Locations in Ontario and Vale will serve warm, friendly, free meals on Thanksgiving Day this year.
In Ontario, the Origins Faith Community Outreach Initiative, located at 312 N.W. 2nd St., will offer Thanksgiving Day meals from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. or until they run out of food, according to a representative with the organization.
Meanwhile, in Vale, the Food Pantry, the community’s food bank, will serve Thanksgiving Day meals from noon to 2 p.m. at Vale Elementary School, located at 403 E St. W.
Although Vale’s Starlite Cafe will not be holding a community Thanksgiving this year, many of the volunteers partnered with the Food Pantry, according to Starlite Cafe owner Malinda Castleberry.
Cathy Zacharias, one of the event organizers, said the group is sponsoring the event with a grant it received about five years ago. However, she said the event organizers welcome cash donations to sustain the event. Those interested in donating can call Zacharias at 541-216-1839, email [email protected], or mail a check made out to the Vale Pantry (memo, FEAST) to P.O. Box 345 Vale, 97918.
Additionally, the group needs volunteers for setup, serving, cleanup, and traffic control. Those interested can call 520-405-2956.
While donations are appreciated, they are not required, Zacharias said.
“They can just come and enjoy dinner,” she said.
She said the community had not had a chance to get together since COVID.
“(Community Thanksgivings) are one of those things we have been doing for years,” Zacharias said.
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