Published: November 20, 2009 03:19 pm      

Residents find special ways to celebrate Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving for most means food, family, and football. But not everyone gets to completely enjoy all three.

Some in the community have taken it upon themselves to help fill the void.

John and Tiny Bailey, owner of Bailey’s Jury Room on the Danville square, started having a community dinner on Thanksgiving a few years ago. Like many parents, they experienced a problem that occurred once their children grew up and started their own families — spending the holidays alone.

Nowadays the Baileys celebrate Thanksgiving with their children the Saturday after the actual holiday. Thinking they weren’t the only ones in such a situation, they began opening their establishment to others who may lack fellowship on Thanksgiving.

“We just did it for people who need companionship on Thanksgiving,” Tiny said. “That’s still the purpose. It’s for anybody.”

Tiny estimates the number of dinner guests has doubled since they started the tradition. Some of them are regulars, like the man who lost his wife and the young couple with no family nearby.

“But we see a lot of new faces too,” Tiny said.

Over the years it’s become like its own family. Then again, Tiny says it’s not much different from running a tavern.

“It’s a family venture, and everyone that comes in you kind of take on as your family,” she said.

It’s not a lot of work either. Most of the food is donated. The Baileys leave a bucket up front to collect free will offerings, which are given to Danville United Methodist Church’s food pantry. Tiny says the tradition, which will continue this year, has been worth it.

“Even if you make one lonely person happy, you’re successful,” she said.

Others get to spend Thanksgiving with family, but affording all the trimmings is another matter. Harold Allen, publisher of the Hendricks County Flyer and Westside Flyer newspapers, decided to help where he saw such a need. For the past three years, he and members of his staff have spent part of their Thanksgiving cooking and delivering meals to needy families in the county.

“I always see the ads asking for help for the less fortunate,” Allen said in explaining where he got the inspiration to start the tradition. “I’m fortunate. I’ve got a family to spend the holiday with. This is just a way for the Flyer to give back to the people of Hendricks County who just need a little help.”

The process starts early in the fall. The Flyer contacts area churches and police and fire departments to find families in need of a helping hand. Primo in Plainfield donates its kitchen for the staff to use. Turkeys are prepped the night before. Thanksgiving morning is spent cooking and packaging food for a lunchtime delivery. It’s not just a little either. Every family gets a whole turkey.

“A lot of times the best thing about Thanksgiving is being with family and friends that day, but it’s also leftover turkey in the days after,” Allen said.

The number served has remained steady the past three years — between 11 and 20. Allen would like to see that increase, but would need more help to accomplish that. So far the Flyer has paid for everything. One problem Allen hasn’t had is finding volunteers. Even former employees of his want to help.

“I wish I had more families to feed or more funding to feed families, but there’s been plenty of enthusiasm,” Allen said. “Everybody loves to give, especially my staffers.”

As busy as he is on Thanksgiving, Allen has been able to see the impact the program has had. Families have shown tremendous appreciation. One had a young son who seemed to have so little that some Flyer employees banded together to buy him some Christmas presents too.

“I’ve spent my whole life in Hendricks County,” Allen said. “I love this county, and this is just a way to give back.”

The Hendricks Community Bible Church also provides Thanksgiving meals to those unable to prepare them themselves or those simply not wanting to eat alone.

The group will deliver meals to anyone in Hendricks County or Jamestown in between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Nov. 26, or residents are welcome to come share a feast with others from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Nov. 26 at the Hendricks County Senior Center, 1200 Sycamore Drive, Danville.

Reservations are required, so volunteers can get an idea of how much food to prepare. To make a reservation, send your name, address, and telephone number to HCBC - Thanksgiving Dinner, 1200 Sycamore Drive, Danville, IN 46122; e-mail to pmdcountryfolk@netzero.net; or call (765) 676-9760 or 718-0760.

Transportation to and from the senior center will be available for those who need it.

For more information, visit the church’s website at www.hcbiblechurch.org.

This year also marks the fourth annual Plainfield Community Thanksgiving Dinner from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 26 at the Guilford Township Community Center.

“With the economy the way that it is, it is definitely needed,” Bryan Agan, event organizer, said. “There are just so many people in this community who have been blessed. Even in our worst of times, we can realize that we have more than a lot of people do. There are a lot of people in our community who are depressed financially and emotionally. There are all kinds of different needs.”

In the previous three years, the dinner has taken place at Plainfield Christian Church.

“We are still preparing all of the food at Plainfield Christian Church,” Agan said. “We changed it to a smaller, maybe more easily approachable venue of the Guilford Township Community Center at Hummel Park.”

Agan is hoping that the change of location might allow them to cater to more people.

“This isn’t a church activity,” he said. “It just took place at a church. Some people are apprehensive to go in a church. Some of that is hard to get around. To make them overcome that fear, we decided to move it to some place that doesn’t have anything to do with church.”

Agan takes any leftover food to Wheeler Mission on the Friday after Thanksgiving.

For more information about the dinner, contact Agan by calling 839-2407 or by e-mailing to bachef1964@yahoo.com.



wade.coggeshall@flyergroup.com