Huron County View

Serving up a tradition of generosity

Nearly 300 attend annual Thanksgiving dinner



The annual Thanksgiving Blessing Dinner was a huge success this year, with 275 people enjoying the free meal and fellowship. Photo by Seth Stapleton

The annual Thanksgiving Blessing Dinner was a huge success this year, with 275 people enjoying the free meal and fellowship. Photo by Seth Stapleton

BAD AXE – Thirty years ago, a handful of people gathered for dinner at the Army Reserve Center, in Bad Axe, around Thanksgiving.

The small gathering was put on by the Bad Axe Jaycees for those who were alone for the holiday, unable to cook for themselves, were experiencing health issues or simply wanted to share in fellowship with others.

Last Thursday, 275 people came together at St. Hubert Parish’s Oswald Hall for the 30th Annual Thanksgiving Blessing Dinner. It is now an event an entire community looks forward to each year.

“We started very small,” said organizer

Lorraine Keller. “We would never had thought it would still be going after 30 years.”

Keller was part of the original group of Jaycees that helped put on that first Thanksgiving dinner. When the Jaycees disbanded, a core group of volunteers refused to let it go. So, they created the Community Cooks and kept things moving forward.

Tables were full of people who came for the much-anticipated Thanksgiving dinner. Photo by Seth Stapleton

Tables were full of people who came for the much-anticipated Thanksgiving dinner. Photo by Seth Stapleton

To this day, there are still around 10 former Jaycees who take part in making the free dinner a reality.

“Once the Jaycees disbanded, we wanted to continue the project, because it was such a wonderful thing,” Keller said.

A mere two turkeys were needed to serve around 30 people the first year. Thursday’s dinner involved some 12 turkeys, 100 pounds of homemade potatoes and all the fixings. It is made possible with help from the church, discounts from local businesses, individual donations – and plenty of volunteer hours.

Keller said it takes around 30 volunteers of all ages to help make things happen. Some arrive at 6 a.m. and stay until 7:30 p.m. at night, until everyone has left and things are cleaned up.

“Everybody has their job and we all know what to do,” Keller said. “We always find a way to make things work.”

Keller said about 90 people came to this year’s dinner from area nursing homes. She said it gets them out and gives them something to look forward to.

Guests packed St. Hubert Parish’s Oswald Hall for the 30th installment of the Thanksgiving Blessing Dinner. Photo by Seth Stapleton

Guests packed St. Hubert Parish’s Oswald Hall for the 30th installment of the Thanksgiving Blessing Dinner. Photo by Seth Stapleton

“A lot of people have told us ‘We wouldn’t have a Thanksgiving dinner if it weren’t for you,’” Keller said.

It’s a tradition that keeps everyone coming back.

“Not only coming is a tradition, the food is a tradition, the people that are there are a tradition,” Keller said. “It’s a good holiday, family time. We are our own set of family.”