Community Thankgsgiving meal has become an annual tradition

What started as a project designed to bring youth in the community’s church together has evolved into a 24-year tradition — one that will continue Thursday, Nov. 24, as Glencoe hosts its annual community Thanksgiving meal at First Congregational Church of Christ.
Barb Magnuson, who has volunteered with the annual event since it started in 1992, said the program started with George and Donna Pavelek, who brought the idea with them when they moved to Glencoe.
A youth group called ROCK (Reaching Our Community’s Kids) was formed, and one of its first undertakings was the community Thanksgiving meal.
The group fell to the wayside, but the basic framework continued, as did the annual meal. The churches in the area ministerial association continue to coordinate the meal, and the churches’ youth continue to help. In fact, the youth do all the cooking (under adult supervision, of course).
But it is for more than just young folks, Magnuson said.
“It’s a service for anyone, people from all walks of life,” she said, including the elderly, the lonely, those away from family and, indeed, whole families.
Magnuson said there have been elderly people who either don’t have room to host family or the ability to cook a large meal, who will reserve a table for up to 10 people so that they can host their families.
One year, a woman with cancer brought together her whole family for one last Thanksgiving meal.
“She was so excited to have her whole family there, and so proud that she was able to arrange that,” said Magnuson.

Read the full story in the Nov. 16 edition of The McLeod County Chronicle.