Another helping of Grits: Community Clinic fundraiser returns this weekend

Jimmy Tomlin, The High Point Enterprise, N.C.
·2 min read

Nov. 30—HIGH POINT — The grits are back, and they're hotter than ever.

Puttin' on the Grits, the annual signature fundraiser for the Community Clinic of High Point, returns this weekend after last year's event had to be canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The popular grits-themed gala, which serves up a smorgasbord of breakfast dishes in addition to grits, will be held Saturday, from 8 to 11 a.m., in the Family Life Center at St. Mary's Episcopal Church. As in years past, the event will kick off the annual Uptowne High Point Holiday Stroll.

"My hope is that we'll have a record-breaking year after we had to skip last year," said Molly Jordan, executive director of the Community Clinic. "We have a really great team of people working on this event, and they're dedicated to bringing us back to our pre-pandemic levels of participation and support. So far, we've had an incredible response from the corporate and private community."

More than two dozen restaurants and other vendors will participate Saturday, providing everything from Southern-style and gourmet grits to bacon, biscuits and coffee.

This year's event will honor two outstanding Community Clinic volunteers, Dr. Mike Hussey — the clinic's longtime medical director — and his wife, Peggy.

Mike Hussey began volunteering at the clinic in 2002 and has approximately 25,000 patient visits under his belt since that time. Even at 85, he continues to come to the clinic twice a week to volunteer.

"He's been a faithful servant not only to the clinic, but to the community," Jordan said. "He has worked tirelessly to make sure everybody in High Point has access to good quality health care. He's our health care hero."

Peggy Hussey began volunteering in the clinic's pharmacy in 2017.

"She's been such a faithful volunteer for us — we couldn't do what we do without her," Jordan said. "And between the two of them, they give 51 hours of volunteer service each month, so you can see how valuable they are to us."

This year's Puttin' on the Grits fundraiser is particularly important after last year's event had to be canceled, Jordan said.

"The need has never gone away," she said. "Even during the pandemic, we never closed our doors to patients, because the need was still there. We have an active roster of about 2,500 patients, and that doesn't come close to touching the number of uninsured patients in High Point. The need out there is very significant."

jtomlin@hpenews.com — 336-888-3579