Washington County Career Center students and Marietta High School seniors, from left, Maddy Luke, Riley Allen and Joey Roberts enjoy the center’s annual Thanksgiving Luncheon Wednesday afternoon. (Photo by Michelle Dillon)

MARIETTA – The Washington County Career Center community gathered together Wednesday to celebrate the annual Thanksgiving Luncheon.

The luncheon has been held for more than 20 years, according to Career Center Marketing and Events Coordinator Penny Jenkins, and it was started by former Career Center Superintendent Dennis Blatt with the idea of sitting down for a meal family-style as one big family.

“Here at the career center we tell the kids we’re one big family,” she said.

The career center expected to serve 500-550 adult technical program and high school students and staff turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, green beans, rolls, butter and apple and pumpkin pie, according to Jenkins.

The career center’s food service provider, AVI Foodsystems, made over 400 pounds of turkey for the luncheon, according to Jenkins. They also made 600 servings of the mashed potatoes and green beans, according to AVI Foodsystems Resident Director Jeff Harrison, and it took three days to make all the food.

Washington County Career Center Marketing and Events Coordinator Penny Jenkins stops by a table to see if students need any more food during the center’s annual Thanksgiving Luncheon Wednesday afternoon. Administrators and staff helped serve students by brining more food to tables. (Photo by MIchelle Dillon)

The Washington County Joint Vocational School District Board of Education pays for the meal every year, Jenksins said, and students eat for free.

Career Center Superintendent Tony Huffman said it is fortunate the center can hold the luncheon every year.

“We know some of our students might not get to partake in a traditional Thanksgiving meal” due to financial hardships, he said, and the luncheon is a way for everyone to get to be part of a traditional Thanksgiving meal.

Every year the center sends leftovers from the meal home with residents and gives some to domestic violence center EVE Inc., according to Career Center Secondary Director Mike Elliott.

“The career center ensures every one of our students receives an awesome Thanksgiving meal … no one goes hungry today,” Elliott said.

Students and staff at the Washington County Career Center enjoy a holiday meal Wednesday afternoon at the center’s annual Thanksgiving Luncheon. (Photo by Michelle Dillon)

Student council members helped set the tables and get the bowls of food on tables and administrators and staff helped bring more food to the tables, according to Jenkins.

Career Center Student Council President and Fort Frye senior Taylor Hendershot gave the blessing for the meal. She has helped with the luncheon since last year, according to her, and she likes that it gives her a chance to talk with her friends and meet new people.

“I Like it’s just a big family gathering, basically, where all the students come together,” Hendershot said.

Hendershot being a senior means she will not be at the meal next year.

“I am going to miss this a lot,” she said.

Students and staff at the Washington County Career Center enjoy a holiday meal Wednesday afternoon at the center’s annual Thanksgiving Luncheon. (Photo by Michelle Dillon)

Career Center student and Marietta High School senior Maddy Luke was at the luncheon Wednesday, enjoying her favorite item at the meal, stuffing. She said what she loves about the luncheon is “having all her friends” around.

Hendershot’s classmate, Marietta High School senior Joey Roberts, was also enjoying the luncheon Wednesday and he felt the pie was the best part of the meal. He said he really liked the apple pie and “already had two pieces and I’m saving room for pumpkin.”

Roberts also likes the luncheon because of the people.

“I like the togetherness,” he said.

Michelle Dillon can be reached at mdillon@newsandsentinel.com