Thanksgiving spirit will feed hundreds
By Gillian Graham
Staff Writer
Pastor Michael Gray’s wish for Thanksgiving is simple: He doesn’t want anyone to go without food and friendship.
For the fifth year, the Old Orchard Beach United Methodist Church will open its doors to Saco Bay residents on Thanksgiving. Anyone from Old Orchard Beach, Saco and Biddeford is welcome to stop in for a turkey dinner with all the fixings, Gray said.
“It’s free to anybody who wants to show up,” he said.
And for those who can’t – or simply don’t want to – leave home that day, volunteer drivers will deliver meals. Volunteers also will pick up people if they would like to eat at the church. Anyone looking for a ride or delivery should call 934-5553 and leave a message.
Gray said volunteers took 20 boxes of leftovers the first year and delivered them to people working at fire and police stations, tollbooths and anywhere else they could find.
“They just walked in and said, ‘Here’s food.’ People love it,” Gray said.
Gray said volunteer drivers came back with “incredible” stories of the people they found who needed a meal and a friendly greeting. One driver found a person at a laundromat who didn’t have family in the area and planned to go without Thanksgiving dinner. That person appreciated the meal and asked for a second to bring to a neighbor who also was alone, Gray said.
For Gray and his volunteers, those types of stories make the dinner worthwhile. With a growing number of people depending on the church’s food pantry, Gray said he expects even more people at this year’s dinner.
Though it’s hard to predict because people don’t need to register in advance, Gray said he thinks as many as 300 people will be served this year.
Gray said the effort to feed hundreds depends entirely on the volunteers who help cook, serve and deliver meals. He said about 15 volunteers from within the church and an equal number from outside the congregation will help this year.
“It’s a good group, a really good group,” he said.
In Old Orchard Beach, volunteers will cook a dozen 15- to 20-pound turkeys, 80 pounds of potatoes, 60 pounds each of carrots and squash, eight large trays of stuffing and dozens of desserts. In Saco, organizers of a free Thanksgiving dinner at Most Holy Trinity Church will cook even more.
Frank Donahue, Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus, said volunteers are busy preparing for their 11th annual dinner. On the menu: 22 turkeys averaging 22 pounds each, 300 pounds of potatoes, as well as squash, cranberry sauce, peas with onions and desserts.
Donahue said volunteers served 600 guests last year and 800 the year before. Given the economy and the number of families struggling to make ends meet, he said he expects closer to 800 people this year. All dinners are free with no questions asked, he said.
“We don’t want anyone to be alone or hungry on Thanksgiving,” he said.
Donahue said the dinner is run by volunteers who do everything from roast turkeys at home to peel potatoes for hours on Thanksgiving eve. Last year, 73 volunteers helped with the effort and more than 100 people are scheduled to help this year. Donahue said he has had to turn away volunteers, but was happy to include University of New England student athletes and members of the Go Greene community service group based in Biddeford.
Donahue said the Saco dinner does not need more volunteers, but always welcomes donations of homemade desserts. For more information about how to donate, call Donahue at 282-9568. To arrange for meal delivery, call Susan at 571-4808.
Though Donahue and Gray are both busy organizing the logistics of serving hundreds of meals, they both said they look forward to seeing people have a happy holiday.
Donahue said the best part of the day is seeing the community get together and communicate.
For Gray, whose wife and 3-year-old daughter will also volunteer, seeing strangers sit down over a meal is “phenomenal.”
“Most people will take and have a lot of fun. The volunteers are so cool. It’s just this uplifting atmosphere. It’s wonderful,” he said. “It’s something we look forward to. That day is a day when people need a friend.”
Staff Writer Gillian Graham can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 213.
Staff Writer
Pastor Michael Gray’s wish for Thanksgiving is simple: He doesn’t want anyone to go without food and friendship.
For the fifth year, the Old Orchard Beach United Methodist Church will open its doors to Saco Bay residents on Thanksgiving. Anyone from Old Orchard Beach, Saco and Biddeford is welcome to stop in for a turkey dinner with all the fixings, Gray said.
“It’s free to anybody who wants to show up,” he said.
And for those who can’t – or simply don’t want to – leave home that day, volunteer drivers will deliver meals. Volunteers also will pick up people if they would like to eat at the church. Anyone looking for a ride or delivery should call 934-5553 and leave a message.
Gray said volunteers took 20 boxes of leftovers the first year and delivered them to people working at fire and police stations, tollbooths and anywhere else they could find.
“They just walked in and said, ‘Here’s food.’ People love it,” Gray said.
Gray said volunteer drivers came back with “incredible” stories of the people they found who needed a meal and a friendly greeting. One driver found a person at a laundromat who didn’t have family in the area and planned to go without Thanksgiving dinner. That person appreciated the meal and asked for a second to bring to a neighbor who also was alone, Gray said.
For Gray and his volunteers, those types of stories make the dinner worthwhile. With a growing number of people depending on the church’s food pantry, Gray said he expects even more people at this year’s dinner.
Though it’s hard to predict because people don’t need to register in advance, Gray said he thinks as many as 300 people will be served this year.
Gray said the effort to feed hundreds depends entirely on the volunteers who help cook, serve and deliver meals. He said about 15 volunteers from within the church and an equal number from outside the congregation will help this year.
“It’s a good group, a really good group,” he said.
In Old Orchard Beach, volunteers will cook a dozen 15- to 20-pound turkeys, 80 pounds of potatoes, 60 pounds each of carrots and squash, eight large trays of stuffing and dozens of desserts. In Saco, organizers of a free Thanksgiving dinner at Most Holy Trinity Church will cook even more.
Frank Donahue, Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus, said volunteers are busy preparing for their 11th annual dinner. On the menu: 22 turkeys averaging 22 pounds each, 300 pounds of potatoes, as well as squash, cranberry sauce, peas with onions and desserts.
Donahue said volunteers served 600 guests last year and 800 the year before. Given the economy and the number of families struggling to make ends meet, he said he expects closer to 800 people this year. All dinners are free with no questions asked, he said.
“We don’t want anyone to be alone or hungry on Thanksgiving,” he said.
Donahue said the dinner is run by volunteers who do everything from roast turkeys at home to peel potatoes for hours on Thanksgiving eve. Last year, 73 volunteers helped with the effort and more than 100 people are scheduled to help this year. Donahue said he has had to turn away volunteers, but was happy to include University of New England student athletes and members of the Go Greene community service group based in Biddeford.
Donahue said the Saco dinner does not need more volunteers, but always welcomes donations of homemade desserts. For more information about how to donate, call Donahue at 282-9568. To arrange for meal delivery, call Susan at 571-4808.
Though Donahue and Gray are both busy organizing the logistics of serving hundreds of meals, they both said they look forward to seeing people have a happy holiday.
Donahue said the best part of the day is seeing the community get together and communicate.
For Gray, whose wife and 3-year-old daughter will also volunteer, seeing strangers sit down over a meal is “phenomenal.”
“Most people will take and have a lot of fun. The volunteers are so cool. It’s just this uplifting atmosphere. It’s wonderful,” he said. “It’s something we look forward to. That day is a day when people need a friend.”
Staff Writer Gillian Graham can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 213.
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