More food, volunteers needed for Thanksgiving dinner
With less than two weeks to go before the Community Thanksgiving Dinner, more donations of food and volunteer service are being sought to make the 30th annual dinner another success, according to dinner organizer Freda Galer.
“Right now, I only need four more turkey cookers,” Galer said. “But a lot of the other food items, I don’t have a lot of those yet.”
Galer also encouraged area people to sign up to help with setting up, serving and cleaning up after the dinner, to be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 26 — Thanksgiving Day — at Evangel United Methodist Church’s Family Life Center. Delivery drivers also are needed for the dinner, she noted.
“I’ve got plenty of kitchen help,” she said. “But we still need people to sign up for the other tasks, and it’s also good if they don’t wait until the last minute to sign up.”
In addition to the four turkeys listed above, the list of food items needed for the dinner includes three 10-pound hams; six gallons each of corn, green beans, baked beans, instant potatoes and sweet potatoes; 26 pounds of stuffing; nine Jell-O salads; 20 vegetable salads; 29 dozen rolls; 14 cakes; and 19 pies.
Galer and others involved with the annual Thanksgiving dinner — which is open to everyone, regardless of their age, income, residence or religious affiliation — also are hopeful for a better turnout than in previous years.
In the past, the community events had averaged about 300 dine-in, carry-out and delivery dinners served per year. But in 2012, the numbers began to decline, with fewer than 265 dinners served that year; last year, the total fell to about 250.
To make a food donation or pledge volunteer services for the upcoming Christmas dinner, or to reserve a delivery meal, call Galer at 364-4160. Those seeking delivery meals are strongly encouraged to call Galer in advance of the meal, it was reported.
Monetary donations also are being accepted for the dinner; contact Francis DeVader at 364-2507 for more information.
