The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Church hosts annual dinner
St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church at 320 Middle Ave. hosted their annual Thanksgiving Day dinner, continuing a tradition going back nearly a decade.
More than 100 volunteers helped prepare Thanksgiving dinner with all the traditional staples at the St. Mary’s Parish Hall.
Co-coordinator Jerry Schill said it is a tradition that began with his own children where they get up early beginning the gastronomic holiday preparing turkey.
“So my son and I get up every
year, it’s kind of a tradition. We got up at 2:30 a.m. and we were here by 3:00 a.m. and we put 181 pounds of turkey in the oven,” Schill said.
Angie Pluta, who was Co-Coordinator of the Thanksgiving Day dinner was thankful for the support of individuals who gave their time help out which included parishioners and members of the community. She added St. Mary’s also hosts holiday dinners on Christmas Day and Easter.
“Actually I don’t even know where all these volunteers came from. They just kept calling,” Pluta said.
In imparting some holiday wisdom, she encouraged people to be thankful and be blessed for what you do have.
Volunteers spent the morning in the kitchen preparing and delivering more than 100 meals for members of the community who could not make it out to a Thanksgiving meal, capturing the true spirit of the holiday.
“I really think this represents America’s true spirit. I mean everybody here giving their time for people that are less fortunate. You know how everyone says we’re going to feed the poor or the homeless, it’s really not about
the poor and the homeless. it’s about the lonely, the elderly that don’t really have anybody to share a holiday with or a warm smile with. It’s a great tradition and I’m very happy to be a part of it,” Schill said.
Despite the great turnout of volunteers and guests the endeavor did not end without a humorous controversy with organizers and volunteers in disagreement over how many years since the tradition began.
“So we were just fighting about it. They said over ten years but I think it’s like eight or nine,” Schill said. “The funny part is that this all started because my kids aggravated me.”
“I really think this represents America’s true spirit. I mean everybody here giving their time for people that are less fortunate. — Co-coordinator Jerry Schill