Thanksgiving Day over 600 people received a warm meal for the holiday. None of this could have occurred if not for the generosity of the community of Frankfort. Approximately 575 meals were delivered to residents in their homes and 25 were picked up at the Neighborhood Center.
A committee made up of volunteers organizes and executes the meal with ease. The same committee has been in place for five years and each year, the process becomes more smooth. Preparing the meal is no small undertaking and involves planning months in advance. The actual preparation for the meal begins the day before and includes a team of volunteers executing as much prep work as possible. Nine hundred pieces of pie were cut and packaged the day before the meal. This allows the day of the meal to run smoothly and also allows for any last minute emergencies to be fixed.
Fundraising begins a month before the meal takes place and donations are accepted up until the day of the meal. Schultz IGA prepared 300 pounds of Turkey and 200 pounds of ham. NHK contributed to covering the cost of the meat. Clinton House covered the cost of most of the food and pies. Goodwin’s funeral home donated the rolls. Pepe’s donated the meal containers. Angry Donkey graciously fed our volunteers on Wednesday. This meal could not be possible without donations from our community.
And the meal could not be executed without volunteers. Approximately 55 people volunteered their time to prepare, package and deliver the meals. And who could forget about the set up and clean up? The list of tasks involved is long and volunteers are organized based upon need and availability. The person who bags the trash is just as important as the person serving on the line. Attitudes are always positive and very giving.
A delivery driver received the kindest note today.
“Thank you so much for the great thing you do for all of us old (94) people. Keep up the good work.” This is why the meal is so important to the community.
According to Daisy Shoemaker, a committee member, “Our goal is for everyone to have a warm meal for the holiday. The community of Frankfort provides for this meal and blesses their own residents. Many donations or acts of kindness occur and public recognition does not always occur. We want you to know that we see you, we appreciate you, and we are blessed because of you. And for this, we are forever thankful to be a part of the community of Frankfort.”
Photos and slide show video by Erick Dircks can be seen in links below