VOLUNTEERS SHARE SPIRIT OF SEASON

For Cherie Herbst, Thanksgiving means volunteering at the Salvation Army and seeing old friends.

"I think more than anything I come here because of the people," Herbst said Thursday as she helped clean up after a Thanksgiving dinner for 350.

"I see people I recognize from last year and the year before, and they recognize me," she continued. "It's a pretty good feeling."

Herbst of Cape Girardeau was one of about 75 volunteers at the Salvation Army, which served a dinner of turkey and all the fixings at no cost to the needy.

While the Salvation Army Thanksgiving dinner is a tradition, this was the first year that Mollie's, a Cape Girardeau restaurant, opened their doors and served a free Thanksgiving buffet. Both are situated on Good Hope Street.

"We really didn't know what to expect, and I think the people who came here didn't know what to expect," said John Wyman, who along with his wife Jerrianne, owns Mollie's.

The Wymans, along with several restaurant employees, served about 70 people Thursday afternoon. The menu included turkey, ham, dressing, salads and pies.

"We had food to feed 300 people," Wyman said. The restaurant served the buffet from about 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The meal was not just for the needy, he said, it was for anyone who found themselves with nowhere to go for the holiday.

"You don't have to be poor to eat here for free," he said.

In fact, he said, some diners wanted to pay for their meal. The restaurant gave all donations to the Cape Girardeau Historic Preservation Society.

The Salvation Army began serving carry-out meals at about 11 a.m. They also delivered meals to the needy.

People ate in the dining room until about 2 p.m. About 350 meals were served in all, but Trapp said he had expected the number to be closer to 500.

"It's been busy," he said. "But this type of thing is unpredictable."

Trapp said there are usually about 35 people who call ahead to say they'll help serve or cook the meal. Another 35 to 40 people just show up Thanksgiving morning ready to lend a hand.

Trapp said most people who come to the Salvation Army for the Thanksgiving meal are from Cape Girardeau.

Herbst said volunteering at the Salvation Army still leaves her with plenty of time to spend with her husband and two children. She said the family celebrates the holiday the night before and Thanksgiving evening.

Herbst said she enjoys "being the waitress" more than cooking, because it gives her the chance to talk with people.

"I don't think we always realize how many people are not fortunate to have a family to spend the holidays with," she said.

"I really feel like I make friends here and it makes me feel like I'm doing something good for other people. I wish I had more time to do that."