In 1996 Central Christian Church saw a need in the community to serve Thanksgiving dinner to those without a place to go.
This year they’re preparing for their 23rd annual Thanksgiving dinner.
While people are finishing their menu and shopping for Thanksgiving, the Central Christian Church in Mt Vernon is spending the week preparing hundreds of turkey’s and gallons of sides.
For the last 23 years Steve Reynolds spends this week directing around 200 volunteers through the process of preparing a meal for a lot of people.
“We’re estimating about 2000.”
Reynolds says the church also provides more than a meal and fellowship at Thanksgiving.
“We also have a very large selection of coats and sweaters things like that people can take if they need a coat or sweater.”
This generosity inspired a couple of other churches in Centralia and Carlyle.
Spreading the knowledge of how to schedule and prepare large meal like this is in other communities a big compliment to Reynolds.
“They came down and helped us one year, they came back and said hey will you teach us how to do it.”
Reynolds says they want everyone to feel welcome and at home during Thanksgiving.
“I want them to have a meal just like they would have with their family and so we take a lot of pride in the meal and how its prepared.”
The meal is being served from 11 to 1pm and delivery requests are excepted through Wednesday afternoon.
For WSIU I’m Benjy Jeffords.
