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Volunteers make sure nobody goes hungry
Published November 27, 2009
ALVIN — Steam rose from disposabe plates straining under the weight of dinner, and the comfort-food aroma of buttered mashed potatoes hung heavily in the air.
The doors at the Alvin Community Center on Thursday were never closed for long as hundreds of people reconnected with loved ones, made new friends and talked football at the Alvin Community Thanksgiving. For many, it was the meal they otherwise would not have.
“I just thank God for this opportunity, because a lot of people really can’t afford it,” Kelly Garrison said while enjoying a plate of turkey and mashed potatoes. “At least they’re having a hot Thanksgiving meal. And I thank God that I could come, too, because it would be too much of a hassle at my age, 77.”
The more than 500 people expected to partake in the meal were not the only ones who would benefit from the dinner. The dozens of volunteers serving turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans and myriad desserts took home a feeling of satisfaction like no other.
“It’s a double-edged sword, it really is,” said Madonna Ballard, who organizes the event. “It’s good food and community for the people, but the volunteers have fun, too.”
But Alvin was not the only place where people shared in the Thanksgiving spirit. Volunteers across Brazoria County worked hard to make sure no one went hungry.
In Angleton, more than 400 people were expected to get a hearty meal at the annual First United Methodist Church Thanksgiving dinner. Meanwhile, the Freedom House in Oyster Creek had prepared enough food for 500 people.
Some people were unable to leave their homes because of disability, but they were not left out. Brazosport’s Home Delivered Meals, whose volunteers deliver steaming plates of food to people, had them covered.
“Home Delivered Meals delivers meals almost every day of the year, but it’s particularly important on days like Thanksgiving and Christmas because a lot of people that we touch don’t get any other contact,” organization President Dan Tarver said. “It’s not just the nutrition that we deliver, it’s the spirit and the compassion that we deliver, as well.”
The organization planned to reach 45 people for Thanksgiving throughout the Clute, Freeport and Lake Jackson areas.
“How do you turn somebody away that’s hungry?” Tarver said.
Alvin resident Daniel Flores came to enjoy a meal with his parents at the Alvin dinner. Flores, a first-time attendee, was surprised.
“This is a great thing,” he said. “It’s a great to talk and meet people, just like the pilgrims and the Indians did at the first Thanksgiving.”
Nathaniel Lukefahr is a reporter for The Facts. Contact him at 979-237-0151.
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