Giving thanks together

OF GOOD REPORT
by Terri Winder
When Carol Brown and her mother, Carol Harris, first moved to Blanding about ten years ago, they fell in love with the community.
However—as many newcomers do, they quickly discovered that Blanding is quite family oriented and that tends to leave people without close relatives looking for a connection, especially during the holidays.
The two women came from Cortez, where they were familiar with that town’s annual Community Christmas dinner.
After several years of consideration, Carol Brown decided she wanted to try having a Community Thanksgiving Dinner in Blanding.
This week marks the fifth running year of her much appreciated annual event.
“The first year, most of the turkeys—about ten—were donated by the Baptist Church,” Carol remembers. “Pastor Romero, from the Assembly of God Church, was in charge of carving them.
“I peeked in the kitchen at one point and found the Baptist minister and a Mormon Bishop in there helping him. They were all laughing and having a great time.”
The dinner is held in the Blanding Arts and Events Center to stress the fact that it is non-denominational; however, sign-up sheets are passed around to church congregations for weeks before the event, asking for homemade rolls, pies, and other traditional Thanksgiving dishes.
Volunteer workers also come and help. Carol reports that the first year, all the men and boys from a local extended family came and helped while their women were home fixing their own feast. When the group of males was done at the center they went home to eat with their family.
For the past four years Robert Ogle and the Dave Seiter family have been the mainstay volunteers. Robert is the “clean-up guy”, start to finish. Dave, his wife, Tracy, and their children have helped set-up, decorate, greet, serve and then clean up. They will return again this year.
The crowd has gradually increased each year. It includes students who can’t go home for Thanksgiving, singles, couples and families—often single mothers with children.
A few of the guests are needy, but most of the participants simply need company on this special holiday. Last year they served about 200 people and still had leftovers, which went to the local Gentle Ironhawk Women’s Shelter.
“I do this because it’s so much fun,” Carol says. “Every year I meet new people.”
And then she adds, “Come and enjoy it with us!”