Another Successful Community Thanksgiving Dinner

An always popular event in Chinook is the Community Thanksgiving Dinner. As usual, it was held at the Senior Center and there was a great turn out. Serving started promptly at 12 p.m., but some early birds enjoyed visiting as they awaited the delicious meal. A steady stream of people flowed through the door right away.

Starting at 12:30, the Kitchen Band began playing for the guests to enjoy while eating their meals. This band is made up of community members Brad Taylor, Roger Fischer, Elaine Campbell, and Lucille Oehmcke.

Irene Gauthier shares her approval of the dinner saying “It’s always good when we come, and I’ve been here the last five years!” The dinner not only tastes phenomenal, but it gives those attending a chance to feel like they are with family. “It’s my family (the community),” comments Sherry Edwards. “I don’t have any of my own here, but I don’t miss celebrating Thanksgiving because I’m with my family here.” This is Sherry and Steve’s fourth community Thanksgiving.

Of course, these events would not be the great success they are without the “behind the scenes” people putting in their time and effort. The Wednesday setup crew included Jay Eslick, Larry Wisch, Kathy O’Brien, Steve Edwards and Craig Lowham. Also involved was Judy Stegmeier, Jenna and Chelsie Fox, Naomi Kellum, Rita Surber, Monica Swank, Barb Weber, Sharon Thackeray, and Linae Jensen.

A great crew also helped on Thursday with cooking, serving, delivering meals, and cleanup. This group included Loren and Heather Baird, Ryan, Linae, Levi, Ashlyn, and January Jensen, Zach and Lorena Proud, Jay Eslick, Jim Stegmeier, Steve and Sherry Edwards, and Erica Smith. Also donating their time was Lynn Phillips, Mark, Heidi, Caleb, Sam, and Andrea Dumas, Doris Hamilton, and Perry and Wilma Alcorn. This group worked extremely hard to serve 123 in house meals and deliver 38 take-out meals.

Financial support and food donations are also a crucial part in making this dinner possible. There were many donors this year including Amelia Funk, Betty Billmayer, Dorris Hamilton, Barb Weber, Chrissy Downs/JUMP, Dan Lendhart, Linae Jensen, and Ginger Hansen. But the list goes on – also providing donations were Loma Miller, Carol Johnsrud, Northwestern Energy, Thrivent, Larry Wisch, Garry and Millie Smith, and Martin Williamson. Sherry Edwards comments on the support - “It’s just such an awesome acknowledgement of how important people are in this community and they show it by example. It comes down to everyone donating pie, turkey, desserts, salad, etc. and their time.”

Gathering for this delightful meal is not only fun, but as Gwen Kane of Big Sandy says, “It’s part of the glue that holds the community together. They (the Senior Center) do a lot of other meals here and they have fun doing it.”