About 100 volunteers at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church showed what it is to be truly thankful as they prepared and served 487 meals Thursday for those who otherwise wouldn’t have a Thanksgiving meal.
More than 100 Sedalians flocked to the church Thursday morning to dine on turkey, potatoes, stuffing and all of the trimmings and, of course, pumpkin pie. Those who couldn’t come to St. Patrick’s to share the meal had meals delivered to them by volunteers.
Thanksgiving Day Dinner Coordinator Mary Jo Ballenger said the event began when the late Lelia Boss saw a need in the area in the mid-1990s. When Boss stepped down in 2004, Ballenger continued the tradition.
“There is a need in this community for everyone to share a Thanksgiving meal,” Ballenger said Thursday at the church. “Everyone is so appreciative of what we do.”
Ballenger said the entire meal is provided by donations from the community, from the 300 pounds of turkey roast to the 80 dozen cookies for dessert. The turkey is baked at the parish by Marvin Brownfield.
Volunteering is important to all those who help with the project.
“There are certain families that come every year,” Ballenger told the Democrat earlier this week. “It’s important to them to do this, to be a volunteer. There are some people coming on Thursday, that I’ve never met.”
