Thanksgiving is a time for gatherings with family and friends. In tough economic times, some families are unable to gather and others have no place to go.
Organizers of community dinners in the Wood River Valley and other charitable folks have set up Thanksgiving meals for anyone who is hungry or in need of companionship.
Chrissy Cheff, owner of the Rosebud Deli in Bellevue, started her "Helping Hand" community dinner on her own with the help of friends and donations. Cheff will serve a Thanksgiving dinner on Tuesday, Nov. 24, from 4-7:30 p.m.
"This will be a full-fledged dinner, and we encourage people to come," Cheff said. "I think we should get around 80 people. We will be serving turkey, mashed potatoes, dressing, rolls and vegetables, fruit, salad and pies."
Cheff said lots of people don't have always have a place to go over the holiday. She opened up extra space at the Rosebud Deli so there is room for everyone who wants to come.
Cheff said many diners tell her she is doing the right thing. She said she had an Army veteran come to one of her dinners who had been eating beans and rice for three weeks. He felt embarrassed to come but eventually did.
"It took him an hour to eat a bowl of stew," Cheff said. "I asked him if he wanted dessert, and he said, 'Honey, I just had my dessert.' It made me feel so good."
Cheff said she is always accepting donations of food and many diners will leave a dollar or two, though she said that's not necessary. Donations to Cheff's dinners include food pick-ups from Idaho Falls set up by valley resident Reginald Reeves and donations from Atkinsons' Market. Reeves is a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel and a member of the David Ketchum American Legion Post. He collects food to distribute to soup kitchens, homeless shelters and senior citizen centers. If Cheff does not use the donations, they will go to people who need it.
"Through the generosity of Reginald Reeves, we can make the dinners," Cheff said. "He has been my angel."
Community dinners in Hailey
Souper Supper has been serving community dinners for more than 11 years. It is organized by a group of women from various faiths who have been able to serve Souper Supper dinners for free at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Hailey. St. Charles has donated its dining room for the dinners.
"There are all kinds of hunger," said Lynn Flickinger, Souper Supper co-coordinator. "Elderly people need a nutritious meal and community. We have families, homeless people and men and women seeking company. We don't turn anyone away."
Flickinger said that between October 2007 and October 2008, Souper Supper served 4,301 meals, and by October 2009 had served another 5,766 meals. Everything is donated, and the cooking and serving is all done by volunteers.
Although Souper Supper is not serving a Thanksgiving dinner, it will offer a dinner on Monday, Nov. 23, with music by the Wood River Community Orchestra and students from The Community School cooking and serving.
For anyone who is seeking a place to go or wants to donate or volunteer for a Thanksgiving dinner in Hailey, St. Charles Catholic Church member Tammy Eaton is organizing a free community Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday, Nov. 25, at the church from 2-4 p.m.
"Every year, I have had about 20 people at my house, which includes my family and people who don't have families or anyplace to go," Eaton said. "A friend approached me and wanted to volunteer for a Thanksgiving dinner. I looked around and didn't see a Souper Supper for Thanksgiving and decided to host one."
Eaton expects to feed no fewer than 150 people and is looking for any donations. The dinner is for anyone who wants to come and kids will have crafts projects as well as a movie to watch.
"People are stepping up," Eaton said. "That is the great thing about our community. We are hosting this because our family is our community, and what better way to spend Thanksgiving?"
Free meal in Ketchum
Beth Grinstead, co-leader of the Ketchum Community Dinner at the Presbyterian Church of the Big Wood, said a Thanksgiving meal will be served on Wednesday, Nov. 25.
"It's not a whole lot different from what we do, but we wanted to make a Thanksgiving meal," Grinstead said. "We have been told by people who come to our dinners that we have good food."
The Ketchum dinner will include a turkey-and-ham dinner with mashed potatoes and pies—baked by Ketchum Grill—which will be available for anyone who wishes to dine.
"We are an all-volunteer group," Grinstead said. "It is available to anyone who needs a free meal. You don't have to be hungry to come—you can come for companionship and share dinner. Sometimes it's hard for people to come because pride gets in the way."
Thanksgiving baskets
For families who want to cook a Thanksgiving dinner, Silver Creek High School will give out Thanksgiving baskets at 1060 Fox Acres Road in Hailey, behind the Community Campus, on Monday, Nov. 23, and Tuesday, Nov. 24, from 3-7 p.m. Valley residents have donated food, and turkeys were donated by The Life Church in Hailey, Atkinsons' Markets and private donations. For details, call 578-5060.
Sabina Dana Plasse: splasse@mtexpress.com
Community dinners
Ketchum
· Presbyterian Church of the Big Wood will serve Wednesday dinners through May. Dinner served 6-7 p.m. For details, call 720-8212 or visit ketchumcommunitydinners.com.
Hailey
· Souper Supper at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, Mondays and Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. For details, visit soupersupper.org.
· Free Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday, Nov. 26, from 2-4 p.m. at St. Charles. For donations, call Tammy Eaton at 720-7160.
Bellevue
· Rosebud Deli serves Tuesday dinners from 4-7 p.m. For details, call 794-9232.
From left, Angela Fones, Chrissy Cheff, Rita Hurst and Pam Bebermeyer serve a free community dinner on Tuesday, Nov. 17, at the Rosebud Deli in Bellevue. Photo by David N. Seelig
