HUMBOLDT — Humboldt residents can enjoy traditional Thanksgiving fare Thursday courtesy of area churches.
Starting at 11 a.m., turkey, dressing, and trimmings will be served in a community setting at First Baptist Church, Seventh and Osage streets.
The annual event will feature food prepared by members of eight Humboldt churches. First Baptist is this year’s host. Members today are cooking turkeys. By Thursday they also will have baked dressing, whipped up creamy mashed potatoes and made the gravy.
Members of other churches are to make desserts and vegetables and “everything else that you’d expect to find on a Thanksgiving dinner table,” said the Rev. Jerry Neeley, First Baptist pastor.
Desserts should be particularly appealing. There will be pumpkin, cherry, pecan and chocolate cream pies and angel food cake.
Churches involved in the feast also include First Christian, which will host the meal in 2011, Faith Assembly of God, Methodist, Poplar Grove Baptist, Restoration Fellowship, St. Joseph Catholic and St. Peter’s Lutheran.
THE COMMUNITY meal isn’t the only option for Humboldt residents on Thanksgiving Day.
The food pantry operated by the Humboldt Ministerial Alliance is giving away food to all.
“We’re giving two big paper grocery bags of food for the holiday, with a value of about $60,” Neeley said Tuesday afternoon, while restocking shelves in the pantry. “We gave out to 41 people on Monday. We know a lot of people will have family for the holiday and we want them to have plenty.”
The pantry typically limits donations to once a month per family.
The pantry will be open until 5 p.m. today.
