WSIL-TV 3 ABC

Top Stories

Last updated 6:38 am CT February 09, 2010.

E-mail Story Print Story

Sharing A Meal With The Community

WSIL -- Cooking Thanksgiving dinner for your family can be hard enough. But what about cooking for the entire community. Katherine Heim and her daughter Meleah are rookies when it comes to hosting community dinners. This is the first year they've organized the West Frankfort dinner held at the Franklin County Senior Services Center and they had plenty of help.

"I have been very surprised of the volunteers that we've had, I've been getting phone calls everyday, it's been great," said Heim.

Over at the First United Methodist Church in Johnston City it's the second year for their Thanksgiving dinner. Organizer Robert Poff says he wanted to give people a place to come together.

"I spent a lot of my Thanksgivings alone growing up, it's not a good feeling, so I figured if we do it last year to start with give people a place to come to so they don't have to be alone on a holiday, that was the whole purpose of it," said Poff.

Volunteers say they're getting the hang of holding the annual dinner. But for the true community dinner veterans look no further than Herrin. Where since 1988 volunteers have served hundreds of community members and each year is bigger than the last.

"I guess you're suppose to learn more each year, and sometimes I wonder if that actually happens," said Bart Mann, organizer of the dinner.

Volunteers also delivered hundreds of Thanksgiving meals to people who couldn't get out today.

By Ryan Kruger
rkruger@wsiltv.com

<< Back to Previous Page