KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
A Thanksgiving turkey. Flickr/Kristie Moser
Kayla Desroches/KMXT
Tomorrow is the day of turkey, pie, and overstuffed bellies, and a few nonprofits in Kodiak want to make sure everyone can experience that. There are several opportunities to join a communal meal in town and one food bank will still be open in case feasters need last-minute ingredients, or even turkey.
Alexander Von-Tsurikov says the Kodiak Baptist Mission Food Bank has been active over the last few days providing food to those in need and delivering donations to people restricted to their homes.
“Monday we were very busy, we worked until 6:30 instead of until 4, but we covered everybody with turkeys. We got some donated from Safeway. The community bought them and told Safeway to hand them out to us. I have some turkeys set up to thaw, but not too many. Maybe just a handful for people who show up last second, and I’ll be open Thursday, see if somebody needs any help.”
Two other nonprofits will provide sit-down meals.
Dana Myers is the Resource Specialist for Brother Francis Shelter and says the organization’s Thanksgiving dinner is open to everybody.
“The Spouse’s Association has been putting that together for us for a long time, and they’re going to do it again this year. It’s a wonderful meal with all the trimmings. There’s usually turkey and ham and pie, of course, and a bunch of side dishes. It kind of varies, because it’s all different volunteers and there should be some stuff from around the country.”
That’s one of the advantages of having Coast Guard families who come from different backgrounds and states. That dinner will begin Thursday at 8:30 p.m. at the Brother Francis Shelter.
Another service organization will provide a community meal prepared by a host of volunteers, although a little earlier in the day. Helen Hartman with the American Legion says the group has been hosting the event for the last 40 years.
“Me and quite a few auxiliary ladies will go in there and do the stuffing and the mashed potatoes and the green beans. A lot of our members and also the community and different organizations donate turkeys to us and hams, so that’s a big part of it. And then the Legion provides the rest of the fixing and the American Legion Auxiliary donates pies.”
She says they start preparing the turkey and ham today and cook the other dishes on Thursday. You can taste the results of the group’s hard work at the American Legion Hall between 3 and 6 p.m. tomorrow.
Whether you choose to indulge at one of those community gatherings or conduct your own Thanksgiving, the city of Kodiak will make sure that all eaters end the day well-fed and then some.
