PARKERSBURG - Various organizations and churches will continue the annual Thanksgiving Day tradition of providing a free meal to community members on the holiday.
Lt. Erik Henry, with the Parkersburg Salvation Army, said the organization will hold its annual free Thanksgiving Day Dinner beginning at noon on Thanksgiving Day. The event will run until the food runs out or the people run out, he said. The dinner is open to everyone.
In addition to serving in Parkersburg, the Salvation Army provides food for other areas in the Mid-Ohio Valley. On the day before the holiday, volunteers will cook food to be sent to Pleasants, Ritchie, Calhoun, Wirt and Jackson counties to be served at locations in those communities on Thanksgiving Day.
Over 200 volunteers are expected to participate in the program at the Salvation Army, doing everything from cooking to serving to cleaning, Henry said. There is always a need for more volunteers to deliver meals to shut-ins. Anyone interested in volunteering for service or for deliveries can contact the Salvation Army at 304-485-4529 and talk with Dawn Haught or Lt. Mechelle Henry.
Interested drivers can also show up on Thanksgiving Day between 11 a.m. and noon to pick up meals for delivery.
The 14th annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner will be held from noon-2 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day at Norwood United Methodist Church at the corner of Oakwood Avenue and Colegate Drive in Marietta.
The menu will include choice of ham or turkey, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans, roll and pumpkin pie. To reserve a dinner or to have a dinner delivered call the church at (740) 374-5606.
The dinner is free and available to any family or individual who wants to enjoy a hot traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Reservations and dinner delivery requests may also be emailed to norwoodumc23@att.net with the subject line "Turkey Dinner RSVP."
For more information or to donate money to help pay for food for the Norwood dinner, call the church at (740) 374-5606.
For its 26th year, the Cornerstone Ministries and Emergency Homeless Shelter will serve a free Thanksgiving dinner from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. which is open to everyone at the church on Ohio 7 in Reno.
Pastor Vonda Lee, Cornerstone's executive director, said people interested in volunteering or donating can contact Cornerstone at (740) 374-5381. People unable to attend the dinner can contact the same number to arrange for a meal delivery by Wednesday afternoon and leave a phone number, Lee added.
A free community Thanksgiving Day dinner will be served at noon Nov. 22 at the Waverly Volunteer Fire Department on West Virginia 2 North in Waverly.
The traditional Thanksgiving dinner will be served by Crossroads United Methodist Church. Everyone is welcome. The dinner will take the place of the free community lunch served by the church each month on the last Saturday of the month.
Parkersburg First Christian Church will also be offering a free community dinner at noon on Thanksgiving Day at the church at 1400 Washington Ave. in Parkersburg.
Fairlawn Baptist Church will sponsor a Community Thanksgiving Dinner from noon-2 p.m. Thursday at the church at the intersection of U.S. 50 and West Virginia 68 at the Ravenswood/Lubeck exit, south of Parkersburg.
The dinner is free and open to the community. The menu will consist of turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes/gravy, green beans, dessert and drink. As a courtesy to the kitchen staff, call the church office at 304-863-6782 so that they can make preparations.
In Vienna, Wayside United Methodist Church will hold a Community Thanksgiving Dinner from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day at the church at 30th Street and Grand Central Avenue.
In Williamstown, American Legion General George Post 159 began hosting its annual Community Free Thanksgiving Dinner in 2004 and the tradition has continued every year.
Volunteers from the Post, the Auxiliary, Sons of American Legion and the community share the "reason for the season" by preparing and serving the free Thanksgiving buffet that is open to all members of Post 159 and residents of Williamstown School District.
The meals are served from 1-4 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. Home deliveries and carry-out meals are available. Call 304-375-5997 after 3 p.m. on the Wednesday or Thursday prior to Thanksgiving to schedule either pick-up or delivery.
The meal is free. Anyone wishing to share Thanksgiving by donating food items or helping prep, serve or clean-up contact Post 159.
In Lowell, Lowell United Methodist Church will host a free Community Thanksgiving Dinner from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day at the church at Fourth and Market streets in Lowell. The meal will be served in the social hall which faces Market Street.
