ECMA
The free Ellis County Community Thanksgiving Feast is moving back to the Armory, 200 Main St., this year after several years in other locations.
Meals will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 23, Thanksgiving Day. Once again, the Ellis County Ministerial Alliance is sponsoring the event.
Reservations are required by Monday, Nov. 6., to https://signup.com/go/eCjbPxP or to (785) 623-2800.
Catering the event this year will be The Union Catering Company, owned by Phil Kuhn of Hays. Kuhn said his firm is delighted to be part of this year’s feast. "Thanksgiving is a huge holiday centered around food, family, and friends. That is really what the food industry is about. What better way to show that, than being a part of this event?"
The menu will consist of turkey, stuffing, garlic mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and a dinner roll. Cheryl Glassman, head of the ECMA organizing committee, said churches and individuals are being asked to provide desserts.
Glassman said all dinners will be served at the armory with one exception: Take-out meals will go to housing units who have pre-arranged meals for their residents.
No free transportation will be provided to the event.
Glassman said the committee decided to return to a single large venue this year because “we want it to be a community-wide unifying event. Thanksgiving and the holidays in general can be a difficult time for some people, either due to financial constraints or living alone. This event is to promote togetherness and give those in need a spiritual or physical gift. It is in giving that we can truly be thankful.”
Macey Pfeifer, executive director for First Call to Help, said her organization is coordinating the efforts of volunteers who will be needed to help make the day run smoothly. Individuals may call the above number to volunteer. She said volunteers are needed the day of the event to help set up, serve, clean tables as diners leave, and clean up afterwards.
Free sacks of groceries will be available to those in attendance, said Ben Houchen, who is coordinating the efforts to collect the groceries, sort, and sack them prior to the event. There are no income requirements to receive the free groceries, he said. The sacks will be distributed as long as supplies last.
Houchen said volunteers will be collecting non-perishable food items at Walmart and at both Dillon’s Grocery stores from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13. He said people may sign up to volunteer for an hour or more at a time.
Volunteers will be sorting and sacking the groceries from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 18, and from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 19, at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, 2900 Canal Blvd.
“We can have 10 volunteers at a time, with one-hour time slots, and people can sign up for as long as they would like,” Houchen said.
Those wishing to volunteer to collect, sort, and sack the groceries may text Houchen at (785) 259-2851 or email [email protected].
Those wishing to make a monetary contribution may send it to the Ellis County Ministerial Alliance, P.O. Box 173, Hays, KS 67601. Proceeds will benefit the ECMA Second Mile Fund.