COMMUNITY ENJOYS THANKSGIVING MEAL
Event featured about 30 volunteers
More than a hundred community members of all ages gathered at the Veterans Memorial Building in downtown Santa Cruz Thursday afternoon for a complimentary Thanksgiving dinner featuring roasted turkey, mashed potatoes and all the fixings in a tradition of feeding the public that goes back more than 30 years.
“This community sometimes doesn't understand the condition of homelessness in our city, but it has such a great heart that on this day everybody gives everything that they have,” said longtime event volunteer and Santa Cruz resident Steve Pleich. “It makes it easy to organize this event because people are generous with their time, and with their donations. Being amongst the community that is so willing to give to people who need it makes it worthwhile to live in Santa Cruz.”
This year's free feast was organized by Veterans For Peace, the Veterans Memorial Building Board of Trustees and Friends of Thanksgiving. The meal was prepared by local chefs, with decorations made by a Girl Scouts troop and live entertainment provided by local lyricist Isaac Collins or “Lyrical I.”
“This event is so important because it brings a service to the people,” said Collins. “To be able to bring people together today is special, but we shouldn't forget that we are on Native American land and we should honor that.”
Community Television of Santa Cruz County producer and event volunteer Brian Shulman served as the official greeter for the event and was passing out socks to every attendee as they entered. Shulman pointed out that many of the volunteers helping at the community dinner, such as Pleich, give their time and energy to the community in other ways. For Shulman, giving back to the community is a gift in itself.
“Giving back is an important part of our lives,” said Shulman. “If we don't find a place to do that, then our lives aren't as balanced as they could be.”
“I joined the service so that all people could have freedom. But I had a good time too. I served in Europe for 10 years.” — Owen Maeda, Air Force veteran
Santa Cruz Veterans Memorial Building staff member and Marine veteran James Sclar was happy to see hungry community members filing in after preparing the hall for the event alongside the longtime organizers.
“It's a wonderful event,” said Sclar. “I'm a fellow vet and a lot of these guys are out here on the street every day and it's hard out there, so it's a great day because we can offer them a free meal, and to be in community. Everyone loves coming together to eat.”
Air Force veteran Owen Maeda was visiting Santa Cruz from Hawaii with his wife Natalie and daughter Sierra, and even though they were on vacation, the entire family came out to help distribute food Thursday afternoon. Maeda was swapping stories with other veterans as he handed out water bottles.
“I joined the service so that all people could have freedom,” said Maeda. “But I had a good time too. I served in Europe for 10 years.”
Santa Cruz resident Judy Moore, who earned the nickname “the Egg Lady” after providing hard-boiled eggs to the unhoused population in San Lorenzo Park during the pandemic, pointed out that being able to host a free community meal is a privilege with so many other people involved in conflicts across the globe.
“We are lucky here, at least for the time being, while there are wars going on and so many others starving in the world,” said Moore. “There are many wars going on and not just the ones we are paying attention to.”
Santa Cruz City Councilmember Sonja Brunner was also volunteering at the event and was busy going from table to table handing out innumerable pieces of pie to community members, whether strawberry, pumpkin or pecan.
“Before everyone came in, we cut the pies and put them out on trays,” said Brunner with a tray of pie slices in hand. “It's been great. Every year I try to help out somewhere because for me this is all about being in community and being of service.”