Willow Springs Tuesday Study Club

The Willow Springs Tuesday Study Club met at the Willow Springs Senior Center. The meeting was called to order by the president. After the business meeting concluded, the president introduced the program speaker.

The program was about Paula Deen and her accomplishments. Paula is an American chef, cookbook and TV personality. She resides in Savannah, GA where she owns and operates "The Lady and Sons" along with her sons Jamie and Bobby, and "Paula Deen’s Creek House" restaurants. She has published

15 cookbooks which have sold over 11 million copies and is the most famous television chef in history.

Paula was born January 19, 1947 in Albany, GA. She graduated from Albany High School, got married and had two sons, Jamie and Bobby. She lost both parents by the time she was 23 and went into depression for 20 years. One day she woke up and decided she had to change her life. During this time she divorced her husband who had a serious drinking problem. The boys were in their teens and Paula

and the boys were facing homelessness. She had $200 and began making chicken salad and pimento cheese sandwiches out of her home. The boys would deliver and sell them to office workers downtown.

In 1989 she started "The Bag Lady" out of her home.

In 2004, Paula married Michael Groover, a tugboat captain in the port of Savannah. The wedding was featured in a Food Network Show in 2004 and took place at Bethesda Academy in Savanna.

How did Paula learn to cook? She learned from her maternal grandmother the ways of cooking southern comfort food.

In 2013 Paula was accused of racism. Several stores and television stations dropped her line of kitchenware, TV shows and other endorsements. Paula never gave up. She currently has seven restaurants. They are located in Branson, MO; Nashville, TN; Pigeon Forge, TN; Myrtle Beach, SC; Savannah, GS; Foley, AL; and Panama Beach, FL. She has a new show, "Positively Paula," that airs Friday and Saturday at 1:30 p.m. ET and Sundays at 8:00 a.m. ET.

The next time you are in Branson you will not be disappointed in visiting her store and restaurant.There is something there for everyone.

The program, refreshments and Valentine decorations were provided by Geneva Moody.