GIVING THANKS: SALVATION ARMY FEEDS NEARLY 600

The men, women and children shed their coats, walked into the brightly-decorated dining area and chose their seats, just like at home.

Delightful smells of buttered rolls and baked ham wafted out of the kitchen, causing empty bellies to rumble hungrily, just like at home.

Conversation bounced around tables and family members craned their necks to see if dinner was on its way out of the kitchen, just like at home.

Finally, everyone bowed their heads while the head of the family gave thanks for the meal, its cooks and those partaking of it, just like at home.

Although the community center of the Salvation Army isn't home, nearly 150 volunteers and Army corps created a close replica as they served Thanksgiving meals Thursday.

More than 300 diners came out to enjoy the annual fellowship dinner served free of charge to the public. Some 278 others enjoyed freshly-prepared dinners delivered to their homes by volunteers.

Capt. Joyce Gauthier said the Salvation Army hosts the event each year to give people who might not otherwise have a place to go for Thanksgiving dinner. Some people can't afford the holiday, while others don't have family or friends they can spend the holiday with, she said. Still others just enjoy not having to do all of the work that goes along with preparing Thanksgiving dinner.

"This is for everybody; we don't have them sign in or anything," she said. "We realize there are people who really don't have the means to provide for a Thanksgiving dinner, but it's for the fellowship as well as for the food. For people who can't get out, it provides a hot meal for them."

A number of families turned out for the occasion. Mary Lou Reddin came out with her husband and grandson because she didn't "have to wash dishes or spend a whole lot of money." Besides, she said, she enjoyed meeting "old and new friends" and sharing a meal with them.

Rose Pair, who dined with her son-in-law and grandson, had similar reasons for eating out on Thanksgiving. "It's a good dinner and we get to meet people," she said. "It's just an enjoyable get together."

This year's meal total topped last year's numbers by 192 dinners. Gauthier said more dinners were delivered this year than last year because there were more delivery requests. Many families requested dinners because there was a sick person in their home, she said.

She said the event is a success each year because of the help the Salvation Army receives from the public. Nearly all of the food was donated, she said, including 37 turkeys and 20 hams.

Individuals and various groups also helped in the days leading up to the holiday by preparing food, setting up tables, designing place settings and generally doing anything else that was needed.

"They've done everything from cleaning to opening cans to helping the cooks -- just everything," she said. "The community has been just wonderful in getting behind us this year and every year."