Thanksgiving will not be stopped by COVID. The Tri-Area Community Meals Team will have hot meals available for pickup. Count on the same wonderful turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, cranberry sauce and roll they been serving up every year to people wanting a little community on this holiday. Instead of a busy dining room inside, they will be handing out the meals from tents erected outside the Tri-Area Community Center. Reservations are required.
They will be serving from noon until 2 p.m. on Thanksgiving day. Deliveries are available for the homebound or those without transportation.
“We won’t need as many volunteers as in the past since we won’t be serving food or cleaning tables, etc.,” says Rita Hubbard, one of the organizers. “We’ll need volunteers on Wednesday late afternoon/evening to peel and cut potatoes, open cans of sauce, package cookies, etc. Thursday will be for serving only. Food handlers cards are not required but would be appreciated – those of us in the kitchen have cards.”
To make a reservation to pick up a Thanksgiving meal, or to arrange delivery, call 360-379-4228. Follow the recorded instructions, leave a message and the Tri-Area Community Meals Team will call back to confirm details.
Sponsors of this year’s Thanksgiving meal include First Security Bank, Jefferson Healthcare, OlyCap, GBF (“God Bless Food”) Catering, Hadlock Building Supply, and the East Jefferson Rotary Club.
“I found out we have 30 residents at the homeless shelter at the American Legion,” says Hubbard, “and was told there are at least 70 people in tents and cars at the fairgrounds – this includes children. I’m not sure yet how we’re going to get food out there – if it’s requested – but we’re working on it.”
More details and contact information is available at the group’s Facebook page, linked here.
My wife and I are hoping to again join in as volunteers. We will terribly miss that bustling dining room and music from Chicago Bob and friend. Here’s our story from last year. And here is the flyer for this year:
Jim Scarantino was the editor and founder of Port Townsend Free Press. He is happy in his new role as just a contributor writing on topics of concern to him. He spent the first 25 years of his professional life as a trial attorney, then launched an online investigative news website that broke several national stories. He is also the author of three crime novels. He resides in Jefferson County. See our "About" page for more information.
Thank you for sharing this information! We will miss the social contact and visiting but happy we can feed a meal!