Thanksgiving meal is for all

Share-A-Meal coordinator Jeannie Volpe and delivery coordinator Joe Halker go over their list of people who asked that their Thanksgiving dinner be delivered, matching up the requests with the route.

She said, “This event is not for indigent people. It is for anybody who would like to share a Thanksgiving meal.

“I especially want our elderly people and people with small families to come. I want them to know they are welcome,” she said.

Share-A-Meal is seven years old, and they have been handling it the past five years.

While Thanksgiving is Thursday Volpe’s thoughts are also on the Christmas Eve meal they plan to do for the first time. She believes volunteers will be hard to get to work on Christmas Eve.

They still need volunteers for the Thanksgiving meal at the McDonald Family Life Center at First United Methodist Church in Roanoke.

The menu will be turkey, dressing (prepared by Gedney’s), cranberry sauce, corn, green beans, a roll and pound cake.

Community Life Church Men’s Group will smoke the turkeys. Area churches and individuals will provide pound cake. More are needed. They can be dropped off Wednesday from 9 a.m to 5 p.m. at the McDonald Family Life Center.

Halker said he cannot leave until one guy in Milltown gets his meal delivered.

“I just like helping the community out. She (Volpe) has family. I have a daughter but I like doing it,” he said.

“It won’t be the holiday if I didn’t do it,” Volpe said.

No donations are accepted on Thanksgiving.

She said the people who receive the meal are incredibly grateful. Some are elderly citizens who can no longer cook a large meal. Also, they are happy to see a smiling face on a holiday.

From 8 a.m. to noon on Thanksgiving they will do food prep; from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. they will box the meals to be delivered from 10:30 a.m. until noon. Those eating at the church will receive their meals beginning at noon. From 1 to 3 p.m. they will be cleaning up at the church.

Halker said, “I love doing it. I enjoy doing it. Last year I didn’t get a plate.”

Volpe said “A lot of people show up because they want to be the hands and feet of Christ in their community.”

Various churches are participating to prepare the meal. Donations have come in from area churches, individuals, and businesses.

Drivers and clean-up volunteers are really needed, she said.

Looking ahead, she stressed volunteers are really needed for Christmas Eve and they can call her at 863-5433 after Thanksgiving or sign up on Thanksgiving at the church.