Local Barber Shop, Church Provide Thanksgiving Meal For Tusculum Students Unable To Return Home

GREENEVILLE – The owner of a business adjacent to Tusculum University teamed with a neighboring church to provide students who were unable to return home for Thanksgiving with a meal and fellowship.
Micah Taylor, owner of the Taylor Made Grooming Lounge is the brainchild behind what has become a growing annual tradition to feed Tusculum students who remain on campus for the holiday. For the second straight year, he teamed with Tusculum Baptist Church which provided the space and kitchen facilities to accommodate the meal.
Many of these students come from other states and countries, and they were able to enjoy an extensive spread of traditional Thanksgiving staples such as turkey, dressing and mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie as well as a host of other sides and desserts.
“In my opinion, small business is the backbone of the nation,” Taylor said. “Every corporation should be doing more than what they do to serve the community. I think we should lead by example and be the cornerstone of the community. The barber shop in general is a place of conversation as well as grooming. I was talking with my barbers three years ago, and it came up in conversation, ‘Why not feed the students?'”
Taylor provided a smoked turkey, a deep-fried turkey, a spiraled ham, a honey ham, two types of dressings, four pans of macaroni and cheese and soft drinks. The church provided various sides and desserts. Members of the university’s Executive Cabinet provided soft drinks and desserts, and Dr. Scott Hummel and Starr Hummel, Tusculum’s president and first lady, respectively, brought sides, desserts and soft drinks.
The turnout included dozens of students, and many church members came to assist. Taylor said he was choking back tears about the outcome.
“I couldn’t ask for better results,” he said. “I didn’t expect this. Obviously, other people in the community share the same desires as I do, and to see everybody pull together and share their resources, time, energy and money demonstrates a multi-faceted effort. I didn’t do this by myself. This is a community effort.”
This is the third year for Taylor to hold a Thanksgiving meal. He held the event the first time at his barber shop, located across the Erwin Highway from the Tusculum Arch, but said it was a challenge to keep the food warm and seat everyone. So he talked to Dr. Hummel and Dr. David Smith, the now-retired pastor of Tusculum Baptist, and the church opened its doors for the event. Taylor said he will hold the event again next year, and he expects an even larger crowd.
Taylor has been a major supporter of Tusculum. He provides a scholarship and is best known on campus for the free haircuts he provides students on campus at the start of the academic year. Tusculum Baptist is also a key player for the university, and its ministry, Students Pray on Thursdays, is a hit with the students.
“We are extraordinarily grateful to Micah for his leadership in ensuring our students receive a great meal on Thanksgiving,” said Dr. Hummel, who is also currently serving as Tusculum Baptist’s interim pastor. “He is an outstanding corporate citizen, and we are fortunate to have him as one of our neighbors providing a valuable service for our students. We also appreciate the many church members who join us for this event to help the meal be provided so efficiently.”