Generosity made for special dinner

To the editor:

Oh my goodness.

How does one begin thanking so many for so much?

The community Thanksgiving dinner was such a heartwarming event where more than 625 meals were served to both the homebound and those coming to dine inside with their newfound family and friends. Unless you’ve had a hand in preparing this traditional meal, one can only imagine the outpouring of love, friendship and good will that goes into the serving and distributing of each dinner.

It begins with a wonderful committee that is eager to tackle the many jobs. All one has to do is name the task and all hands are raised simultaneously to make it happen. Then a generous outpouring of donations come in from individuals, organizations, service clubs, churches and businesses. The variety of donations ranged from cash to cover our numerous purchases to many hands preparing the 33 turkeys and the trimmings.

We had 28 volunteers walking in the door to help build the meals for the homebound at 8 a.m. and three hours later the meals were being delivered to those eager for the scrumptious feats. After knocking on the doors, the drivers soon learned the company on their doorstep was more welcome than the meal itself as so many were anxious for someone with whom to talk. Preparations were then finalized for those coming inside to dine and a different group of 28 volunteers put the finishes touches on the dinner tables and began serving.

This year, we saw many teenagers from the high school coming to help with the room set-up on Wednesday and putting the room back in order on Thursday. What took the older folks 1.5 hours to do, the teenagers were able to accomplish in 42 minutes. What a big help that was and what wonderful young people we have in our community.

Buttnz and Bowz have been a very special part of this event for many years and this year was no exception. Their creation of assorted balloon animals was so colorful and fun, and we all enjoyed the camaraderie they brought to the entire room.

The 40 door prizes are always a hit as certificates are given to groceries, restaurants and pharmacies with the hope of alleviating the budget a little plus giving the winners a chance to enjoy a meal out. They are truly the climax to a thankful day.

The 27th dinner has come to an end, but it would not have been possible without the help of this remarkable community. Your support and donations were amazing and your prayers most appreciated. And at the end of the day, we could feel Someone in the room with a rewarding thumbs up. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your kindness and generosity to our friends and neighbors.

Carol Smith

For the community Thanksgiving committee