Thanksgiving Drive-thru Dinner
Author: Amy Zullo
November 17, 2022
Since 2004, MPC has provided a free Thanksgiving dinner to
the community. On Thanksgiving Day, the
doors were opened to anyone to come enjoy a traditional dinner including turkey
with gravy, stuffing mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, cranberry sauce, and rolls
with butter, along with a choice of desserts. I can say from personal
experience that the meals I have had were delicious. For the past three years,
the format has changed to a drive-through due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Each year, teams of volunteers have prepared and served over
250 meals. Last year, the drive-through
had 268 “customers” and this year, preparations are being made to serve 340
meals. Any leftovers or extra supplies will be donated to the Stop the Violence
ministry in Harrisburg.
One resident of Mechanicsburg who called to inquire if we
were having a Thanksgiving dinner this year expressed her appreciation of the
convenience of being able to pick up a couple of meals and take them home to
enjoy. “It’s just me and my son,” she
said, and she likes not having to cook a big meal for just the two of
them.
John and Kelly Scurfield along with Jim Hutchison have been leading
the team of volunteers for the past few years. The volunteers do a lot of prep work in the days leading up to and on
Thanksgiving Day. Congregation members
can donate cash, turkeys, pies (apple, cherry or pumpkin), or cakes (yellow or
chocolate). If you want to volunteer to
help out, contact John Scurfield or Jim Hutchison. When I asked Jim why he does this, his reply was that he enjoys
cooking and this is a way to give back. “It’s
my contribution to the community and the church,” he says.
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