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Thanksgiving dinner took place for 35th year Thursday
"These are the pies?" one volunteer asks another while rummaging through the boxes in the fridge of the Newman Center.
"I think so," another volunteer replies.
"And this box is the rolls?" she asks.
"Yeah," she yells from the opposite side of the crowded space where volunteers scurried to prepare the annual Thanksgiving dinner.
What was not confirmed from one volunteer to another was written in messages that hung around the small area where the meal was prepared. Messages telling volunteers not to throw away pie tins, among other brief reminders, were typed and posted around the room.
And even messages that were not spoken or typed that day were understood by those who volunteered that day, including the fact there would be plenty of work for even those who temporarily waited to be given a job.
The hectic scene was that of the 35th annual Thanksgiving dinner, which took place Thursday from noon to 2 p.m. at the Newman Center. The dinner was preceded by a small service in a room of the center, which some local residents such as Randy Tran came with his family to attend.
Most attendants, such as Carole Smith, who said the meal "made a good holiday," came mainly for the dinner, which catered to more than 700 local residents and students still in town over break.
"It's a great sense of community," said Dominice Eining, a Chicago resident who has been attending the dinner for the past seven years with her family. "We come down here every year when we're down here from Chicago. It just gives you a sense of what Thanksgiving is about and a chance to share blessings with others."
Most of the dozens of volunteers who came to assist with preparation wandered in sporadically throughout the afternoon, while many came before 6 a.m. Planning for the service began as early as September, with actually preparation of food, including 60 donated turkeys, starting at the beginning of the week.
Linda Brayfield, a meal coordinator for the dinner, has helped with the event for 25 years. She admitted to not being a "morning person," but was able to get out of bed at 4:30 on Thursday morning to help organize the dinner, which she believes to be an important tradition for many in the area.
"Rather than seeing people have to sit around by themselves on the holiday, we'd rather them come in and eat with us," Brayfield said. "Even people who work full time and may need a little R and R should come in to have a meal with people in the community; students, community members, old and young, people from all walks of life are welcome."
Diversity was shown not only in attendants, but also in volunteers. Younger and older residents of Carbondale and surrounding areas came to the church to take on the responsibilities of preparing a meal for hundreds of attendants.
Jolecia Flourney, a student at Carbondale Community High School, and her two friends came in around 11 a.m. to help with preparation. Though the organization she planned to volunteer with was unable to participate, Flourney still decided to come and help out.
Flourney and other volunteers took on various responsibilities including arranging trays, setting out food and even delivering meals to ill and older citizens unable to attend.
Chuck Elliot, who has attended the dinner for the past 20 years, said it has become a tradition for him and his wife, Julie. He said that in addition to the social aspect the meal gives, he is thankful for the efforts of providers, who delivered a Thanksgiving meal to his house one year when he was ill.
Even those who have not attended the dinner for 20 years such as Elliot and those who have not helped to organize the event for 25 years such as Brayfield realize the significance of the dinner in the community.
After one year of helping with the dinner, Mylinn and Emily, both 9, pleaded to help again this year.
"It's really good food, and the people who serve and cook really care and take an interest in the people," a relative of the girls said. "They really make you feel at home, and you don't have to clean up the mess."
