Community Thanksgiving meal turns 32
The annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner returns to Union County residents for its 32nd year and is set to bring back dine-in services for the first time in six years.
From 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, the community dinner will serve free, hot meals available to anyone in the county through carry-out, delivery and dine-in at the Cornerstone Global Methodist Church, 207 S. Main St.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic knocked out dine-in services in 2020, Julie Whipple, volunteer and chairwoman of the Community Thanksgiving Dinner, said the group has received enough support to bring it back for people who may not have any place to go on Thanksgiving.
“Everybody has a place to go and a hot meal to eat and people to sit with and talk to,” Whipple said. “Having that common denominator of just being a member of our community is important in building relationships.”
Speaking on building relationships in the community, Whipple said the dinner, which is organized by an interdenominational group from different local churches, has strong ties with local businesses who help provide everything from bags for the meals to refrigerators to store the hundreds of pounds of ham until it can be cooked.
“There are some people that have their businesses, they’ll just shut down for the morning and they’ll come over and they’ll help carve the meat or make the potatoes…and that’s really cool too,” Whipple said.
Whipple explained that the Thanksgiving dinner is truly a community effort as volunteers from all over the area come to help and serve in many different roles. For example, Whipple said that a teacher at Northwood Elementary School has her students make some Thanksgiving cards that go with delivered meals, which has been an annual practice for her classroom for years.
“It takes a village,” Whipple said.
Last year, the Community Thanksgiving Dinner provided 676 meals by delivery to people all across the county.
“I thought it went so smooth,” said Whipple. “We have refined our process.”
The group always makes sure to save enough money in donations to fund the meal for the following year.
Whipple said that last year the group had plenty of donations to go toward this year’s meal and were able to give a lot to the Hope Center, who will also receive the leftover meals this year.
Volunteer drivers for the community dinner will make a delivery to anywhere in the county.
“If it is in Union County we can go,” Whipple said. “Richwood, Milford (Center), Plain City, Raymond, all of Marysville (and) clear up to Byhalia…just wherever.”
Included in the meals is a ham dinner with scalloped potatoes, green beans, applesauce, dinner roll, sweet potatoes and dessert. Those interested in requesting a free home delivery order can call (937)-738-1375 or fill out an online request form at CTDmarysville.com. Meals are available to all residents in Union County and the deadline to order is Wednesday, Nov. 26. Whipple said there are a few volunteer spots still to fill in positions of need. To volunteer, visit the website. Donations to the organization are also welcome and can be mailed to PO Box 173, Marysville, OH 43040.
