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Posted - 2019-12-02
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By Jenn Smith, The Berkshire Eagle
After a marathon of peeling, baking and brining, The Christian Center volunteers are ready to provide Thanksgiving dinner to hundreds of local residents on Thursday.
A Thanksgiving dinner, which is free and open to the public, will be shared at noon at the Christian Center, 193 Robbins Ave., continuing the annual tradition established by the late Rev. Willard H. Durant in the 1980s.
The Christian Center is just one of several community organizations in the Berkshires that convenes a holiday meal each November to those in need of sustenance or socialization.
The Guthrie Center, 2 Van Deusenville Road, Great Barrington, will also uphold its Thanksgiving dinner tradition, serving a free community meal from 1-4 p.m. Thursday. Reserve a spot by calling 413-528-1955 or email guthriecenter@gmail.com.
The First Congregational Church on Park Street in Adams will serve a free Thanksgiving dinner with turkey and ham, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, for up to 100 people.
While reservations have closed, the Berkshire Vegan Network will hold its 15th annual charitable "Living Thanksgiving Vegan Potluck Gathering" at 1 p.m. on Thursday at United Methodist Church of Lenox. This year, the proceeds ($7 for adults, $4 for children) will all benefit the Hay Fund of Maple Farm Sanctuary.
Living Hope Community Church, 45 River St., North Adams, will host a free turkey dinner starting at 5 p.m. Friday, and all are welcome.
Community Thanksgiving meals were also held earlier in the week. Meals on Wheels, churches and other volunteers delivered hundreds of prepared Thanksgiving meals to people who are homebound.
On Monday, Berkshire Food Project volunteers served up more than 400 meals at its annual community Thanksgiving celebration.
Inspired by the work of the group, A-OK Berkshire Barbeque co-owner Aaron Oster has been growing a mustache for the month of November and growing a campaign to raise awareness about hunger and the work of Berkshire Food Project. Supporters have helped him surpass his $4,000 GoFundMe goal, and now, as of Wednesday afternoon, he's $470 short of raising a new goal of $10,500 by Saturday. A-OK has also been successful in a "#FeedItForward campaign inviting customers to donate $13 to buy a meal for a person in need. According to a Nov. 17 Facebook post, the effort provided 35 meals in the first seven days of its campaign.
Berkshire South Regional Community Center on Tuesday held its annual Community Thanks Supper. Tommy Lee has served as chef for all 12 years of the event, according to the center's website.
Lee said taking part in the event has "given me a home at Berkshire South, a sense of belonging, and honestly, a greater community."
