked with Piggott for several years and says he enjoys coming out to the center to assist in these programs.  For him to play a role in helping the less fortunate makes it all worth it.

“I am very happy to help people with food for the holidays and I think the bingo was a great success,” said Leak.  “I am especially glad because it brings a lot of elderly people out to have some fun and have the chance to socialize.”

Piggott says the more people he sees coming through the doors of the recreation center to play the happier he gets.  He said he will look forward to coming back each year to participate in these types of events following his retirement on Nov. 30.

“I don’t do this for fame or fortune, I do this because I love people,” Piggott continued.  “This is fun for me and I get excited when I see all the people coming in to donate food.  To have this be one of the last things I will see while working here is great.  I don’t think you really retire in this job I think you just reinvent yourself.”

Piggott wanted to thank all of his sponsors for donating to the Bingo for Turkeys event which include; the Winston-Salem Recreation and Parks Department, Patrice Johnson, Jeremiah Hawks, Carver Sr. Citizen Club, Carver Alumni Association, 30th District Class of Prince Hall Masons, Carl H. Russell Sr. Community Center Staff and Sittercise Class, Swing Phi Swing Social Fellowship Inc. and The Chronicle newspaper.