Volunteer: Henry Bridgers

Wrap ’n’ Ro

Kitchen Dishwasher Packs and Delivers Meals. And Washes the Pots, Too!

By Beth A. Klahre

Reading mentor at Southport Elementary School. Fundraiser for United Way. Volunteer sailing instructor for Cape Fear Yacht Club Youth Sailing Program. Brunswick Players and Brunswick Little Theater member. Volunteer for Stage II Productions at the Historic Amuzu Theater. Volunteer for Up Your Arts. Meals on Wheels substitute driver.

And if that’s not enough, there is even more in Henry Bridgers’ parade of volunteer work!

Since 2016, Henry has been a volunteer in the kitchen at The Brunswick Center at Southport. It was around that time that the kitchen was consolidated into the main kitchen for most of the Brunswick Senior Resources, Inc. sites. Henry joined the crew as a dishwasher.

“That is a rather loose description of my duties,” Henry says. “I pack meals, help with cooking and cleaning, and do just about anything else you might think happens in the workings of a cafeteria.”

The Brunswick Center at Southport director Melissa Catlett couldn’t agree more. She says, “Henry literally does anything and everything in the kitchen to help out. He is amazing.”

Man on the Move

Henry was born in Louisville, Kentucky, the oldest of four children and the only son. He spent several weeks every summer at his family beach house in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina where he eventually returned to raise his own family.

College at Western Kentucky University was interrupted by the draft for the Vietnam War. He joined the Navy as a machinist’s mate and volunteered for duty on nuclear submarines. After training at Naval Station Great Lakes in Illinois, and then at Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo, California and then in Idaho Falls, Idaho, Henry came fullcircle back to Charleston, South Carolina for six years of submarine squadron sea duty. Next it was on to Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Maine. After his discharge, Henry returned back home to Louisville before moving again to Bremerton, Washington for a job as a nuclear test engineer.

Landing in Southport

It was in Washington that Carolina Power & Light Company, later acquired by Duke Energy, came looking for experienced nuclear engineers. Henry was hired on the spot, sending him back to the Carolinas to Brunswick Nuclear Power Plant in Southport. Henry retired in 2015 after 24 years of service at the power plant. Along the way, Henry ran his own nuclear power plant service corporation for six years, building and overhauling nuclear plants all over the U.S.

Kitchen Teamwork

Henry credits his wife Beverly, the nutrition coordinator at the center and Henry’s boss, as his influence in becoming a center volunteer. “Beverly and I have known each other for over 40 years, married for eight this June. It’s easy to work with her,” he says. Henry is at the center three days per week, working alongside Beverly every day.

Henry Bridgers volunteers at the Brunswick Center at Southport three days a week, working along staff member Beverly Bridgers—his wife. ““Henry literally does anything and everything in the kitchen to help out. He is amazing,” says Center Director Melissa Catle%.

Beverly says it did not take much coaxing to get Henry to volunteer. Retired for just a few weeks, he was ready to do something. “He probably thought it would get him some brownie points at home, too!” she says. Henry just jumped right in and knows what she expects. Beverly and Henry are an extraordinary team. Beverly says, “I think it’s pretty special to get along with Henry in a work situation and stay talking to each other at the end of the day. Henry is an all-around great guy who just wants me to be the happiest I can be. I love him to the moon and back. I’m very lucky to have him at home and as a volunteer at my job. What more could I ask?”

Henry adds, “Volunteering is fun. The people you meet are great and the people you serve are wonderful.”