By Keith Gushard

Meadville Tribune

Maxine Holzer feels a sense of community when she’s serving up stuffing to several hundred friends on Thanksgiving.

“It’s nice to help someone else and brighten their day,” said Holzer, 74, who has volunteered at the annual community Thanksgiving dinner for more than five years. “It’s a piece of cake to help.”

The annual community dinner — open to anyone — is set for Nov. 26 at noon at the Family & Community Christian Association, formerly known as the YWCA of Meadville, at 378 Chestnut St. Earlier this year, the local social service organization voted to disaffiliate from the national and regional YWCA and operate independently.

Despite the name change, “the dinner will run exactly the same as it always has,” said Judy Ventresca, the FCCA’s executive director. “People will see no changes.”

Bill Foster, a local contractor who has chaired the annual dinner for 32 years, says the intent of the dinner remains the same as always.

“This is for anyone who doesn’t have somewhere to go on Thanksgiving,” Foster said.

Drawing upward of 300 to 400 guests per year, it’s just not for retirees or those who are in financial difficulty — but a true community event, he said.

“I always say we get everyone from lawyers to Indian chiefs,” he said. “We get a vast cross-section of people.”

“Now, we’re getting young couples who have moved to town and their family may be too far away to travel to,” he said. “They spend time with us. We’ve become their extended families.”

With the economy in dire straits, Foster will be ready if there is a big jump in guests this year.

Putting together a meal for hundreds of people requires help from the business community and volunteers.

There are about 50 to 60 volunteers like Holzer who help prepare and serve, he said.

Preparations begin on Tuesday of Thanksgiving week with some 18 to 20 turkeys being prepared.

But that’s only part of it, Foster said.

In addition to the turkeys, the dinner uses between 100 to 150 pounds of potatoes, 50 pounds of sweet potatoes, some six to eight roasters filled with stuffing and untold pounds of vegetables, he said. “I couldn’t begin to count the pounds of vegetables,” he said with a laugh.

To top off the meal, there are about 60 to 65 pies, dozens of cakes and cookies, about six gallons of milk and about 10 gallons of coffee, he said.

In addition to those who come to Meadville, the dinner also delivers around the county to those who are shut-in or unable to travel, he said.

“We deliver a lot of meals — from almost to Titusville out to Espyville on the other end of the county,” he said. “We pray for good weather.”



Keith Gushard can be reached at 724-6370 or by e-mail at kgushard@meadvilletribune.com.



You can go

The Family & Community Christian Association sponsors two community holiday dinners — one on Thanksgiving and one on Christmas Day.

Each is at noon at the FCCA, 378 Chestnut St. The dinners are open to anyone.

There is no charge for the dinner, but a donation basket will be available for freewill donations.

Reservations are encouraged, but not mandatory. They may be made by calling FCCA at 337-4279.

Takeouts and home delivery for shut-ins also are available. These must be reserved by calling the FCCA at 337-4279 by 6 p.m. Nov. 24.



You can help

n Anyone wishing to donate food, help prepare food, serve, clean up, make monetary donations or provide entertainment for the community Thanksgiving dinner is asked to call the FCCA at 337-4279.

n Checks for monetary donations should be made out to “Family & Community Christian Association” with Thanksgiving on the memo line.

n Non-perishable items will be accepted by the FCCA anytime during normal operating hours.

n Those wanting to donate pies or casseroles are asked to notify the FCCA by Nov. 23 and drop them at the FCCA between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Nov. 25.