Thanksgiving meals served by Camdenton, Sedalia, J.C. parishes
Once again Thanksgiving Day drew people of faith together for massive efforts of gratitude and service.
Camdenton
St. Anthony Parish in Camdenton hosted its 18th annual free Thanksgiving Day Dinner, with organizers deeming it “another success for fellowship, caring and sharing.”
More than 60 volunteers participated on Thanksgiving Day, with more than 20 taking part in early preparation, turkey carving and hall decorating two days previously.
Twenty-two turkeys were prepared.
Two hundred thirty-five “eat in” dinners were served for people who were alone or looking for a place to eat on an important American holiday.
Ninety-two people called ahead for a total of 362 prepared meals, 34 being delivered to 16 local households.
Many people also received coats, scarfs, hats, mittens and gloves, thanks to Steve Neiger and the St. Anthony Knights of Columbus council.
Parishioner Mike Casella started this tradition 18 years ago and continues to volunteer.
Sedalia
“Months of planning and hard work culminated in another successful St. Vincent de Paul Thanksgiving Dinner for those in need,” Father Joseph Corel, pastor, announced to the people of St. Vincent de Paul Parish of Pettis County.
“Our parishioners and school families came together to serve our community in a physical manifestation of God’s love,” he stated.
The volunteers prepared and served approximately 960 meals — about 810 meals being delivered to homes throughout Sedalia, and about 150 being picked up by people to take home.
Planning for the free meal began back in September, when Deacon Jerome and Jayne Connery and Deacon Arvol and Janet Bartok working with the school’s cafeteria manager Betsy Gerke to figure out quantities and order the food.
The confirmation candidates and the youth group baked more than 40 dozen cookies and also made cards on Sunday, Nov. 19, to go with each meal.
Volunteers started cooking turkeys on Monday, Nov. 20.
The following day, high school students from Sacred Heart School helped move the dry goods from storage to the kitchen at St. Patrick Chapel.
The school’s junior high girls’ basketball team assembled more than 1,000 bags, each containing two cookies and one slice of bread to go with a meal, on Wednesday, Nov. 22.
Thanksgiving Day got under way very early for the volunteers who arrived at 7 a.m. to make mashed potatoes, dressing, green beans and gravy and slice the cranberry sauce.
Volunteers to work the serving line arrived at about 9:30 a.m.
The people who stepped forward to deliver meals gathered in the hall at 10 a.m., many after attending Thanksgiving Day Mass upstairs in church.
Fr. Joseph Corel prayed over all the workers.
Volunteers began boxing up meals shortly thereafter — one line for delivery orders and another for pick-up orders.
The first delivery orders went out at 10:30 a.m., with the first walk-in orders being taken at 11.
All orders were completed by noon.
There were enough dinners left for all of the volunteers in the kitchen and serving lines to sit down and enjoy a Thanksgiving Day meal together.
“This was a huge effort with parish families and school families working together to make it happen,” said Jennifer Cordia, communications secretary for the parish and school. “We had tremendous financial support from the parish, and our school’s students even pitched in with a paid dress down day in October, to cover the cost of supplies.”
More than 2,500 cookies were donated by parishioners, school families, and school faculty to provide dessert with each meal.
Fr. Corel said the Thanksgiving Day Meal service project was a great opportunity for the people of the parish to share with those who are less fortunate the blessings of God.
“Over 150 volunteers, totaling hundreds of volunteer hours, made this endeavor possible,” he noted.
Jefferson City
This was the 15th year of free Thanksgiving Day meals at Immaculate Conception Parish in Jefferson City.
More than 200 volunteers prepared the meals, which included more than 1,000 pounds of turkey and donations from more than 300 people, the Jefferson City News-Tribune reported.
Volunteer Elaine Bryan told the News-Tribune reporter that the event was as popular among those hoping to serve as it was looking for a meal. She said the team usually has more helpers than it has jobs for them to do.
“People show up early in the morning and want to start working,” Ms. Bryan stated. “The community is just amazing as far as how many people want to volunteer, the desserts that are brought in, all the food that’s donated and all the money that’s donated.
“What makes this project so successful is actually taking the meals to the homes,” she said.
Both the meal and the service were a blessing, according to Jacqueline Huhman, who partook in both.
She told the News-Tribune that it was her second year serving, a tradition she’s carrying on in place of her late husband.
This year, she brought her son and daughter-in-law along from St. Louis to eat before taking their places amongst the other volunteers.
“It makes me feel good. And, of course, I’m very thankful for what I’ve got and to be able to help people,” she said. “I just think it’s a great opportunity, and the food is good.”
Most meals are delivered or picked up on-site and fewer than 100 people eat at the church.
Work started on Tuesday with the preparation of 50 turkeys. Once the baked turkeys cooled, they were broken down and refrigerated until Thursday, parishioner Mike Schnieders told the News-Tribune.
He and his wife Cindy started the meal 15 years ago and continue to coordinate it.
“Patricia Coleman makes fresh dinner rolls for all of the meals,” Mr. Schnieders said. “Even some cinnamon rolls for the volunteers. They are to die for — delicious! It’s been a labor of love for them, too, her children and their friends. She does that Wednesday very early in the morning.”
He said the holidays remind people of the Catholic Church’s mission.
“We at Immaculate Conception are God’s people,” he told the reporter. “God said to love each other and to take care of each other. That’s what we’re trying to teach our children. We take that seriously. Thanksgiving is a good time to do that.”
Contributing to this report were Bill Pauls in Camdenton, Jennifer Cordia in Sedalia, and Cameron Gerber and Joe Gamm with the Jefferson City News-Tribune.
