Volunteers, diners combine for annual community dinner

WASILLA — Volunteers and hungry folks gathered Thursday afternoon to chow down on turkey and give thanks.

Organizers planned for this year’s edition of Frontline Mission’s annual community dinner to draw about 700 people, after about 500 people showed up last year. About 150 community volunteers spent three days cooking more than 40 turkeys and 19 hams trimmed with mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy salad, and pie after six months of planning.

The food came from the community and local businesses. Other businesses, like Mr. Taxi, donated rides for those who could not drive, for example.

The dinner is intended to help the less fortunate, but it’s also meant for anyone in need of a hot meal — like those without family — or other more practical concerns, said Don Houk.

“There’s a lady who’s working today,” he said. “She gets off at two o’clock in the afternoon. No time to cook dinner for her and her son. She’s planning on coming here. That’s the whole idea, just her and her son.”

The community meal (which is similar to the Wasilla community Christmas dinner, which last year expanded from Wasilla High School to the Menard Center), moved to a new location at Wasilla High School this year after growing beyond the capacity of the Wasilla Lake Church of the Nazarene, where it was held in previous years, Houk said.

“Really what it is, is outreach for the community. We just want to touch base with the community, really,” he said.

Some of the volunteers came from church groups. Others came through Frontline. At least one came via the internet, said the Rev. Manoj Ingle.

“Some are not even attached to anybody, they’re just from the community,” he said. “One volunteer came, and he said ‘Oh, I want to volunteer somewhere,’ and he just Googled.”

Some participants said the price of the traditional Thanksgiving meal was simply too high, like Audrey Jacques, who along with daughter Laura Jacques, granddaughter Luna Thompson, and other family members, ate heartily Wednesday evening.

“It’s just costing too much to make this big meal for the whole family,” she said. “So in order to have the traditional meal, we decided to come here.”

Maridie Olson and her husband Marvin munched turkey and salad. The meal was an invaluable opportunity to socialize for a couple whose children had left home, Maridie said.

“We don’t have any family up here,” she said. “We’ve had Thanksgiving all by ourselves, and it’s awful.”

Maridie didn’t know what Frontline Mission was when she spotted a flyer for the community dinner at the Noisy Goose Café. The big draw was the chance to spend the holiday with others.

“The food is wonderful, we’re happy to have the food, but the fellowship, to be out with people is such a blessing,” she said. “I think it’s fantastic.”

Volunteer Mike Baldwin spared what time he could — in between trips from the Wasilla High School kitchen window to the tables balancing polished silver trays of — to answer questions. He connected with Frontline last year, and decided to do it again this year, alongside members of his family. He said he was thankful just to wake up in the morning, but said the answer wasn’t intended to be grim.

“Be thankful for every day,” he said. “You’re not guaranteed tomorrow.”

Contact reporter Brian O’Connor at 352-2270, brian.oconnor@frontiersman.com, or on Twitter @reporterbriano.