Donations, volunteers still sought for community Thanksgiving dinner

Donations of food and volunteer help for this year’s Community Thanksgiving Dinner are slow coming in, dinner organizer Freda Galer said, and with a week to go before the dinner, it’s a concern.

“So far, we’ve only got four pies, five gallons of green beans and 15 packs of stuffing,” Galer said. “And I still need 12 turkey cookers. That’s one thing we can’t do this without.”

However, Galer remains optimistic that enough donations of food and volunteer time will be received in time for the dinner, scheduled from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 27 at the Evangel United Methodist Church Family Life Center. She noted that in previous years, many had waited until the last minute to make donations, but the sooner things can be ready, the better, she added.

Remaining dinner item requests include 12 20-pound turkeys, cooked and deboned; five 10-pound hams; seven gallons of corn; one gallon of green beans; five gallons of sweet potatoes; four gallons each of instant potatoes and baked beans; 22 boxes of stuffing; 20 fruit and vegetable salads; 15 Jell-O salads; 30 dozen rolls; 17 cakes; and 29 pies.

Donations of money and manpower also keep the annual dinner going, Galer said. Concerning the latter, volunteers are being sought to set up the Family Life Center on the day before the dinner, and servers, cooks, delivery drivers and clean-up crews are being sought for the day of the dinner.

As always, the Thanksgiving dinner is open to all, regardless of age, hometown, income bracket or religious affiliation, as it has been for several years. It’s also open to all those who may not feel like cooking a big meal or “if they just want some company,” Galer said.

To make a food donation or pledge volunteer services for the upcoming Thanksgiving dinner, or to reserve a delivery meal, call Galer at 364-4160. Money donations also are being accepted for the dinner; contact Francis DeVader at 364-2507 for more information.