Giving thanks

Summerside church offers free Thanksgiving dinner

The Summerside Church of the Nazarene served the community a Thanksgiving feast on Monday.

For many it was a Thanksgiving blessing, as the Summerside Church of the Nazarene served a community feast on Monday.

“It’s the first Thanksgiving dinner for our community that we’re putting on, and we hope it will be an annual event,” said Eddie Rossiter, the church’s pastor.

Congregation members were kept on their toes, voluntarily, as they served many hungry Islanders a traditional feast of turkey and ham, with all the trimmings, along with vegetables and salad, plus pumpkin pie, lemon meringue and other desserts. Members of the church donated all the food and drinks. “Thanksgiving is a time to be with friends, family, and the community, as well as pause and remember all the good things that we have, and that God has blessed us with,” said Rossiter.

“It’s easy in our world to focus on the problems and issues we go through, but this is a good weekend to remember that there are good things too,” he added.

Elizabeth DesRoches, who helped scoop desserts on plates with Cindy Mendoza, noted how it was a full house.

“We’re very pleased to see all different people from the community coming and sharing Thanksgiving with us. And we are so pleased that we have such a great turnout,” she said. The Thanksgiving dinner kicked off at 5 p.m. and continued until the food ran out.

DESIREE ANSTEY/JOURNAL PIONEER Summerside Church of the Nazarene welcomed people from all walks of life to sit down and have a warm meal with company.

DESIREE ANSTEY/JOURNAL PIONEER Elizabeth DesRoches, left, volunteers her Thanksgiving Monday serving the community with Cindy Mendoza. “Thanksgiving is family, friends, and doing for others,” DesRoches said.