November 23, 2006

By Virgil Hervey

The third annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner will take place in Westminster Hall at the First Presbyterian Church of Yellow Springs between 1 and 3 p.m. this Thursday, Thanksgiving Day. The event, which is sponsored by the Yellow Springs Interfaith Council (IFC), was originally conceived as a way to bring the community together, according to Angie Schenck, pastor of the Presbyterian Church.

There is no charge to attend the dinner and all of the community is invited. Antioch students are also welcome. Guests do not need to bring any food with them.

The idea for a community Thanksgiving was sparked when the Unitarians borrowed some chairs from the Presbyterians in the early spring of 2004, Schenck said. When Chris Kintner came to return the chairs, he and others talked about starting a joint ministry, and out of that conversation grew the Interfaith Council.

Kintner and Joan Chappelle were especially enthusiastic about holding a Thanksgiving dinner, Schenck said at a recent interview.

“The Unitarians pushed for that to be the first thing to do to bring the community together,” she said.

The Presbyterian Church, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Society of Friends, Bahá’í faith, Dharma Center, St. Paul Catholic Church, and Grandmother Drum Healing Circle all send liaisons to the IFC and help with the dinner, according to Dayna Foster, the point person for this year’s event. The Odd Fellows have also supported the dinner, and advertising space in last week’s News was paid for by Jackson Lytle Williams Maley Funeral Home, she said.

Traditional responsibilities for the dinner already seem to be developing, Foster said. For instance, the Unitarians provide five turkeys, which they order from Tom’s Market.

“They actually have a budget for it,” Foster said.

All of the IFC members post sign-up sheets on which their members can volunteer to set up, serve, wash dishes, clean up and provide salads, desserts, and traditional Thanksgiving side dishes. Cleaning up is a combination of “clean as you go,” putting the tables away, and sweeping up, with some of the last dinner guests chipping in, Foster said. They stop serving at 3 and are out by 4 p.m.

In an effort to balance the menu, Foster gets feedback from the organizations’ sign-up sheets.

“The first year we ran out of mashed potatoes,” she said. “The next year we had too much.”

One year, in an effort to provide a meat-free alternative, they served “tofurkey” (tofu turkey), but, according to Schenck, who has provided a turkey of her own each year, that didn’t go over too well. This year the vegetarian and vegan alternatives will include a vegetarian turkey roast and seitan, a wheat gluten meat alternative for vegans.

In addition to mashed potatoes, side dishes may include dressing, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, Jello salad, cranberry sauce, and a variety of vegetables. And diners can expect to see plenty of pies for dessert.

“People tend to bring things that are traditional to their family at Thanksgiving,” Schenck said.

IFC members decided to hold the dinner at the Presbyterian Church because they believed it has the best kitchen, Foster said. They also felt that the meal should be served on real dishes, which the Presbyterians provide, while the Odd Fellows provide chafing dishes to keep the food warm.

Guests are invited to take leftovers or takeout dinners, especially for the village’s shut-ins, and takeout boxes are provided.

“Meals on Wheels doesn’t deliver on Thanksgiving,” Schenck said.

The event also includes background music and board games to add to the festive atmosphere and encourage villagers to stay after they have dined. In the past Mitzie Manny has played piano and everyone is welcome to bring instruments to play, Schenck said.

As envisioned, the Community Thanksgiving dinner is rapidly becoming a tradition in the village and is growing every year.

“The first year we served 96 guests, and the second we had 120,” Schenck said.

Contact: vhervey@ysnews.com