Church feeds almost 300 on Thanksgiving

Maiden Lane Church of God offers a Thanksgiving feast to about 300 people on Thursday.

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By Elaine Morris Roberts, Staff Writer Updated 10:02 AM Friday, November 27, 2009

SPRINGFIELD — The Wilson family has not eaten Thanksgiving dinner at home in more than a decade. And they don’t mind.

Instead, Tracy Wilson, her husband and four children have volunteered at Maiden Lane Church of God the past 12 years, serving Thanksgiving meals to other area families.

“I’d rather be here,” Wilson said, smiling as she worked in the kitchen preparing plates of food Thursday, Nov. 26.

And this year, the Wilson family added a new generation of volunteers — the first grandchild, a 10-month-old boy, was on-hand.

Thursday’s dinner was staffed by about 100 church-member volunteers, with 40 young people in charge of drinks, desserts and table decorations, according to Tamara Gabriel, one of the event’s organizers.

The church members worked together to prepare and serve 30 turkeys, about 100 pounds each of potatoes and stuffing, green beans, corn, about 1,000 dinner rolls and a variety of  desserts.

Most of the food was donated, Gabriel said, with turkeys and desserts coming from church members. Other food items came from local caterers, grocery stores and restaurants.

Doors opened at noon for what was supposed to be a one-hour run, but at 1:20, there were still families coming in and nearly 300 plates had been filled.

“No one will be turned away. We’ll keep serving as long as we have food,” Gabriel said.

Among the later arrivals were Corey Criss and Heather Bluma and their 7-year-old son, Jayden Bluma, a family that moved here two months ago from Chicago.

Criss, a barber, said a client told him about Maiden Lane, so he came for a tour a few weeks ago in search of a church home.

“Everything fell into place. ... This is a good place and we’re getting a good meal,” he said. “We were looking for a church because you need that to have balance.”

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0371 or elroberts@coxohio.com.

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