Fewer people than expected turn out for free dinners

Fewer people than expected turned out for free Thanksgiving Day dinners offered by community businesses and the Calvary Baptist Church, but those sponsoring the meals plan to repeat the events again next year.

Pastor Dave Deputy said more than 100 people were served full turkey banquets by 15 to 20 volunteers, including several who were not members of the congregation, but who simply wanted to contribute to the effort.

The church delivered fully cooked meals to about 50 homes of people who were ill or unable to travel to the church, Deputy said. The others, including people passing through town for the day and those who had nowhere else to go or few family members to gather with, were served at the church at 2107 Third St.

 And many stayed to enjoy each other’s company playing games during the afternoon. Bananagrams, a board game similar to Scrabble, was especially popular with the group, Deputy said.

McDonald’s served free breakfast to about 130 seniors and veterans between 6 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day, said Joe Griffith, assistant manager. The Baker City restaurant began the tradition about 15 years ago, Griffith said.

Another 60 people gathered at the Basche-Sage Place on Thanksgiving Day to partake of a turkey noodle soup dinner provided by Charlie’s Ice Cream Parlor.

“It went off without a hitch,” Owner John Osborn said of the meal.

Students from the Baker Middle School Leadership Class proved invaluable in making the meal a success, he said. The students joined with Osborn’s staff of four to serve those who showed up for the dinner.

In addition to the turkey noodle soup, diners enjoyed a green salad, pumpkin cake and pumpkin pie, cinnamon rolls and drinks.

Thanks to the generosity of the community, which contributed food and cash, there is money leftover from the event. Osborn said he plans to donate the extra to the Baker Elks Lodge for use in filling its holiday food baskets.

Osborn said he’d thought about offering a free Thanksgiving meal for several months before announcing his plans.

“The way the economy is, I thought maybe it was something Baker City needed,” he said. “I didn’t have anybody tell me I was crazy — one guy told me that was a given.”

A wide range of people of all ages and circumstance came for the meal and the companionship, Osborn said.

“I was kind of pleased with it,” he added. “We’ll do it again.”

Another 20 people were served a complete Thanksgiving Day dinner at Porchibee’s Grill at 975 Campbell St., said Brian Kausler, co-owner with Shane Smith.

Kausler said he and Smith were disappointed in the low turnout because of their eagerness to give back to the community.

“This community has just been very supportive of us and business is going really well,” Kausler said.

The men prepared four turkeys for the Thanksgiving Day giveaway, and had one employee and three volunteers on hand to serve those who came by for dinner.

“We had a ton of leftovers,” Kausler said.

A couple of people traveling through who stopped at the business with the intention of buying a meal were surprised to find themselves recipients of a free Thanksgiving dinner, he said.

Next year, Kausler said, the business will look for ways to get the word out earlier and especially to people who would otherwise have to go without a holiday meal.

He’s already brainstorming ways to better inform the community such as placing fliers at The Salvation  Army and MayDay.

The Calvary Baptist Church also hopes to serve more people next year in what is planned to become an annual event, Pastor Deputy said.

“I think it will grow as the community becomes more aware,” he said.

The church also had leftovers, which were sent home with those who came for the meal.

“Next year we’re going to do a better job of promoting it earlier and more often,” Deputy said. “Hopefully people who are in need will come out. It’s not always about numbers, but about serving those in need.”